The Reflective Leader



Overview

This one-day course is designed for those who lead in complex environments, whether you manage a team, a project or navigate leadership responsibilities. Effective leadership goes beyond technical skills; it requires emotional intelligence, self-awareness and the ability to navigate the nuances of your role. If you recognise the need to build on these qualities and deepen your understanding of your leadership style, while considering the impact you have on others, this course offers the opportunity to do so. It provides the space to pause, reflect and explore how your actions influence those around you in an intentional way.

The day is centred around reflective learning using real cases. You’ll bring situations from your own work, and while the aim is not to 'fix' each challenge, you’ll explore the thought process behind them. Just as importantly, the course will encourage you to reflect on your self-perception in these moments. Drawing on ideas from psychology and group dynamics, discussions will be tailored to your specific role, allowing you to directly apply insights to your leadership practice. You’ll also explore how to observe what’s happening around you, decide on your actions, and respond under pressure. In small groups, you will examine how power and identity shape what seems possible, without role play, slide-deck delivery or buzzwords.

By the end of the day, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the habits that support you, and a stronger connection between your values, your role and your responses under stress. The course emphasises reflective practice as core leadership work, supporting a more honest approach to how you lead and learn.

Programme details

Session 1 – Framing reflective practice

The day opens with a clear look at what reflective practice means in real work. The group sets out the kinds of pressure and changes they face in their own fields. People name where they feel strain, doubt or a gap between what they value and what they do. Links between reflection, sound judgement and long-term work in complex settings sit at the core of this first block.

Session 2 – Working with live events

Focus then shifts to fresh events from current roles. One or two cases carry the shared work. The group slows the action and tracks what was seen, felt and done at key points. They explore how mood, thought, and role shaped each move. Simple frames from psychology help turn raw experience into learning that can travel across time and place.

Session 3 – Self, role, power and habit

Attention moves to the person in the role. Participants explore their own patterns under pressure, such as a pull to fix, smooth over, avoid, or take on too much. They look at how class, race, gender and rank shape what seems open or closed at work. The group works with the idea that each person’s story, place and role shape what they can notice, name and act on in their system.

Session 4 – Carrying reflection back into work

The final block draws the threads together. Participants name habits that help them stay awake and steady, and those that narrow their sight. Each person shapes a small set of questions to guide their own ongoing reflection. The day ends with a clear account of how they plan to keep a reflective stance in the flow of work in complex, shifting organisations.

Attending Your Course

Further details will be emailed to you two weeks ahead of your course, which will include registration information. 

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within five working days of the course start date.  

In the meantime, you may wish to plan your travel: Travel information 

Certification

In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate.

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £685.00

Payment

You can enrol on this one-day course individually, or as part of our Leadership Skills: Discount Registration Package, 5-8 May 2026.

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunch. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the 'Book now' button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or organisation, please email us to request an online enrolment form.  Payment is then accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer. 

Tutor

Dr Graham Wilson

Graham Wilson works where mind, image and work meet. He began his career in organisation development and change, across many sectors in the UK, Europe and Asia. This led to senior roles in leadership and culture, then to many years as an executive coach and confidant to senior executives.

He holds a PhD in behavioural science and later trained as a psychotherapist. These two strands shape his work with leaders and teams. He has led and shaped research on futures, risk, ethics and culture for boards, including UK Cabinet Office and ESRC-ACCA projects.

Graham has written more than fifteen books and many papers. His later work looks at the psychology of people, images and organisations, such as “Understanding Emotions”, “Beyond the Self”, and “Transformative Leadership”. For the last decade he has taught counselling, psychology and photography at Oxford University and other HE and FE institutions. His research tracks how leaders and groups make sense of work, and how images can prompt insight, voice and care in clinical, aid and corporate fields.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click 'Ask a Question' at the top of this page.

Accommodation

Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

To check prices, availability and to book rooms please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website. 

Enrolled students are entitled to discounted accommodation rates for the purpose of study, at Rewley House, and can contact the administration team for the promotional code to use for making online accommodation bookings via the website.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support