FutureLearn has teamed up with Lincoln University to launch a new online course

What makes an effective leader? A new online course created by the University of Lincoln and FutureLearn, a leading UK-based online learning provider, will help managers discover just that.

During the two-week course, learners will explore the difference between leadership and management, as well as the evolution of leadership theories from the 1980s to the present day. Aimed at anyone in leadership positions, spanning from CEOs to managers, the course will help learners identify strengths and weaknesses as a leader, and create a professional development strategy that reflects these areas for improvement.

“Leadership has always been important and will continue to be in the future,” Director of Lincoln International Business School, and co-creator of the course, Craig Marsh, said. 

“But the requirements and the success factors differ according to the times and the issues. At the University of Lincoln, we believe that our mission is to nurture talents and ideas, create and share knowledge, and to develop leaders who will participate in transforming lives and communities for the better.”

While many leaders will face challenges very specific to their remits, according to the course creators there are universal leadership traits that are important to nurture in all those in leadership positions, regardless of different walks of life; such as characteristics that are universally valued by others in effective leaders, like a ‘helicopter view’, also known as a vision; and the ability to listen, especially in difficult situations. All these traits will be explored as part of the new course.

The original module was created for the executive MBA programme at the University of Lincoln, but has been refined and updated through their work in understanding the direct experience of practitioners.

“This excellent course from the University of Lincoln offers learners the opportunity to dive into different leadership techniques, grounded in research, while leveraging FutureLearn’s social learning approach. 

We are pleased that more learners can access the university’s executive MBA modules in a way that is bite-sized, and fits around other responsibilities,” Yvonne Chien, Chief Growth Officer at FutureLearn, said.

The university is also rated in the top 30 UK universities for student satisfaction in the Guardian University Guide 2022 and the Complete University Guide 2022.

While the course is designed for supervisors, managers, and team leaders looking to improve their decision making from a leadership perspective, the course creators also want to inspire the next generation of leaders. 

“It’s important also for us to learn and understand what the next generation of leaders consider as effective,” Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy, Wajdi Ben Rejeb, said. 

“As a university we also work closely with our undergraduates to co-create our ideas on leadership, rather than impose on them the views of a previous generation and age. Our new leadership course helps current, and future leaders, develop their own effective style.”

The course is now open for enrollment for anyone looking to progress their career or move into a leadership role.