This course presents and discusses aspects of psychology that can offer insights into the nature of leadership. The ways in which both natural evolution and cultural evolution have shaped human behaviour are addressed, as well as recent findings from neuroscience. Read more Read less

These psychological issues are reviewed from the perspective of potential interventions to enhance organisational performance.

Often leaders have to deal with complex situations, where both the current status and the desired status are unknowable. Complexity science and psychology have come together to offer insights into these intangible matters, and the module will demonstrate some practical techniques for dealing with complexity.

At a glance

  • Dates
    • Please enquire for course dates
  • Duration3 days
  • LocationCranfield University at Shrivenham
  • Cost£1,050

What you will learn

This course aims to develop more effective leaders and followers through the following knowledge and skills:

  • Assessing the value of key psychological approaches for understanding leadership
  • Understanding the principles of how behaviour relates to organisational performance
  • Debating the relevance of complex leadership to defence
  • Evaluating the benefits of thinking skills for supporting effective leadership.

Core content

Origins: psychology as a discipline, evolutionary psychology, perception, emotion, consciousness

Individual differences: personality, intelligence, cognitive styles, assessment

Cognition: types of thinking, why thinking can go wrong, cognitive shapers and interventions, training, cognitive assessment

Thinking Skills and Leadership: military complexity and uncertainty, wicked problems, agile grouping, networks, complex adaptive groups, intuition, storytelling, social network analysis.

Who should attend

This course is suitable for people who wish to contribute to the improvement of their organisation’s performance. It recognises that there are leadership issues at all levels and promotes a self-awareness and awareness of others that can help manage behaviour.

Location and travel

Cranfield Defence and Security (CDS) is a Cranfield School based at the Ministry of Defence establishment on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire borders.

Shrivenham itself lies in the picturesque Vale of the White Horse, close to the M4 motorway which links London and South Wales. It is 7 miles from Swindon, the nearest town, which lies off the M4 at the hub of Britain’s motorway network.

Bath, Cheltenham, Bristol and Oxford are all within an hour’s drive and London less than two hours away by car.

All visitors must be pre-booked in at reception by the person they are visiting on the campus.

For further location and travel details

How to apply

To apply for this course please use the online application form.

Apply now

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.