MAN 5069 Teamwork and Leadership; Applied Organizational Psychology

MAN 5069 Teamwork and Leadership; Applied Organizational Psychology

Course code: 
MAN 5069
Department: 
Leadership and Organizational Behaviour
Credits: 
30
Course coordinator: 
Hallvard Føllesdal
Kathrine Johannesen
Course name in Norwegian: 
Samspill og ledelse; anvendt organisasjonspsykologi
Product category: 
Executive
Portfolio: 
Master of Management
Semester: 
2018 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
Associate course
Course codes for multi- or associated courses.
MAN 5070 - 1. semester
MAN 5071 - 2. semester
Introduction

This course is based on Norwegian and international research and experience. The program provides useful and practical knowledge about communication and interaction between large groups, small groups, and individuals in social systems. 

The program provides scientifically based knowledge about teamwork and leadership, drawn from empirical studies in e.g., group psychology, personality psychology, and organizational psychology. Participants will learn to use their knowledge in planning and facilitating the development of their own and others' competence in leadership and knowledge of human relations. The use of quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., case and interviews) will be emphasized. 

Interpersonal competence is a core skill in today’s performance-oriented work life, a competency all organizations need. By using theory, solving tasks, and drawing on own experience, you will be challenged personally to learn about the human side of organizations, and how it impacts leadership, decision making, and work performance. 

After the program, you will have obtained applicable psychological knowledge for use in organizations where change occur rapidly. You will get the opportunity to reflect over your own experiences, and apply and improve your interpersonal competence. 

The overarching objective for the program is to convey a holistic understanding of the various forces in human interaction that impact satisfaction, productivity, and innovation. Through a continuous process, the program conveys scientifically based psychological knowledge that offer each participant a unique opportunity for personal development. 

Learning outcomes - Knowledge
  • Know about fundamental questions in various parts of psychology, e.g., organizational psychology, cognitive psychology, personality psychology, and social psychology.
  • Obtain knowledge of basic concepts in psychology and be able to apply them (also in writing)
  • Knowledge of basic theories and research studies in organizational psychology of relevance for team work and leadership.
  • Basic knowledge of psychological theory relevant for leading groups and managing relationships.
  • Basic knowledge of quantitative and qualitative psychological methods
Learning outcomes - Skills
  • Be able to apply knowledge and experience in organizational psychology at their own work place.
  • Be able to improve leader skills in interpersonal relationships
  • Shift focus from goals to process, and from oneself to the organization
  • Learn to work more effective as a leader, for instance how to drive performance in a group, make decisions, manage conflicts/facilitate cooperation/increase satisfaction
  • Increased psychological knowledge relevant for, e.g., sales, completion of projects, follow-up on customers.
Learning Outcome - Reflection
  • Feeling of increased personal strength
  • Discovery of new possibilities
  • Improved interpersonal relationships
  • Increased valuation of life and work

 

Course content
  • Group psychology: leadership and interaction in and between teams.
  • Reflection team: Roles and group processes
  • Organizational development: innovation and survival strategies
  • Personality and leadership: Self-awareness and development of others.
  • Coaching of colleagues: Application of psychological competencies.
Learning process and requirements to students

The programme is conducted through five course modules over two semesters, a total of approx. 150 lecturing hours.

Project tutorials differ in each Executive Master of Management programme. It will consist of personal tutorials and tutorials given in class. Generally the students may expect consulting tutorials, not evaluating tutorials. The total hours of tutorials offered is estimated to 4 hours per term paper.

Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all programmes, it is the student's own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/ itslearning or other course materials.

The students are evaluated through a term paper, counting 60% of the total grade and a 72 hours individual home exam counting 40%. The term paper may be written individually or in groups of maximum three persons. All evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the programme. 

The term paper is included in the degree’s independent work of degree, cf national regulation on requirements for master’s degree, equivalent to 18 ECTS credits per. programme. For the Executive Master of Management degree, the independent work of degree represents the sum of term papers from three programmes.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

1st Module - Group psychology: Leadership and interaction in and between teams.

