Case study: Susan 1

Susan runs the wealth-management division in a bank. Eight weeks after Susan took on this role, she was told that the Secure Value Fund (SVF) was not valid any more. Her team had made a mistake; whereas the SVF was a fund that was supposed to be low risk and maintain its value, her team had managed it in such a way that it had lost value. To make matters worse, the people who would suffer most from the mistakes her team had made were low-income earners who had invested in the fund as part of their retirement savings plans. These earners worked in a successful and established retail giant that was the biggest owner of these funds. Susan now has to decide whether or not the bank has to compensate the people who lost money.

Case study: Susan 2

It is becoming more common for companies to advertise their commitment to diversity and inclusion by publishing their diversity aims and relevant data supporting their achievements in this area. Some companies do so because of real commitment to increase diversity and inclusion in their organisation, while others may advertise information about their diversity strategy in order to boost their profits.

The head office of Susan's bank has asked her to share the profile of her team so that the company can produce a report indicating the company's diversity status. Susan's team is quite diverse and she has a good relationship with them. In discussions with the bank's staff, she has heard rumours that a member of her team who has a learning disability, and another member who is Muslim, do not want to share this information with other staff members.

Case study: Susan 3

Susan's senior leadership team have asked her to produce a new product that they think they could sell not only to large corporations (their usual clients) but also to organisations in the education, health and social services sectors. To ensure the product's success, the senior management team asked Susan to consider joining forces with the bank's research and development (R&D) department. However, Susan knows that her team and the R&D department operate very differently, with different ways of getting things done as well as different mentalities, values and goals. This means that her team may refuse to collaborate with them.

Case study: Susan 5

The local hospital trust is looking to extend its board with non-executive directors from business and finance backgrounds. Susan is invited to become a non-executive director by the chair, who is a client of the bank. Susan is enthusiastic about bringing her financial expertise into this context, and the bank is happy to support this as part of its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) work. In addition, as a daughter of ageing parents and with friends who have experienced serious health scares, Susan knows the value of accessible healthcare.

Before confirming her decision to join the board, Susan is invited to attend a board meeting as an observer. At that meeting, the hospital chief executive presents a proposal to close three community hospitals managed by the trust, centralising services on the main hospital site. She argues that this is a better use of limited financial resources than the current model of provision through the community hospitals and that it will allow the trust to sell the sites of the community hospitals and to invest the capital into the modernisation of the centralised services. The trust's financial director confirms the potential for capital investment and revenue savings and circulates figures to the board.

However, staff and patient representatives at the trust meeting oppose the strategy and express their views in no uncertain terms. Firstly, the doctors' representative argues that the proposed modernisation does not provide a suitable environment in which to implement the latest medical interventions. Then the nursing representative says that there has been no consultation with nursing staff based in the community hospitals, who will resist the change of work pattern and location. Finally, the patient representative argues that patients prefer local services and will find it difficult to travel to the central location, informing the chief executive that the local patient group is already preparing a protest campaign. The chief executive wriggles uncomfortably in her chair as she hears these different perspectives on why the proposed change is impossible. Finally, she explodes with anger: 'You simply don't understand the pressures there are!' she blurts, before the board chair intervenes quickly, saying, 'Let's take a breathing space before next week's meeting and explore how to proceed from here. Thank you, everyone.'

Susan leaves the meeting feeling uncomfortable and uncertain how to proceed.

Case study: Susan 6

In spite of her reservations, Susan has taken on the role of non-executive director for her local hospital trust. She has been asked by the trust to support the HR director in the merger of two teams caring for older people that will take place as the community hospitals close. Human-resource managers will deal with the complex details of terms and conditions, rotas and day-to-day practice while Susan is asked to support the managers and encourage the two teams to see the potential of the merger. Susan agrees enthusiastically to take on the role - after all, she has had some experience in her day job of bringing different teams together. Then she reads the latest report from the HR manager. The team from the community hospital is very unhappy about the move to the central hospital and official complaints have already been lodged.

comment on whether you would respond to Susan's leadership dilemmas by selecting mostly the same leadership style or by applying situational leadership approach . Your response should indicate an understanding of the particular leadership style you chose and your reasons for selecting it, if applicable. Otherwise you should explain why you thought that applying a situational leadership approach was more appropriate, and demonstrate a basic understanding of this theory

You then need to reach a conclusion about two weaknesses of the leadership figure created as you made choices on Susan's case. This requires you to think critically about the consequences of your choices and to explain why you have selected the given weaknesses

Part B

This part asks for a more theory-informed analysis of the leadership figure that emerges from the choices you made on Susan's behalf. You are advised to draw on two theories, concepts and/or ideas For example you might refer to

• the importance of inclusiveness and diversity
• the roles of administrator, manager and leader
• the meaning of collaboration and challenges of building collaborations
• shared leadership
• relational leadership
• follower-centred leadership
• strategies for win-win or win-lose outcomes
• constructive dissent

Note: As you have already drawn on the concept of situational leadership in Part A, this should not be included as one of your selected two concepts.

You should not provide the details of the problem, however, in your response, clarify the particular problem you are applying your selected theory to. Choose one theory per problem and explain how this theory has helped Susan find a solution to the problem she experienced.

You are asked in this part both to explain the theories, concepts and/or ideas and to apply them in the context of Susan's leadership. Leadership practice can be broadly interpreted and does not have to be linked to a particular role, situation, or organisation. It may be that you choose to focus on how you might develop personally as leader in terms of your own actions and/or how you relate to others in an ongoing way.

Part C

The block case studies have given you the chance to think critically about dilemmas and opportunities in leadership practice. Part C is designed to allow you to reflect on your personal experience, ideas or opinions as a leader and/or about leadership. Specifically, it asks you to identify one solution you have selected from Susan's case that can be useful in developing your leadership practice when dealing with a similar problem or dilemma.

Leadership practice can be broadly interpreted and does not have to be linked to a particular role, situation, or organisation. It may be that you choose to focus on how you might develop personally as leader in terms of your own actions and/or how you relate to others in an ongoing way.

You should explain why you have selected a particular solution and how this could develop your leadership practice using practical and real-life examples . In order to explain your selected solution, you will need to draw on the problem or dilemma you are facing. You could also explain your selection picking theories, concepts and/or ideas you have already chosen in Parts A and B