81515 Leading Innovation
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 8 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 81514 Creativity and Complexity
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject addresses the current and future leadership practices that are required to mobilise people and to transform the organisations and systems they work and live in, to create and implement innovation. This includes a discussion of the social, epistemological, and contextual barriers and enablers of innovation.Students explore frameworks and various dimensions of innovation leadership and speculate about their future professional lives as innovation leaders.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Understand and leverage different disciplinary perspectives in leading innovation, including identifying potential enablers and barriers to innovation. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Explore different models of leadership and identify future-focused leadership competencies for times of change. Practice emerging models of innovation leadership (Eg. adaptive, distributed, participatory) in teams and reflect on their effectiveness or otherwise. |
| 3. | Apply innovation leadership within transdisciplinary teams, combining a range of creative intelligence and innovation methods to propose transformative interventions that contribute to the common good. |
| 4. | Apply creative, multi-modal methods to effectively communicate transdisciplinary approaches and insights to inspire behavioural and cultural change. |
| 5. | Identify and reflect on personal and team experiences in leading innovation, including leadership models, values, competencies and challenges. Use these reflections to help shape a sense of purpose as a professional and goals for study and work. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject contributes specifically to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:
- Identify and evaluate complex challenges by analysing system dynamics, constraints, and potential leverage points, using disciplinary perspectives, evidence, and diverse viewpoints. (CII.1.1)
- Identify, create, and employ a range of appropriate creative intelligence methods and boundary-crossing methodologies to construct and solve problems and generate transformative possibilities (CII.2.1)
- Practice mutual, responsible value creation, including the implementation of sustainable and entrepreneurial innovation. (CII.3.1)
- Communicate transdisciplinary ideas and solutions succinctly and persuasively using appropriate modalities. (CII.3.2)
- Develop reflexive connection with an evolving self, demonstrating ethical and intellectual positions that reflect well-considered values that enable greater purpose and inclusivity. (CII.4.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The subject develops students’ ability to engage imaginatively and ethically with different community, organisational and cultural contexts by drawing on diverse disciplinary perspectives to examine innovation leadership challenges, including creative destruction required in change initiatives. Finally, students design strategies for communicating confidently and with diplomacy to persuade organizational and community leaders to create and implement the recommended innovations in professional or social contexts.
So your experiences as a student in this subject support you to develop the following graduate attributes (GA):
- GA 4 Imaginative and ethical citizenship
- GA 5 Entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills
Teaching and learning strategies
Learning will take place in a collaborative, immersive, experiential, studio-based environment. Students will learn from academics, professionals and peers across a wide range of disciplines, as well as innovation leaders from industry or community. Students will conduct individual preparatory exploration, which will form the basis for collaborative discussion and interactive learning activities in class. Students will apply the leadership concepts and frameworks to explore real-world challenges and consider their impact on their future professional practice. Staff, peers and industry or community partners will give feedback continually through class activities and low-stakes interim assessment.
Content (topics)
- Interdisciplinary dialogues
- Innovation leadership strategies
- Contextual barriers and enablers of innovation
- Leading innovation in complex systems
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Different worldviews and epistemologies, and transdisciplinary innovation
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): CII.1.1, CII.3.2 and CII.4.1 |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 800 words |
Assessment task 2: Innovation Leadership Industry Project
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): CII.1.1, CII.2.1, CII.3.1, CII.3.2 and CII.4.1 |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | Part A: Team report 1000 words Part B: Individual report 500 words |
Assessment task 3: Your future creative leadership vision
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): CII.4.1 |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 500 words |
Minimum requirements
Students must attempt each assessment task and achieve an overall pass mark in order to pass this subject.
Late penalties apply to all assessment tasks as outlined in the TD School Student Guide. Please consult this booklet for other useful information including Special Consideration, Plagiarism, Extension, and Student Support Services.
A minimum of 80% of attendance of classes (as outlined in the timetable) is required
Recommended texts
Leading and Learning
Bar Am, J., Furstenthal, L. & Jorge, F. (June 17, 2020), Innovation in a Crisis: Why it is more critical than ever, McKinsey,
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/innovation-in-a-crisis-why-it-is-more-critical-than-ever
Uhl-Bien, M., & Arena, M. (2017). Complexity leadership: Enabling people and organizations for adaptability. Organizational Dynamics.
Spiller, C., Barclay-Kerr, H. & Panoho, J. (2015) Wayfinding leadership: Groundbreaking wisdom for developing leaders. Wellington, NZ: Huia Publishers.
Coyle, D. (2019) The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, Random House Business Books, London.
Meyer, D. (2008) Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, Harper Collins, New York.
