Introductory description

This module provides participants with an opportunity to understand change –its drivers, risks, consequences and people’s responses.

Regardless of size and maturity, organisations today operate in a business environment that continues to grow increasingly complex and demanding of ever higher standards of efficiency, integration and customer service. Change can be both externally and internally driven, thus both skill sets of intelligent, timely reaction to external drivers and proactive planning to prevent organisational drift are critical to the sustained success of any organisation.

Individual competence in implementing change is essential for leaders and managers and this requires a resilient and positive mindset combined with skills in strategy formulation, communication, leadership, influence and the integration of various disparate functions within a complex organisational system. Developing a critical mass of competent individuals contributes significantly to organisational change capability.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The new leadership

Contemporary models of Change

The strategic context

Appreciative approaches, positive psychology, strengths and resilience

Emotions at work

Personal and organisational transformation

Decision making in complexity and uncertainty

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Identify and critically analyse the pressures for organisational change.
• Select and critically apply an appropriate strategic change management model.
• Interpret the different ways people respond to change, discover appropriate leadership approaches and develop strategies to build stakeholder engagement.
• Critically evaluate their own personal effectiveness in leading and managing change.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Subject specific skills

Organisational change management
Leadership

Transferable skills

Critical thinking, problem solving, self-awareness, communication (verbal and written), teamwork and working effectively with other, information literacy (research skills), ethical values, intercultural awareness, professionalism and organisational awareness.