Skip to main content

University of Exeter Business School

Leadership and Teams

Module titleLeadership and Teams
Module codeBEM1021
Academic year2023/4
Credits15
Module staff

Dr Allan Lee (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

11

Number students taking module (anticipated)

166

Module description

In this module we will explore team dynamics and how the role of leadership in influencing the effectiveness of teams. Each week, using various sources (e.g. videos, activities and readings), we will review theories and models of topics like group dynamics, communication, motivation, diversity etc., and consider their implications for leadership in a team environment. In seminars/webinars participants will have the opportunity to discuss these topics with colleagues and tutors and engage with the material.

Additional Information: Internationalisation 

This is a diverse module with a specific session explicitly considering cross-cultural dimensions of teams and leading across boundaries. 

Sustainability 

Some of the lecture materials cover sustainability issues and students have the opportunity to explore these further in their group work.

All of the resources for this module are available on the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment). 

Employability 

Students develop a number of transferable skills including critical and reflective thinking, independent research, as well as getting insight into leading teams, group dynamics, followership and team-building skills.  

 

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide practical and conceptual insights into the nature of leadership in teams, groups and organisations. The module is structured around the investigation of a number of interrelated topics including: group dynamics, communication, motivation and performance. In relation to each of these topics, this module aims to combine experiential and practical learning with more propositional learning (in the form of relevant theories, models and ideas) as expected from a Level 1 Module. Consequently, this module will enable students to make links between the theoretical and practical aspects of leadership, and individual and group behaviour in teams.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. illustrate factors that influence the teamwork processes within organisations
  • 2. identify the ways leaders can enhance or reduce team communication, motivation and performance
  • 3. formulate practical interventions that could be used to improve the teamworking processes in organisations

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 4. develop arguments which demonstrate the use of data to support points made
  • 5. illustrate arguments using reflections upon own experience and drawing from own reading of assigned texts recognise where learning originates and translate new knowledge into suggestions for practice

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. communicate ideas effectively by written, oral and visual means
  • 2. with some guidance, study autonomously and plan own workload
  • 3. with some guidance, select and properly manage information drawn from books, journals, and the internet

Syllabus plan

 

Lectures 

The module comprises a series of 11 weekly lectures, each focusing on a different issue/theme on leadership and teams. An indicative outline of sessions is given below. 

  • Introduction to leadership and teams
  • Team roles and interpersonal communication
  • Leader-follower relations and group dynamics
  • Motivation and performance in teams
  • Negotiation and conflict
  • Power and politics in groups and organisations
  • Creativity and problem solving
  • Self-directed teams and distributed leadership
  • Culture and diversity in teams
  • Leading across boundaries
  • Module summary/review

 

Tutorials 

Tutorials will be based around a topic. There will be three webinars/seminars during the term. During these sessions, students will interact with other students and module tutors to develop better understanding of the topic.  

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
251250

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities22Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities3Seminars/Webinars
Guided Independent Study125Reading and preparation for classes and assessments.

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
DiscussionsIn class1-8Verbal in class
Exam Paper AnswersIn class1-8Verbal in class

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
60400

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Individual essay 602000 words1-8Written mark and feedback from tutor
Exam40Answer 2 exam questions1-8Written mark and feedback from tutor
0
0
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Individual Essay (60%)Individual Essay (60%)1-9 Within 6 weeks of notification of reassessment
Exam (40%)Exam (40%)1-9 Within 6 weeks of notification of reassessment

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Up to date readings and resources will be provided for each topic

Indicative resources:

Erdogan, B., & Enders, J. (2007). Support from the top: Supervisors' perceived organizational support as a moderator of leader-member exchange to satisfaction and performance relationships. Journal of applied psychology, 92, 321-330

Lee, A., Thomas, G., Martin, R., & Guillaume, Y. (2019). Leader-member exchange (LMX) ambivalence and task performance: The cross-domain buffering role of social support. Journal of Management, 45, 1927-1957.

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 6, 219-247.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Web based resources will be used to host readings, course notes and other relevant resources

Key words search

Leadership, teams, group dynamics, motivation, communication, film making 

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

4

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

07/04/2014

Last revision date

30/07/2020