Outline

Overview

Effective leadership skills rate among the greatest contributors of project success. In all but the simplest of projects, project managers must demonstrate leadership effectiveness across each phase of the project life cycle. This course considers various leadership theories and styles, and how they apply to real world projects across industries. In addition, assignments and participative activities will help current and future project managers enhance their own leadership and communication skills, by leading themselves, their teams and their organisations more effectively. These concepts are underpinned by thought leadership in diverse topics including motivational psychology, social networks and influence, systems thinking, emotional intelligence, ethics, conflict resolution, negotiation, stress management, performance coaching and leading innovation.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Project Management
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PMGT5872 or PMGT6872
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Jennifer Whyte, jennifer.whyte@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Keara Byrne, keara.byrne@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Elahe Gharouni Jafari, kobra.gharouni@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 16 August 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Course Work Individual - Online weekly reflective diary and quizzes	25%	Multiple weeks	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Group Work Group- Participation in activities and presentation	40%	Week 06	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Individual Work Reflection on leadership toward objectives and goals	35%	Week 08	N/A
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Assignment 1 (25%)- Individual- Online weekly reflective diary and quizzes.
Assignment 2 (40%)- Group- Participation in activities and presentation: Applying different leadership theories and styles to a project manager setting up a high-performing team.
Assignment 3 (35%)- Individual – Reflection on leadership toward objectives and goals.

Study Commitment:

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6-credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Text-matching software for Assignment Submission:

As part of the assessment process, text matching software such as Turnitin may be used to identify plagiarism and/or be used for providing feedback.

Confidential Peer Evaluation:

As part of the group contribution assessment process, collaborative & self-peer evaluation tools (e.g. SparkPlus, CATME, etc.) may be used, either on a confidential or non-confidential basis, to understand contributions and interactions amongst group members. Marks may be adjusted for an individual team member, following on from the peer evaluation process.

Reliability of Canvas Marks:

Canvas will be used in this unit and while key assessments may be submitted via Canvas, it cannot be used to determine/ predict a student’s final marks in this unit. Not all assessment results may be visible to students and group/team marks can change for each individual team member based on the peer-evaluations conducted at the end of the semester.

Recycling Assignments Not Allowed:

Recycling involves submitting (or resubmitting) your own work that has already been assessed without the permission of the lecturer of this unit, and for which you have already been given feedback. Recycling is a form of academic dishonesty and will be handled in line with the coursework policy.

Mark Moderation:

There may be statistically defensible moderation when combining the marks from each component to ensure consistency of marking between markers, and alignment of final grades with unit outcomes.

Workshop Participation:

It is expected that students turn on the cameras during online workshops. Failure to do so, will result in the student being requested to show cause and failure to comply could be viewed as non-participation for assessment purposes.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2021 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Work of an exceptional standard

Distinction

75 - 84

Work of a very high standard

Credit

65 - 74

Work of a good standard

Pass

50 - 64

Work of an acceptable standard

Fail

0 - 49

Does not meet the learning outcomes or assessment requirements at an acceptable standard

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. Example: Consider an assignment's maximum awardable mark is 10; the assignment is submitted 2 days late; and the assignment is marked as 7/10. After applying the penalty, marks will be: 7 - (0.5 x 2) = 6/10. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded. The marker may elect to, but is not required to, provide feedback on such work. Refer to section 7A of Assessment procedures policy available at: http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/267&RendNum=0

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction and overview	Independent study (18 hr)
Week 01	Unit overview, Introduction to Project Leadership, definitions, socialised and individual perspectives, technical leadership, project lifecycle, personal reflective practice	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 02	Leading self and influencing others	Independent study (18 hr)
Week 02	Leading self and influencing others: speaking and acting like a leader	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 03	Coaching and mentoring others	Independent study (18 hr)
Week 03	Coaching and mentoring others: Leadership styles and teams (leading and following)	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 04	Leadership in the organization	Independent study (18 hr)
Week 04	Leadership in the organization: Project governance, management and leadership	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 05	Leadership in a changing world	Independent study (18 hr)
Week 05	Leadership in a changing world: Dealing with ambiguity and change	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 06	Bringing it together: Setting direction, coaching and fostering organizational culture	Online class (1.5 hr)
Week 06	Bringing it together	Independent study (18 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90 percent of timetabled activities for a unit of study unless granted exception by the Dean or Head of School most concerned. A student may be determined to fail a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90 percent. Please see the Resolutions of the Faculty - Faculty of Engineering - The University of Sydney for further details.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Week 1- Crevani, L., Lindgren, M. and Packendorff, J. (2010) Leadership, not leaders: On the study of leadership as practices and interactions. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26(1), 77-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scaman.2009.12.003

