In this course, you will discover the importance of understanding context and its impact on the individual as a leader. You’ll consider how you define leadership and explore how organisations work through an exploration of the “what” and “why” of your own working environment. You will also look at who stakeholders are and their important role in today's business, before discussing the differences between leadership and management, and the importance of credibility.
Getting Started with Leadership
Getting Started with Leadership
This course is part of Leadership Out of the Box Specialization
Instructors: Dr Nigel Spencer
6,705 already enrolled
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6
(64 reviews)
Advanced level
Recommended experience
Flexible schedule
Approx. 24 hours
Learn at your own pace
99%
Most learners liked this course
What you'll learn
To understand what leadership is, how to navigate the context they lead within, and how to manage their time as a leader.
To identify current key stakeholders and their relative importance
The difference between managing and leading and how these conflate in today's professional environment
The essence of credibility
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Assessments
10 assignments
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
This course is part of the Leadership Out of the Box Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 4 modules in this course
Welcome to Coursera and Queen Mary University of London, we are excited to have you studying with us. We are going to help you prepare for your studies by ensuring you know exactly what is expected of you throughout your course and how to most effectively engage with the platform. We will look at how the platform works as well as how you will interact with your peers. You will be introduced to the university you are studying with and we will share some top tips on how to succeed with Coursera. This week we shall start by getting to know Coursera as you will be introduced to the platform and explore how to use the various functions which will support your learning journey. You will see how you can make the most of your learning experience which will enable you to succeed on this course. This week we are going to start by exploring the context of leadership as we think about what it is and how we might define it. Many topics covered in the course are also explored in the instructors book How to Lead Smart People (Mike Mister and Arun Singh, Profile Books 2019).
What's included
10 videos26 readings4 assignments5 discussion prompts
This week you are going to explore your organisational context, and consider why it's important to understand how your organisation operates to be an effective leader. We will look at the different types of power as well as the sources and roles of power within your organisational context. We are also going to explore how organisations can change and think about how you can be a successful leader in a changing context.
What's included
4 videos6 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
This week you are going to discover new ways to deepen your understanding of who your stakeholders are and will look at ways of how you can manage them. You will also explore why stakeholders are important to you as a leader to implement your agenda, as you learn new techniques for assessing stakeholder relationships and needs.
What's included
4 videos8 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt
This week we shall be focussing on what it means to manage, lead and deliver effectively and how we can achieve this. We shall explore the importance of moving beyond having a sole focus on a task as well as the value of developing your credibility as a leader. We will also discuss the time bind and consider how important it is as a leader to make the best use of your time.
What's included
6 videos9 readings3 assignments1 peer review5 discussion prompts
Instructors
Instructor ratings
4.6 (32 ratings)Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Leadership and Management
LearnQuest
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
Showing 3 of 64
4.6
64 reviews
- 5 stars
79.68%
- 4 stars
10.93%
- 3 stars
4.68%
- 2 stars
0%
- 1 star
4.68%
New to Leadership and Management? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.