• Comprehensively understand, differentiate and evaluate concepts of leadership (theoretically as well as practically).
• Critically reflect on the potential pitfalls of classical leadership theories and societal ideals.
• Experience the complexities of leadership, analyse and reflect on these experiences against the background of theoretical concepts.
• Learn about, experience and reflect on possibilities of leadership (self) development.
• Collect and analyse real-life leadership challenges and derive implications on decision making.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this course, the students will be able to:

• LO1: Accurately identify, evaluate and apply relevant leadership theory on complex group and organizational contexts. [cognitive/analytical]
• LO2: Understand and experience how to develop and use social skills related to leadership and teamwork (in face to face and online contexts). [social/digital skills]
• LO3: Develop decision-making skills related to complex leadership challenges. [professional/practical skills]
• LO4: Demonstrate the ability to formulate, present and discuss a concise, insightful analysis of real-life challenges that presents leadership issues in a comprehensive, coherent and reflexive manner. Very often students work on real-life cases of international companies. [transferable skills]
• LO5: Develop in their self-image as critically reflective and responsible leaders. [reflexive skills]

1. Attendance is required at all times (active participation)
2. Individual assignments:

1. Group assignments:

Assessment criteria:
Individual reflection reports (25%):

• Correct understanding of the theories and concepts as a precondition.
• Ability to reflect on the core readings and the course content as well as your own (leadership) approach.
• Ability to translate it to specific experiences (reflecting on what happened).
• Ability to derive lessons learned / conclusions that can be applied in the future.
• Appropriate writing, formatting style, etc.

Case study work (50%, can be divided among group members based on self-defined evaluation criteria):

• Follow a clear structure (as outlined in the task assignment) and a clear line of argumentation
• Comprehensively describe and analyse the situation
• Use contemporary high-quality academic literature (esp. journal articles) for explaining the situation
• Deriving practical implications for leaders
• Obey criteria of academic writing / appropriate formatting style

Before students start working on the task, they prepare a short group presentation incl. self-defined rules of collaboration

Group presentations and discussion (25%, divided equally among group members):

• Overall clarity what the case is about
• Presentation theoretical concepts
• Interactive design
• Lessons learned

Each presentation follows a feedback and reflection phase in groups and the subsequently in plenum: For the listeners: What did we learn / what was interesting? What was difficult to follow / understand? For the presenting group: How was our presentation? What went well, what not so well? Why? What are overall take-aways (*) content wise, (*) methods/ presentation, (*) implications for (digital) leadership, (*) ideas for interactively involving the audience (in a digital setting) to be shared in a general forum

Reflection of learning outcomes in the assessment and teaching methods:

• LO1: esp. through individual reflection report (I1) / written case study group work (G1) / participation in exercises, role plays, etc. and its subsequent discussion
• LO2: esp. through collecting cases (I2) / case presentation and discussion (G2) / participation in exercises, role plays, etc. and its subsequent discussion
• LO3: esp. through collecting cases (I2) / case study work (G1) / participation in exercises, role plays, etc. and its subsequent discussion
• LO4: esp. through case study work (G1) / case presentation (G2) / participation in exercises, role plays, etc. and its subsequent discussion
• LO5: esp. through individual reflection report (I1) / case presentation and discussion (G2) / participation in exercises, role plays, etc. and its subsequent discussion