This unit is to enable qualified practitioners in health and social care to increase their self-leadership capability and capacity to better manage self and others under the multiple pressures of the work environment. The development focus is upon the quality of the leader’s thinking, creativity, and deeper self-awareness in the moment; ultimately developing advanced level professional leadership impact. Personal resilience and better relating within complex and critical situations is a fundamental goal of this leadership unit.

The aim of this unit is to enable students to demonstrate:

• an understanding that the quality of mind of the leader is the fundamental basis for leveraging individual quality leadership, impact, mentoring and organisational performance;
• personal mastery and increased self-awareness;
• an understanding of mind state awareness and its impact on personal performance, relating to, and engaging others and its impact upon team synergy;
• an ability to achieve mind state management to exercise appropriate professional judgement within complex and critical situations.

Indicative unit content

• Implications for managing self and others in changing complex and critical situations. 
• Developing deeper levels of self-awareness.
• Creating presence, clarity and quality of mind in the moment.
• Developing clear thinking leaders and synergistic leadership teams.
• Developing ‘state of mind’ understanding to assess and problem solve in difficult and unpredictable circumstances.   
• Professional values and ethics in advancing human rights.
• Understanding and working with diversity.
• Developing better inter-professional and collaborative working relationships in professional practice.
• Evidenced based professional practice.

This unit can be undertaken as part of the MA Leading and Developing Services programme.

This course requires 100% attendance.

Learning outcomes

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Develop a critical self-awareness and understanding of the role of thought, mind and consciousness in terms of how reality is created and perceived, and the implications for healthy psychological functioning.
2. Demonstrate how this state of mind awareness and understanding impact professional leadership insight and creativity.
3. Demonstrate ability in the moment to act, know and be at the best optimal level adjusting for a reduction in one’s level of leadership impact.
4. Demonstrate how these new insights have improved risk decisions and responses, collaborative, partnership and team working.

Assessment

Coursework equivalent to 3,000 words. 

Coursework will focus on an analysis of a complex situation that examines the students practice at a structural and individual level and evidences critical self-awareness and thinking in professional practice.

This may comprise of a reflective report and an action plan for future practice.