Brown, Brene (2018), Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Vermilion, London
Cassidy, S (2004) Learning Styles: An overview of theories, models, and measures, Educational Psychology, 24:4, 419-444, DOI: 10.1080/0144341042000228834
Kolb, D. & Peterson, K. (2017) How you learn is how you live: Using nine ways of learning to transform your life, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315449473_How_you_learn_is_how_you_live_Using_nine_ways_of_learning_to_transform_your_life
Disciplinary Perspectives & Transdisciplinarity
Audouin, M. (October 2013) Introduction to Transdisciplinarity; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MweLcWOOJNY
Hall, K.L., Vogel, A.L., Huang, G.C., Serrano, K.J., Rice, E.L., Tsakraklides, S.P. and Fiore, S.M., (2018) The science of team science: A review of the empirical evidence and research gaps on collaboration in science. American Psychologist, 73(4), p.532.
Vogel, A.L., Stipelman, B.A., Hall, K.L., Nebeling, L., Stokols, D. and Spruijt-Metz, D., (2014) Pioneering the transdisciplinary team science approach: Lessons learned from National Cancer Institute grantees. Journal of translational medicine & epidemiology, 2(2).
Szostak, R. (2015) Defining "Disciplinary Perspective"; https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/rick-szostak/research/about-interdisciplinarity/definitions/defining-disciplinary-pe (last updated July 2015)
Miller, M., & Mansilla, V. B. (2004). Thinking across perspectives and disciplines. Interdisciplinary studies project: Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, USA. Full source can be found at http://evergreen.edu/washingtoncenter/docs/resources/millerboix.pdf
Max-Neef, M. A. (2005). Foundations of transdisciplinarity. Ecological economics, 53(1), 5-16
Leading Teams
Hill, L.A., Brandeau, G. Truelove, E. & Lineback, K. (June 2014) Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2014/06/collective-genius
Mentally Friendly, (April 2020), A guide to Making Remote Teamwork Productive, https://agda.com.au/articles/a-guide-to-making-remote-teamwork-productive-
Danoesastro, M. What Are You Willing to Give Up to Change the Way We Work? The Power of Small Autonomous Teams, https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_danoesastro_what_are_you_willing_to_give_up_to_change_the_way_we_work?language=en
PVI Collective, Tiny Revolutions Project, February, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6X1dJPh4JQ
Heifetz, R.A. ‘The Heart of Danger’ (1994) in Heifetz, R. A. Leadership without easy answers. (pp. 9-30). Harvard University Press. Leading Self
Burnett, B. & D. Evans (2016). Introduction - Life by Design. In Bill Burnett & Dave Evans (Eds.). Designing your Life: Build a Life That Works for You (pp. ix – xxxi). Vintage Publishing.
New Ways of Working to Lead Innovation
Alanna Irving on distributive leadership
- https://medium.com/enspiral-tales/beyond-dreamers-vs-doers-full-circle-leadership-869557da1248
- https://medium.com/enspiral-tales/extending-full-circle-leadership-67ed7b2d012a
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Hu5ntP61U
Heifetz, Linsky, M., & Grashow, A. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Harvard Business Review Press.
Ackoff, Russell L (1999). Reflections on systems and their models. In R.L. Ackoff (Ed.) Ackoff's Best. (pp. 27-43). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Barlett, R. & Lombardo, N. (2019) Patterns for decentralised organising; https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/patterns-for-decentralised-organising-richard-d-barlett-and-natalia-lombardo-intersection18/2019/05/04
Comella-Dorda, S. Handscomb, C. and Zaidi, A. (June 2020) Agility to action: Operationalizing a value-driven agile blueprint, McKinsey, https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20Functions/Organization/Our%20Insights/Agility%20to%20action%20Operationalizing%20a%20value-driven%20agile%20blueprint/Agility-to-action-Operationalizing-a-value-driven-agile-blueprint.pdf
Laloux, Frederic (2014). Changing Paradigms: Past and Present Organizational Models. In F. Laloux (Ed).
Lizier, A. L. (2017). Investigating work and learning through complex adaptive organisations. Journal of Workplace Learning, 29(7/8), 554-565. doi:doi:10.1108/JWL-05-2016-0033
Stacey, R. (2012). The theory of complex responsive processes - Understanding organizations as patterns of interaction between people. In R. Stacey (Ed). Tools and techniques of leadership and management: meeting the challenge of complexity (pp. 9-22). New York, NY: Routledge.
Lisa Dreier, David Nabarro and Jane Nelson (2019) Systems Leadership for Sustainable Development: Strategies for Achieving Systemic Change https://www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/centers/mrcbg/files/Systems%20Leadership.pdf
Implementing in a Complex Adaptive System
Alice Petiprin, (2016) Nursing theory – from Novice to expert - @ http://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/from-novice-to-expert.php
Liberating Complexity - accessed @ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvzgogXUVtQ
Snowden, D. & Boone, M. (2007) A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making, Harvard Business Review, November 2007, www.hbrreprints.org
Complexity and citizen engagement in a Post-Social Media time, David Snowden - @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkJDyPh9phc
Implementation Science: what is it? https://www.socialventures.com.au/sva-quarterly/implementation-science-what-is-it/