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Dr Nigel Spencer, Mike Mister, and Arun Singh

In this course, you will look at how to work with a diverse range of people to create and lead a high performing team. You will consider the differences between work groups and teams and explore team dynamics, the nature of remote teams and cross-cultural implications of leading teams. You will also discover how to effectively lead your peers, deal with blockers and disruptors, set objectives and delegate.

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In this course, you will look at how to work with a diverse range of people to create and lead a high performing team. You will consider the differences between work groups and teams and explore team dynamics, the nature of remote teams and cross-cultural implications of leading teams. You will also discover how to effectively lead your peers, deal with blockers and disruptors, set objectives and delegate.

This course is aimed at leaders and managers who have five to six years experience and who are beginning to manage teams, customers and clients more regularly or more directly. Learners will likely have a technical or professional early career but as they are progressing in their careers, they are having to start grappling with the issues of team and organisational leadership.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

– Explain the differences between a team and work group, and why this is important for a leader.

– Describe strategies for leading peers, dealing with blockers and disruptors.

– Set effective objectives, know best practice for delegation and techniques to drive performance in your teams.

– Hold important, challenging conversations which leaders need to have, and implement the key elements of coaching and mentoring as a leader.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Team Dynamics
This week we are going to begin by considering what we mean by the term “team” and explore how this might different from other working groups. We shall see how depending on the nature of the group you are learning, how you lead will need to change. We shall discuss the stages of team development, looking at how teams change through time, and consider remote and hybrid teams, along with the challenges and opportunities they present.
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Leading Your Peers
This week we shall be focussing on building team culture, trust and leading teams of peers. We are going to start by exploring team culture and the importance of difference before considering some of the main challenges of developing and leading teams. We shall also look at how you can build and retain the trust of your team and identify some strategies to help you lead your peers.
The Leader as Guide
This week you are going to explore the value of setting clear objectives, and learn what good objectives look like. We shall look at how to set effective objectives before looking at the role of feedback, and how to give feedback successfully. We are going to consider the importance of letting go as leaders, avoiding micromanaging, and how you might do this well, and we shall end the week with a consideration of coaching. You will see a popular coaching model and look at how coaching can be done well.
Important Conversations
This week we are going to look at the important conversations you need to have as a leader. We shall explore the risks associated with too much agreement within teams, as we look at the phenomenon of “groupthink”, and ways to combat it. We are also going to consider how you can promote more challenge within your team, and give you ideas on how to have those challenging conversations. We will see ways to strategically introduce conflict and think about the role of mentoring within this context.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on actionable leadership strategies that can be implemented immediately
Delves into the challenges and opportunities of managing remote and hybrid teams
Guides learners in setting clear objectives and provides practical methods for giving effective feedback
Provides insights on how to have crucial conversations as a leader, including fostering a culture of challenging ideas and encouraging constructive conflict
Suitable for learners with five to six years of experience who are new to managing teams and client relationships
Taught by experienced instructors with expertise in team leadership and management

