New courses aim to develop leadership and negotiation skills The Australian Graduate School of Management is introducing two new elective courses to its Hong Kong-based MBA students. Both courses focus on experiential learning, through video case analysis and role play, for management professionals who increasingly require effective leadership and negotiation skills in order to meet the needs of the ever-changing commercial environment. The intensive 10-day course, Leadership Concepts and Skills: Leadership and Power in Organisation, spans three modules. The first provides an overview on theories and tools of effective leadership and suggests how they can be applied. The second sees students work together as a team. They are set the task of raising funds for charity within a limited time frame and with students rotating the role of leader. The exercise is based on the TV series The Apprentice and students must decide how they will raise the money and structure the tasks. At the end of the exercise students will be asked to reflect on their and their teams' effectiveness compared to other groups in the class. The third module looks at concepts of power in organisations and its link with management techniques. The course's aim is to enable students to acquire general knowledge in effective leadership, develop team leadership skills and enhance their ability to evaluate their leadership style. Students will be assessed by an individual essay and a group presentation, as well as on an analysis report based on a case study. The second course, Negotiation Skills, focuses on the skills required to resolve interpersonal or inter-group conflicts. Lectures are designed to give students an analytical understanding of planning, strategy and other tactics for successful negotiation. Students will also study critical thinking methods, learn about the importance of self-reflection during negotiation and gain problem-solving skills. The course equips students with the ability to diagnose, plan and prepare for negotiation by studying reports on negotiation plans, role-play exercises and demonstrations.
