Join us for Professor Matthew Slaters inaugural lecture.
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Date:
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Time:
5.30pm – 7pm
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Location:
The Gallery,
The Catalyst,
Staffordshire University,
Leek Road,
Stoke-on-Trent,
ST4 2DF
Category:
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Public lecture
Better Leadership. Together:
Some reflections on togetherness as the magic of successful leadership
The study and practice of successful leadership has been a long-standing adventure for scholars. Once upon a time, it was believed that successful leadership was reserved for the special, talented few individuals who naturally had the “right”, often perceived as magical, characteristics. This was a concern because of the unfolding evidence that leadership has a powerful influence on group members’ motivation, confidence, as well as their performance and psychological wellbeing. Over time, there has been a shift from focusing on the “I” and “me” of leaders — researching leaders as individuals — to study, more intricately and more comprehensively, the psychology of leadership in a way that is interwoven with “we” and “us” — the group dynamics and the context within which leadership takes place.
Now, research evidence indicates that there is more to successful leadership than a specific set of personality traits. It has been found that leaders turning to their group and turning to the context to create a shared sense of togetherness and belonging is the beating heart of successful leadership.
In this lecture, Matt will share stories on his journey into the discipline of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Matt will also unpack some of his research on the new psychology of leadership and high-performing teams, with a lens on how togetherness is the magic of successful and enduring leadership.
Matt will reflect on research projects with international colleagues that have demonstrated the influence of leaders harnessing the power of “we” and “us” to enhance group members’ motivation, confidence, performance, and psychological wellbeing.
Matt will spotlight some of his favorite projects including collaborative endeavors in international sport and military settings, and Matt will reflect on projects where he has worked with colleagues to take theory to practice to create Better Leadership. Together.
Register now