This week I finally got confirmation, after waiting post interview for a couple of weeks, that I have gained a role as an Associate Lecturer on THIS module for the OU Business School.

This is a brand new, final undergraduate degree year module, that looks at leadership in our current complex business and politic environment. I am currently doing some consulting work for the module team on how it best uses Twitter & LinkedIn to support learning and leadership development. It looks to be oversubscribed already, which is great news for the future. The course team are literally writing the last materials this week.

Course pitch: “This module provides you with the unique opportunity to learn about leadership in the current world, characterised by precarious times and new opportunities to develop positive leadership. You’ll discover what type of leadership is needed in a world of disruptive technological change and turbulent contexts, how to be influential in this era of social networking, and what is your leadership call to develop your career and to improve the world. You’ll gain an appreciation of how leadership is increasingly mediated through social networks and you’ll have the possibility to practice leadership within social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn.”

The course is made up of three blocks.  Each block develops particular key skill: critical thinking; problem solving; and storytelling.

“Block 1: Leadership in turbulent times
You’ll focus on the turbulent contexts for contemporary leadership, analysing real life examples related to the future of work (e.g. short-term contracts, zero hours contracts, and the rise of the “precariat”) and discuss issues around the future of democratic global governance (e.g. Brexit, populism). You’ll reflect on globalisation and multiculturalism exploring also non-Western views of leadership.

Block 2: Developing leadership opportunities
In this block you’ll focus on the opportunities to develop positive leadership in a changing world, and on your leadership identity by examining the challenges of leading across boundaries and of bringing people together. You’ll learn how collaboration, or in some cases, conflict and constructive dissent can support positive leadership.

Block 3: Dealing with a collective leadership challenge
You’ll focus on the things you need to do in order to feed a practice of leadership. You’ll look at practices of resistance, radical and place-based leadership for social change. You’ll reflect on how responses to leadership challenges might be co-created and have the opportunity to work in a group focusing on a societal challenge.”

This new role fits in very well with the work I do as a business coach, facilitator of organisational transformation and also dovetails in with the senior and executive development programmes I currently deliver globally.