Operational Leadership (valid from WS 2023/2024) (Complete module description)

Examination:

To be able to pass the course, the participants must show understanding of the theory, be able to put the theory into a practical context and create good solutions for the study cases. The form of evaluation is a portfolio, which will consist of:

• Active involvement during physical workshops
• Oral and written presentation of assignments (including eventual updates)
• Reflection over the course and feedback

General learning outcomes

The following general learning outcomes are covered by this module. Students will be able to..:

• Autonomously read on new theories and methods (LO1)
• Apply new theories and methods to practical challenges (LO2)
• Manage complex situations in offshore wind energy business (LO4)
• Integrate business knowledge, analytical skills and management techniques for planning and controlling (LO6)
• Evaluate consequences of solutions (LO7)
• Show leadership capacity and teamwork skills (LO8)
• Communicate challenges and solutions to relevant stakeholders (LO9)

Module-specific learning outcomes

Students will be able to…

• analyze leadership in organisations
• describe and assess leadership practice and challenges in different management situations within the wind energy sector
• Combine leadership understanding with the skills of negotiation
• lead, guide and govern people in organizations in various challenging situations and to evaluate them

• Leadership concepts and theories
• Power and influence strategies
• Maintaining ethics & personal integrity
• How leaders use networking
• Developing a personal leadership plan
• Focus on the “operational” and “practical” and “executing” and “reflective” elements of leadership.
• Development of operational leadership through learning and through careful practice coupled to feedback and reflection
• Use negotiation skills as a part of leadership to free resource potentials in the company and its relationship with suppliers

Course theme

Anyone can claim to be a leader but this claim only works if someone is prepared to follow a leader. This will happen if followers sense that a leader possesses leadership skills. These skills are never or very rarely present in any given individual but can be developed through systematic practice and study. In addition, there are social, moral and ethical limits to how a leader can behave and any aspiring leader must know these.
The present course is aimed at developing individual leadership skills for leading the self, others, teams and organizations. It also places leadership in the context in which it is executed and emphasizes existing research on what leaders actually do, which leadership practices seem to work and the implications of personality upon leader behavior. It is the aim to develop leaders in a wind industry environment drawing upon practical cases and problems and integrating the use of tools as negotiation strategy as a part of the operational leadership context.

Teaching methods

• Innovative teaching methods: We strive for actual competencies needed in the industry. During class, actual consultancy tasks and problems will be presented and the MBA students will then apply theory in a real-time scenario and solve actual problems for the partner firms.
• Self-study: We expect the participants to hold a high degree of self-discipline and show up well prepared to class, being motivated to share their knowledge.
• Live cases: Business cases will be analysed to prepare the participants for future leadership requirements within wind energy.
• Workshops: Students will meet up physically two times during the module, to solve actual problems raised by partner firms.
• Forum, chat and messaging: All students can get in contact with their lecturer and fellow students to discuss, elaborate and clarify issues, ask questions and exchange views.