The ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management stands as one of ILM’s premier qualifications, tailored for both practicing and aspiring senior managers and leaders aiming to refine their professional capability and personal brand.

Participants in this program will delve into optimising organisational performance, mastering resource utilisation, and navigating change initiatives.

The Diploma in Leadership and Management consists of three units each targeting crucial aspects of organisational leadership and management. The first focuses on the transformative impact of effective leadership skills, enabling students to tailor their development to their unique work context and career aspirations. The second unit delves into change management, equipping learners with skills to advocate for change, develop robust business cases, and effectively implement transformation initiatives. And the final unit focuses on cultivating and sustaining high performance cultures within organisations.

There are no specific entry requirements, but participants are typically practicing or aspiring senior managers capable of meeting the assessment demands, often evidenced by holding leadership or qualification at level 5 or above.

The ILM Level 7 qualifications cater to practicing and aspiring senior managers and leaders seeking to elevate their strategic acumen and leadership prowess. 

The ILM Level 7 qualifications adopt an Enquiry-based Learning (EBL) approach, cantering on the investigation of real strategic-level issues within participants' organisations.

Through this method, students are tasked with creating and exploring questions derived from genuine organisational challenges, compiling evidence, and presenting findings to stakeholders, executive coaches, and assessors. This immersive learning style fosters skills such as self-reliance, problem-solving, and critical thinking, ultimately bridging theory with practice for enduring organisational and personal impact.

The Diploma comprises three comprehensive units:

1.    Developing Leadership & Management Capability through Enquiry

• use an enquiry-based research-orientated approach for leadership and management development.
• propose a valid enquiry which draws on existing organisational knowledge and current practice in leadership and management using a robust methodological approach within a realistic time frame and budget. 
• undertake a robust data-driven enquiry / project that is based on an investigative proposal negotiated with senior managers and key stakeholders in your organisation.
• critically evaluate the impact on these stakeholders of the actions arising from the enquiry findings.
• evaluate the extent to which the impact of a rigorous data-driven enquiry has added value to you and your organisation. 

2.    Developing a High-level Business Case

• establish a business need that takes full account of the drivers for change and the strategic fit to organisational goals and priorities.
• propose, and obtain agreement for, the development of a high-level business case that draws on existing knowledge and current practice, uses a robust methodological approach, and takes account of the needs of stakeholders.
• evaluate viable high-level business case options and associated costs and benefits.
• design an appropriate change management strategy for implementing the high-level business case that takes full account of diversity, risk and performance measurement and has been informed through active participation in a learning community.

3.    Developing and Maintaining a High-performance Culture and Optimising Resources

• establish the BMC indicators that you will use to assess performance in your area of the business in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, financial viability, sustainability, diversity and relevance.
• identify the metrics from within the BMC that you will use to measure and improve performance.
• undertake a rigorous data-driven enquiry to assess and benchmark performance and identify risks and challenges to current ways of working.
• establish BMC metrics to drive sustainability, performance and demonstrate value added.
• critically evaluate the impact of your work and establish strategies for developing and maintaining high levels of performance that take account of stakeholder needs, identified risks, challenges and diversity
• engage effectively with your colleagues and others to add value and ensure sustainability of high levels of performance. 
• critically review the outcomes of your work to establish the leadership and management skills and perspectives required to create and sustain long-term organisational success.
• justify your choice of media to evidence the impact of your work and to enhance your personal brand.

Benefits for learners:

• Gain understanding and proficiency in using an enquiry-led evidence-based approach to enhance leadership and management capabilities.
• Develop and enhance personal branding within the professional sphere.
• Integrate leadership and management development into real work scenarios.
• Receive support from an executive coach/facilitator and earn an internationally recognised qualification. Despite being challenging, the course offers high rewards.

Benefits for the Employer:

• Cultivate senior leaders and managers capable of strategic thinking and action.
• Foster confidence in making informed, evidence-based decisions among senior leadership.
• Encourage self-awareness and self-development among senior team members, leading to a more empowered workforce.

The programme is delivered and assessed by a team of experienced coaches from the Academy of Leadership and Management.

The programme includes:

• Blended learning and executive coaching
• Monthly tutorial sessions with your personal tutor
• Portfolio development
   

The programme spans 12 months and includes 13 x monthly 1-2-1 tuition sessions, conducted via MS Teams or Zoom.

Participants would be expected to dedicate between 5-8 hours per week undertaking the modules and to complete the assignments.

Assessment involves the compilation of a journal and portfolio of evidence.

Participants earn 60 credits upon successful completion of this course.

For information on our policies (payment, cancellation, terms and conditions, etc.) visit our general information page.

If you have a question that we haven’t answered here, please contact lsbushortcourses@lsbu.ac.uk and we will respond to your query within 24 hours.