The Psychology of Leadership (Compassion)

The Psychology of Leadership (Compassion) module (PSYC11011) follows on from the work on The Psychology of Leadership 1 & 2.  Whether your employee feels included is directly associated with what the leadership says and does (Bourke & Titus, 2020).  Through the introduction of mindfulness compassion practice, we look at the role of compassion in your own life and in your work as a leader and how you can authentically develop your compassion skills.  Compassion can be defined as ‘a sensitivity to suffering in self and others with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it’ (Gilbert, 2013). West (2021) argues that compassionate leadership involves a focus on relationships through careful listening to, understanding, empathising with and supporting other people, enabling those we lead to feel valued, respected and cared for, so they can reach their potential and do their best work.  In this module, you will explore how your role as a leader can nurture psychological safety for your employees. Additionally, we will critically explore the theories, such as Polyvagal theory (Porges, 2022), which discuss how mindfulness compassion practices promote work conditions that support improved social communication and co-regulation supporting employees to work at their optimal best.  Furthermore, not understanding your impact can facilitate attrition, low productivity, lack of trust and high staff turnover (Sull, Sull & Zweig, 2022).  Understanding the psychology of how others perceive you and the executive roles as a culture setter, e.g. the organisation won't move around any project or transformation unless they "see" the leader's personal commitment to it. ​ 

​This module will begin the journey of understanding the psychology of compassionate leadership within four themes:

1. ​Understanding “The Self”, how does the organisation perceive me and my actions? 
2. Understanding the concept of compassion and how to develop compassion skills
3. ​The Systems (how your organisation positively and less positively responds to your words and actions)
4. ​Applying the knowledge (enhancing your practice as a psychology-aware leader)

At the end of this module the student will be able to:

• ​Demonstrate a critical and sophisticated understanding of direct and indirect psychological influence in relation to self and organisation​
• Apply complex concepts from the compassionate leadership to professional organisational change scenarios
• Demonstrate competent reflection on compassion meditation practices
• Demonstrate advanced skills of critical professional reflection and evaluation
• Articulate the outcomes of compassion-informed professional reflection in an impactful format

During completion of this module, there will be an opportunity to achieve core skills in:

Knowledge and Understanding (K and U): Demonstrating and/or working with:

• A critical understanding of the theories, concepts and principles that are relevant to compassion, empathy and leadership
• Extensive, detailed and critical knowledge and understanding of the psychological processes involved in practicing compassionate leadership

Practice: Applied Knowledge and Understanding:

• Applying knowledge, skills and understanding: in the use of a range of practices and techniques from compassion meditation to inform understanding of the role of compassion practice in cultivating compassionate leadership

Generic Cognitive skills:

• Applying complex concepts involved in compassionate leadership to professional organisational change scenarios
• Critically reflect upon their experience of compassion meditation practice

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills:

• Effectively communicating and collaborating with peers, academics and specialists
• Using appropriate application/software to engage in blended and online learning activities
• Effectively communicating their level of understanding through written work and also in seminars with peers

Autonomy, Accountability and Working with others:

• Exercising substantial autonomy and initiative in carrying out personal compassion practice and learning activities
• Taking responsibility for own work and contributing to the collective learning activities of the group in ways which support and develop critical reflection

 

Learning and Teaching

The module will be blended guided learning and self-directed study coupled with a flipped classroom approach to contact time.  The key is that the learning events offer space for the community to create meaningful co-productive learning.  Thus many of the learning hours are described as workshops.

This is an SCQF Level 11 module and upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 10 credits.

 

Delivery

The module will normally be offered on all Scottish campuses.  A full timetable will be published in advance of course commencement.

 

Course presenter

This module will be delivered by Dr Nicola Douglas Smith.

 

Funding

This course may be available on a fully funded basis to some delegates.  Further details, including regarding eligibility, are available under Funding Support.

If you have any questions, please contact us at cpd@uws.ac.uk. 

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.  If you do not meet this criteria, please enquire here.