IA40520 Leadership

Academic Year 2021/2022

This module introduces participants to the mindsets, skills and practical tools necessary to develop a creative leadership practice, one that cultivates a flourishing culture of creativity and innovation in the workplace.

To navigate challenges such as Covid19, Brexit, rapid technological change, and shifting global complexity, today's leaders require the mindsets, skills and practical tools to seize opportunity and lead creative innovation in the workplace. The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2018 asserts that human skills such as creativity, originality and initiative, critical thinking, persuasion, and negotiation will retain or increase their value. 1,500 CEOs, interviewed in face to face meetings for IBM’s fourth Global CEO Study, 'Capitalising on Complexity' cited 'creativity' as the most important leadership quality.

Leading for Creativity and Innovation is a new paradigm of leadership. This module offers an imaginatively designed, interactive learning experience which focuses on leadership for creativity and innovation in the workplace. Learners will explore their personal strengths, weaknesses, mindsets and values as a creative, innovative leader, working in any sector. They will learn how to apply design thinking principles to leading teams, driving forward a culture of experimentation, creative problem solving and idea generation. They will be introduced to the skills of holding the tension of ambiguity as part of leading an organisational innovation process, encouraging teams to take calculated risks. They will acquire the skills to strengthen capacity for self awareness , self reflection and resilience. They will practice customer empathy and team collaboration in problem solving challenges.

Participants will learn among a community of like minded people from all over Ireland. The Innovation Academy actively encourages professional friendships and the development of rich long term connections. We support the expansion of new innovation networks. Guests from the Innovation Academy’s extensive Leader Network will enhance the course experience, sharing real life insights and learnings from challenges. Learners will receive support from experienced Entrepreneurial Specialists who are practitioners in the skills and mindsets of creative, innovative leadership. It is expected that participants will experience career progression.

The Innovation Academy has 10 years’ experience of delivering inspiring innovation programmes for thousands of learners. Enrolment in an Innovation Academy module means a commitment to active participation and engagement. Learners need to bring a curious mind, an open-ness to creativity and innovation, and a willingness to experiment.


Classes run 09:30 to 13:30 each day in "Live online" format, followed by independent study and teamwork in the afternoons from 2.30-4.30pm. You must be available to attend and participate 9.30am-4.30pm every day of the module and complete any pre-module tasks and post-module deliverables.

Note: "Live online" is a highly interactive and dynamic approach to online learning consisting of class discussions, breakout rooms, mini-breaks and team activities and projects throughout the week.

UCD Innovation Academy

At the UCD Innovation Academy, we are a group of Educator Practitioners with extensive real-world experience as academics, educators, business and social entrepreneurs, tech thinkers, creative professionals and design thinking practitioners.

We take an action-oriented approach to learning, with a combination of individual, group and class tasks and activities, including discussions, presentations and reflection. All of our teaching is grounded in academic rigor, but our focus is on learning by doing in a real-world context.

www.innovators.ie