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Reviews summary

Stepping up: leading others

According to students, Stepping Up: Leading Others is well received. Despite mostly positive feedback, some learners expressed concern with peer grading and the number of assignments. Despite these concerns, students generally found the course to be engaging and informative.
Course content is outstanding.
"Useful"
"Out standing content"
The course is a lot of work.
"assignments shouldn't be added"
"We should get the certificate without having to get peer reviews"
Peer grading is unnecessary.
"assignments shouldn't be added"
"Peer grading is often unfair"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Stepping Up: Leading Others with these activities:
Read and reflect on articles about team leadership
Reading and reflecting on articles about team leadership can help you develop your understanding of the key principles of team leadership.
Browse courses on Team Leadership
Show steps
  • Identify a topic related to team leadership that you would like to learn more about
  • Research and find articles on the topic
  • Read the articles and take notes
  • Reflect on what you have learned and identify any key takeaways
Host a team meeting to discuss team dynamics
Hosting a team meeting to discuss team dynamics can help you identify and address any issues that are affecting your team's performance.
Browse courses on Team Dynamics
Show steps
  • Prepare for the meeting by gathering information about team dynamics
  • Facilitate the meeting and encourage open discussion
  • Identify any issues that are affecting team dynamics
  • Develop a plan to address the issues
  • Follow up with your team after the meeting
Set clear goals and objectives for your team
Setting clear goals and objectives for your team can help you lead your team more effectively.
Browse courses on Project Management
Show steps
  • Identify the purpose of your team
  • Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals
  • Develop a plan to achieve your goals
  • Communicate your goals and objectives to your team
  • Monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Practice giving feedback to your team members
Practicing giving feedback to your team members can help you develop the skills you need to provide constructive and effective feedback.
Browse courses on Feedback
Show steps
  • Identify a specific situation where you need to give feedback
  • Prepare your feedback
  • Deliver your feedback in a constructive and respectful manner
  • Follow up with your team member to ensure that they understand and are able to use your feedback
Participate in a workshop on team leadership
Participating in a workshop on team leadership can help you develop the skills you need to lead your team effectively.
Browse courses on Team Leadership
Show steps
  • Research different team leadership workshops
  • Choose a workshop that is relevant to your needs
  • Attend the workshop and actively participate
  • Apply what you learn in the workshop to your own team
  • Reflect on your experience and identify areas for improvement
Create a guide to team building
Creating a guide to team building can help you develop your understanding of the key principles of team building.
Browse courses on Team Building
Show steps
  • Identify the key principles of team building
  • Develop a plan for your guide
  • Write your guide
  • Review and edit your guide
  • Share your guide with others
Write a blog post about your experiences leading teams
Writing a blog post about your experiences leading teams can help you reflect on your experiences and identify key lessons learned.
Browse courses on Team Leadership
Show steps
  • Identify the topic of your blog post
  • Write your blog post
  • Review and edit your blog post
  • Publish your blog post
  • Promote your blog post

Career center

Learners who complete Stepping Up: Leading Others will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Operations Manager
Operations Managers lead teams that develop, produce, and deliver a company's products or services. They are skilled at managing teams and leading them towards success. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help them improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They work with teams of people to complete projects on time and within budget. They are also tasked with motivating teams. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Project Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Team Leader
Team Leaders are responsible for leading and managing teams. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Team Leaders improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Department Manager
Department Managers are responsible for leading departments within a company. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Department Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
General Manager
General Managers are responsible for overseeing the operations of a company. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help General Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Production Manager
Production Managers are responsible for overseeing the production of a company's products or services. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Production Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Technical Lead
Technical Leads are responsible for leading teams of engineers and other technical staff. They work with teams to develop and deliver products or services. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Technical Leads improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for managing the development and launch of products. They work with teams to define and develop products that meet customer needs. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Product Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Program Manager
Program Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of programs. They work with teams to develop and implement programs that achieve organizational goals. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Program Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Scrum Master
Scrum Masters are responsible for guiding teams through the Scrum process. They work with teams to improve their agility and productivity. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Scrum Masters improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Line Manager
Line Managers are responsible for leading and managing teams of employees. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Line Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Team Supervisor
Team Supervisors are responsible for leading and managing teams of employees. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Team Supervisors improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Foreman
Foremen are responsible for leading and managing teams of workers. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Foremen improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Supervisor
Supervisors are responsible for leading and managing teams of employees. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Supervisors improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Shift Manager
Shift Managers are responsible for leading and managing teams of employees. They work with teams to achieve goals and objectives. They are also tasked with motivating teams and resolving conflicts. Stepping Up: Leading Others can help Shift Managers improve their team management and leadership skills. It can help them create high-performing teams and achieve higher levels of productivity.

Reading list

We've selected 12 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Stepping Up: Leading Others.
Provides a fable-like overview of the five key dysfunctions of a team and how to overcome them. It great introductory read for those new to team leadership.
Classic work on leadership that provides a framework for effective leadership. It great resource for leaders of all levels and experience.
Provides a framework for having crucial conversations. It great resource for leaders who want to be able to have open and honest conversations with their team members, even when the stakes are high.
Provides a framework for having difficult conversations. It great resource for leaders who want to be able to have open and honest conversations with their team members.
Provides a framework for personal and professional effectiveness. It great resource for leaders who want to develop their leadership skills and achieve their goals.
Provides a comprehensive overview of leadership in organizations. It great resource for leaders who want to understand the different theories and practices of leadership.
Provides a practical guide to leadership. It great resource for leaders who want to develop their leadership skills and become more effective leaders.
Provides a framework for developing leadership skills. It great resource for leaders who want to improve their leadership abilities and become more effective leaders.
Provides a framework for building trust. It great resource for leaders who want to create a more trusting and productive work environment.

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