Week 2- Du Plessis, M. (2019). Positive self-leadership: A framework for professional leadership development. In: Van Zyl, L., Rothmann Sr., S. (Eds.), Theoretical approaches to multi-cultural positive psychological interventions (pp. 445-460). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20583-6_20

Week 3- Grant, A.M. (2017) The third ‘generation’ of workplace coaching: creating a culture of quality conversations, Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 10(1), 37-53, https://doi.org/10.1080/17521882.2016.1266005

Week 4- A Framework for Ethical Decision Making - Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (scu.edu)

Week 5- Whyte, J., Naderpajouh, N., Clegg, S., Pollack, J., Matous, P. and Crawford, L. (2022) Project Leadership: A Research Agenda for a Changing World, Project Leadership and Society, 3, 100044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plas.2022.100044

Week 6- Levitt, R., Pollack, J. and Whyte, J. (2024). Leadership and the dynamics of projects: ray Levitt’s insights on project leadership. Project Leadership and Society, p.100131, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plas.2024.100131

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Evaluate a range of leadership theories and styles and when and how to apply them in different organisational contexts
LO2. Synthesise understanding of leadership theories, governance processes, and ethical responsibilities to address contemporary leadership issues within organisations
LO3. Reflect on personal and interpersonal practice, values, ethics, and culture and how they impact on the project team and stakeholders: and identify areas for personal professional development
LO4. Assess the use of formal and informal power and influence over others to achieve project, program and portfolio objectives that align with organisational goals
LO5. Provide direction, coaching and mentoring to guide and improve the work of individuals and teams

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first time this unit has been offered.

Additional information

Expected Conduct:

It is every student's responsibility to behave in accordance with the values and principles of mutual respect between staff, students and the University – see the Student Charter. This entails respecting all members of our diverse community and racism, sexism, ageism, dishonesty or defamation will not be tolerated, and instances will be reported to the authorities.

Additional costs

N/A

Site visit guidelines

N/A

Work, health and safety

Work, health and safety requirements

The University is dedicated to ensuring that all students have equal access to learning. Students can register with Disability Services and gain access to the adjustments and services they need to succeed in their studies. Faculty Disability Liaison Officers (FDLOs) can provide quick advice and support specific to your learning environment. As a student with a disability, Disability Services Officers are your main point of contact. Eligibility for these services is determined on an individual needs basis, upon review of the recommendations made in your supporting documentation and your consultation with a Disability Services Officer.

Our students’ wellbeing is our highest priority. The University offers several support channels to help you find relief from current emotional distress, explore coping strategies and advice pathways for longer term solutions:

Wellbeing support

If you would like support or to talk confidentially about any concerns that may be impacting on your academic performance or mental health and wellbeing with the Student Wellbeing team, the first step is to fill in this form. Once your form is received, a clinician from Student Wellbeing will call you within 1-2 business days to discuss your support needs.

Sonder

All University of Sydney International Students have free access to Sonder, a 24/7 on-demand safety and wellbeing app, to get you the support you need whenever you need, wherever you are.

Learn more: sydney.edu.au/students/sonder.html

Innowell

This is free to all students at the University. It is a digital platform designed to give you 24/7 on demand access to tools that assist in self-management of mental wellbeing and health and provide information about how to seek help as needed.

Learn more: sydney.edu.au/students/innowell.html

After hours mental wellbeing support line

If you’re in Australia and require support after hours, you can contact the Mental Wellbeing Support Line by calling 1300 474 065 or by texting 0488 884 429.

The Mental Wellbeing Support Line is available after 5pm from Monday to Friday, 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday, and during University close-down periods and public holidays.

Talk Campus

Life is full of challenges, and we want you to know that however you feel is valid. Download the Talk Campus mental health support app for free and instant access to online peer support 24/7, wherever you are in the world and in your own language:

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

OPMG6872: Project Leadership

Semester 2a, 2024 [Online] - Online Program

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect