GSZ601 Leading Self and Others


To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.


Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Online

Unit code:GSZ601
Credit points:12
Equivalent:GSZ632, EUZ656, EUN656
Assumed Knowledge:

Completion of “Leading Self and Others” Professional Development Module is assumed knowledge.

Anti-requisite:GSZ554
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Leaders develop their leadership skills through self-awareness, individual planning, courage and commitment. Through the application of personal insight and feedback they understand their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement, building capacity both within themselves and those they lead.

Effective personal and inter-personal leadership is fundamental to excellence in all aspects of the enterprise and is the key to mobilising group dynamics and fulfilling human potential.

Flexible teaching periods will still be required for units GSZ601, GSZ602 and GSZ615 for our corporate client Lutheran Education Australia. These offerings are not part of our semester based open program. New cohorts for Lutheran commence every second year and these units are timetabled over that contractual period.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Identify and understand key issues in leadership and development planning for effective decision- making in complex environments.
  2. Analyse and evaluate your current leadership style and development practices in the context of a specific workplace setting.
  3. Develop a leadership philosophy by aligning personal and organisational values and ethics.
  4. Analyse and evaluate leadership development theories and frameworks to identify and synthesise key influences on effective leadership behaviour in complex environments.
  5. Creatively design, implement and evaluate an action plan to foster collaborative behaviour using technology within a specific workplace setting.

Content

The topics covered in this unit have been developed to provide students with a broad grasp of the leadership principles that operate within an organisation. Topics explored will include:

  • Changing requirements for contemporary leaders
  • Understanding your leadership style
  • Effective leadership and management practice
  • Your leadership philosophy
  • Leading change


Course Learning Outcomes (Postgraduate - Executive) 
 
The Graduate School of Business has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment: 
 
Knowledge and Technological Skills (KS) 
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced theoretical and practical knowledge (including systems thinking approaches, multidisciplinary frameworks and knowledge of research principles and methods) that incorporate recent development in business disciplines, professional practice, and digital innovation. 
1.2 Apply advanced technical and technological knowledge and skills from a range of business disciplines to critically reflect on, evaluate and contribute to developments that enhance innovative, sustainable, effective, and transformational business performance in local, national, global, and virtual business environments. 
 
Higher Order Thinking (HO) 
2.1 Provide evidence of effective analysis, interpretation, evaluation and synthesis of complex data, theories, ideas, issues, situations, and trends across multiple contexts and demonstrate knowledge of how research and inquiry can be used to interpret, contribute to and create theoretical and practical knowledge.  
2.2 Provide evidence of higher order thinking including creativity, judgement, cognitive flexibility and critical reflection in designing, planning and implementing transdisciplinary digital strategies and solutions for effective performance in complex digital business environments. 
 
Professional Communication (PC) 
3.1 Demonstrate advanced use of language and argumentation in written communication, including digital communication, to frame strategic and influential responses to engage, persuade, negotiate, collaborate, lead, and transform in diverse and complex contexts (both physical and digital) and for diverse audiences. 
3.2 Demonstrate advanced use of language and argumentation in oral communication, including digital communication, to frame strategic and influential responses to engage, persuade, negotiate, collaborate and lead across diverse and complex contexts (both physical and digital) and for diverse audiences. 
 
Self and Leadership (SL) 
4.1 Demonstrate adaptive personal leadership and accountability, including self-awareness, reflective practice and foresight in adapting and applying knowledge and skills to inform and influence effective, responsible, innovative, and agile practice in contemporary digital environments. 
4.2 Lead, manage and foster the development of collaborative teams that value and leverage the diverse knowledge and skills of others to contribute to the development of adaptable, transformative, and sustainable courses of action in complex contemporary environments. 
 
Social, Ethical and Cultural Understanding (SEC) 
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical, legal, and responsible leadership principles and practices of business, to contribute to responsible organisational governance and citizenship in local, national, global, and virtual business environments. 
5.2 Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate, interpret and critically reflect on appropriate culturally, socially and ecologically inclusive and responsible decisions and actions across complex, diverse social and cultural contexts. 

Learning Approaches

This unit is presented in two components: a professional development module and a credential unit. Both involve online learning and the completion of readings and activities prior to intensive face-to-face workshops and/or virtual classrooms and work applied assessments. Students engage in reflective practice as they apply theories and technical skills to their work, sharing their experience with peers and synthesising these experiences with academic principles. Activities and assessment equip students to apply analytical skills and concepts for investigating and evaluating a range of issues in workplace context.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the teaching period, which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
  • Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
  • Indirect: to whole class

Assessment

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Personal Profile and Leadership Vision

Students are required to critically reflect on the challenges of 21st century leadership, and:

  1. submit a personal profile that demonstrates an understanding of the various theories, frameworks and instruments explored in this unit. 
  2. develop a vision for their leadership which outlines what the student has discovered about him/herself from the values and identity exploration and what they have discovered about the nature and practice of leadership with reference to their work context.    


Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 40
Length: 1,500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 4
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Leadership Development Action Plan

In light of their personal profile and the context of their leadership, students are required to identify areas of strength and areas requiring further development for their continuing professional development as leaders.

The Leadership Development Action plan will consist of:

  • The strengths and areas that require further development of collaborative practice as a leader
  • The reasons why these particular areas have been chosen (including both situational and personal contexts)
  • The strategies required to develop the leadership behaviours identified and why they have been chosen
  • An assessment of the barriers to self-development and risk mitigation tactics to reduce impacts
  • Use of the ICT model to show how strategies will be achieved.

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 60
Length: 2,500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 7
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Nil

Other

GSZ601 Canvas site.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit.

You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate Executive)

HO (2.1): Critical Analysis

Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Personal Profile and Leadership Vision, Leadership Development Action Plan

HO (2.2): Independent Judgement and Decision-Making

Relates to: ULO5, Leadership Development Action Plan

KS (1.1): Advanced Discipline and Professional Practice Knowledge

Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Personal Profile and Leadership Vision, Leadership Development Action Plan

KS (1.2): Advanced Technical and Technological Skills

Relates to: ULO1

PC (3.1): Professional Communication (Written)

Relates to: ULO5, Leadership Development Action Plan

PC (3.2): Professional Communication (Oral)

Relates to: Personal Profile and Leadership Vision

SE (5.1): Social, Ethical and Legal Understanding

Relates to: ULO3, Personal Profile and Leadership Vision

SE (5.2): Cultural , Environmental and Social Responsibility

Relates to: ULO3, Personal Profile and Leadership Vision

SL (4.1): Personal Leadership, Accountability and Reflective Practice

Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Personal Profile and Leadership Vision

SL (4.2): Leading and Developing Teams

Relates to: ULO5, Leadership Development Action Plan