Leadership, followership and mental health

Leadership, followership and mental health (DAA006)

Discover how positive leader-follower relationships can support mental health at work

This course is also available as part of a cost-saving course bundle.

This five-hour online course introduces the concepts of ‘leadership’ and ‘followership’ in the context of the modern workplace – outlining how positive leader-follower relationships can be used to improve mental health at work.

At the heart of the course is the idea of mental health as a ‘continuum’ on which we all live, and you are encouraged to apply the theories discussed in the course to your own personal experiences in the workplace.

By the end of the course, you’ll have gained a deeper recognition of your own leadership and followership capacities, as well as the skills and confidence needed to create and sustain a supportive workplace for yourself and others.

This course is available to start at any time and part of our Working towards wellbeing suite, developed in collaboration with organisational consultants in the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Drawing on the key principles of systems-psychodynamic thinking, each mini course delivers rich and in-depth learning experiences, with a clear, practical focus on the most pressing challenges and development needs facing organisations today.

Aims and learning objectives

This online course will allow you to:

  • learn about different models of leadership, different ways of thinking about followership, and the importance of the leader-follower relationship
  • recognise and strengthen your own leadership and followership capacities, wherever you are located in your organisation
  • explore the idea of mental health as a ‘continuum’ on which we all live – acknowledging the importance of relationships for mental health, as well as the impact of stigma
  • gain a better understanding of organisational processes and dynamics, and how leaders and followers can help to create a culture that promotes mental health and wellbeing
  • develop the knowledge and skills needed to create a work culture that reduces experiences of exclusion, oppression and prejudice, and their impact on mental health

You will learn by:

  • exploring key concepts through interactive lecture content and videos
  • deepening your understanding via regular opportunities for reflection
  • relating key theories to real life through a case study video
  • recording your progress against clear learning objectives

Who is this course for?

This course is ideal for anyone interested in how attitudes towards leadership and followership can support better emotional and psychological wellbeing in a workplace context.

You may have management responsibilities, a role in human resources or organisational development, or a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing – or you may just be interested in learning more about this area.

Course details

Please note that this course was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory and guidance are still relevant and applicable, providing examples of ways in which professionals can be creative when dealing with leadership and followership in the context of the modern workplace, as well as in times of adversity and uncertainty.

This course will cover the following areas:

  • what is leadership?
  • what is followership?
  • the relationship between leader and follower
  • leadership and management – a psychoanalytic approach
  • leadership, followership and diversity
  • followership and culture
  • what is mental health?
  • types of mental illness, including depression and anxiety
  • mental wellbeing – a developmental approach
  • mental wellbeing and relationships
  • mental health and stigma
  • promoting leader-follower relationships
  • approaching the organisation as a whole
  • systems-psychodynamics and leadership/followership

This course runs continuously, so you can sign up at any time. It offers five hours of self-directed online learning which you can undertake at a time, pace and location that suits you.

You will have access to the course and its materials for one year. Access begins the day after you’ve booked, when you will receive your account details by email.

This mini course is also available as part of the Working towards wellbeing course bundle, a convenient option that offers one year’s access to four complementary courses.

There are no specific requirements for the course; it is open to all and assumes no prior knowledge of the area.

There’s a knowledge self-assessment check at the end of the course, which provides access to your Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust CPD certificate upon completion.

Testimonials

“A great introduction to the leadership/followership topic which will develop how you view yourself and others in the workplace.”
Student

Course facilitators

Book your place today

Our Digital Academy mini courses run continuously so you can join at any time. Access begins the day after you’ve booked, when you will receive your login details by email.

Save with our cost-effective bundles

This course is also available as part of a convenient, cost-saving bundle – providing you with one year’s access to four complementary online resources.

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