Sub-goals

Motivation and demotivation of team members is important for a team’s success. Therefore, group psychology is a fruitful topic of study for those who are concerned about obtaining results. This module provides classic structured experiential exercises and psychological theory about groups, and gives the necessary background to understand topics covered in later modules. Students will experience, and receive scientifically based knowledge about, relationships in and between work groups.

Overview of topics

Team development
Leadership and communication
Experience learning
Competition and cooperation
Security + anxiety = performance
Relations to external consultants
Relations to leaders and co-workers
Group identity
The unconscious in groups
Changing group culture
Training in participative observation

2nd Module – Reflection team: Roles and group fantasies

Sub-goals

How a group constructs its reality may impact how it succeeds with internal and external relationships. The module provides new perspectives on the experiences from Module 1. Each participant will get the opportunity to study one’s own and others’ group behavior and relationship competence in light of classic and newer psychological theory and research findings.

Topics

What characterizes the winning team?
Team diagnostics
Surface roles, interaction roles, and core roles
Conflict and conflict management
Power, authority, and obedience
Role differentiation in groups
Constructive and destructive forces in groups
Archetypical roles and deep-role fantasies

3rd Module – Organizational development: Innovation and survival strategies.

Sub-goals

It is not always the best who wins. Fantasies and feelings may be important for a company’s financial performance. Relational competence and image influence, both individually and between organizations, becomes an important factor for survival. This module is concerned with psychological factors in the start-up, creation, development, marketing, and maintenance of knowledge organizations. Students will obtain psychological knowledge concerning the process of innovation, relationships between competing companies, and challenges and consequences for the particular employee.

Overview of topics

Preparation for the project thesis
Influence and impact
The development of competence and trust
Resource utilization and redundancy
The psychology of project organizations
Psychological capital
The role of emotions
Leading newly established teams
Sales performance: competition as “win or perish”
Building relationships
Crisis and new possibilities

4th Module – Personality and leadership: Self-awareness and developing others

Sub-goals

Self-awareness is important in leadership. In addition, emotional competence is important in the role as a leader. In this module, the students will obtain increased self-awareness by working in small groups. The students will through scientifically documented approaches, and practical exercises, be encouraged to increase their own and others ability to mentalize and emotional intelligence. Accompanied by modern personality psychology it will be practical training in person focused communication, relationship oriented leadership and development of human resources.

Overview of topics

The leader as helper
Personality types and traits
Personality change
Self-concept and social identity
Openness as a factor for change
Emotional intelligence
Life traps and the impact of childhood
Empathy, authenticity, accept and understanding others
 

5th Module – Coaching of colleagues: Application of psychological competence

Sub-goals

Learning is not restricted to the school, but is life-long. This module provides a new look at earlier modules and provide participants training in applying what has been learnt in the program to solve leadership tasks and develop new opportunities. Application of experience- based psychological knowledge, dialogical communication, and relationship competence.

Overview of topics

Solution-focused supervision
Coaching of colleagues and Socratic dialogue.
Self-reflection and person perception
First impression and impression management
Reflecting team
Competence and incompetence as leader and colleague.

Qualifications

Bachelor degree, corresponding to 180 credits from an accredited university, university college or similar educational institution
The applicant must be at least 25 years of age
At least four years of work experience. For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree, three years of work experience are required.

Exam categoryWeightInvigilationDurationGroupingComment exam
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
MAN 50691
Grading scale:
ECTS
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
Examination when next scheduled course
60No2 Semester(s)Group/Individual (1 - 3)Term paper, counting 60% of the total grade.
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
MAN 50692
Grading scale:
ECTS
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
Examination when next scheduled course
40No72 Hour(s)Individual Individual 72 hours home exam, counting 40% of the total grade.
Exams:
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight:60
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Group/Individual (1-3)
Duration:2 Semester(s)
Comment:Term paper, counting 60% of the total grade.
Exam code:MAN 50691
Grading scale:ECTS
Resit:Examination when next scheduled course
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight:40
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Individual
Duration:72 Hour(s)
Comment:Individual 72 hours home exam, counting 40% of the total grade.
Exam code:MAN 50692
Grading scale:ECTS
Resit:Examination when next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Sum workload: 
0

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 30 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 800 hours.