Qualification Handbook
DAO Level 7 Award in Strategic
Leadership
QN: 603/1339/0
The Qualification
Overall Objective for the Qualifications
This handbook relates to the following qualification:

Level 7 Award in Strategic Leadership
This qualification provides the standards that must be achieved by individuals that are
managing a team.
Pre-entry Requirements
Learners who are taking this qualification will need to working in the role of a manager.
Unit Content and Rules of Combination
This qualification is made up of a total of 4 mandatory units. To be awarded this qualification
the candidate must achieve a total of 10 credits as shown in the table below.
Mandatory
Units
Unit Reference
Number
Unit Title
GLH
TQT
Credit
Value
Level
A/615/6244
Well-being in the Workplace: Key
Leadership Issues
7
16
20
2
F/615/6245
Strategic Leadership: Framework for
Development
7
26
30
3
J/615/6246
Strategic Leadership: Foundations for
Success
7
26
30
3
L/615/6247
Strategic Decision Making
7
16
20
2
Age Restriction
This qualification is available to learners aged 18 years and over.
Opportunities for Progression
This qualification creates a number of opportunities for progression within management.
2
Exemption
No exemptions have been identified.
Credit Transfer
Credits from identical units that have already been achieved by the learner may be
transferred.
3
Qualification Units
URN:
A/615/6244
Title:
Well-being in the Workplace: Key Leadership Issues
Level:
7
Credit value:
2
Total Unit Time
Guided Learning Time
Learning outcomes
20
16
Assessment criteria
The learner will:
The learner can:
1. Understand the
importance of being
self-aware as a
strategic leader
1.1 Apply analytical tools to reflect on own personality and
performance as a leader
1.2 Critically discuss theoretical models which are used to
classify behaviour in self and others
2. Reflect on own
performance as a
strategic leader
2.1 Determine own strengths as a strategic leader
2.2 Determine areas for improvement as a strategic leader
2.3 Suggest ways in which own performance as a strategic
leader can be improved
3.1 Compare ways in which stress and pressure impact on
performance
3.2 Assess the impact of stress and pressure on the
performance of self and others
4.1 Assess ways in which strategic leaders can maintain
resilience in context
4.2 Assess ways in which strategic leaders can support others to
maintain resilience in context
3. Know the importance
of well-being to self
and others
4. Understand the
concept of personal
resilience
Additional information about the unit
Unit purpose and aim(s)
This unit will focus on the role of a strategic leader in managing
their own performance and ability in a stressful and pressurised
working environment. Learners will explore the impact of stress
and pressure on themselves and others and how these can be
managed effectively.
Learners will engage with personality models and psychometric
techniques which are used to help determine how and why they
behave in a specific way. The benefits of using these tools to
inform how others will behave is also explored.
4
The aim of this unit is to support learners to recognise their own
areas for improvement and how they can become a more
resilient and supportive strategic leader.
Unit expiry date
30/04/2022
Name of the
organisation submitting
the unit
Defence Awarding Organisation
Availability for use
Restricted
Unit available from
1 May 2017
5
URN:
F/615/6245
Title:
Strategic Leadership: Frameworks for Development
Level:
7
Credit value:
3
Total Unit Time
Guided Learning Time
Learning outcomes
30
26
Assessment criteria
The learner will:
The learner can:
1. Understand styles and
approaches to strategic
leadership
1.1 Discuss the role of traditional leadership styles
1.2 Critically discuss contemporary approaches to strategic
leadership
2
Develop their
approach to, and
style of, leadership
3
Know how to
develop their skills
as a strategic leader
4
Understand the
impact of strategic
leadership
development on
organisations
2.1 Determine own approach to strategic leadership
2.2 Determine own preferred leadership style
2.3 Design a framework for enhancing own approach to, and
style of, strategic leadership
3.1 Determine own strategic leadership ambitions
3.2 Determine areas for self-improvement to achieve ambitions
3.3 Develop an action plan to improve own ability as a strategic
leader
3.4 Critically evaluate the effectiveness of this plan
4.1 Compare ways in which strategic leadership development
could impact on organisations
4.2 Critically assess ways in which strategic leadership
development is related to organisational strategy in context
Additional information about the unit
Unit purpose and aim(s)
This unit will encourage learners to consider how contemporary
approaches to leadership relate to traditional leadership styles.
In doing so learners will begin to reflect on the way in which they
lead others and critique their own style of and approach to,
leadership.
Giving due consideration to the way in which their leadership
impacts on an organisations strategy, learners will create a
framework for their own development as a leader.
The aim of this unit is to provide the basis for learners to take a
critical and reflective view of themselves as strategic leaders
and how changes in leadership approaches impact on strategy.
Unit expiry date
Details of the
30/04/2022
The following standards from the NOS for Management and
6
relationship between the
unit and relevant
National Occupational
Standards or other
professional standards
or curricula (if
appropriate)
Leadership have been mapped to this unit;
Name of the
organisation submitting
the unit
Defence Awarding Organisation
Availability for use
Restricted
Unit available from
1 May 2017
Adaptability and Innovation
Desire to Learn
Focus on Results
Self-management
Strategic Awareness
7
URN:
J/615/6246
Title:
Strategic Leadership: Foundations for Success
Level:
7
Credit value:
3
Total Unit Time
Guided Learning Time
Learning outcomes
30
26
Assessment criteria
The learner will:
The learner can:
1 Know how leaders
support organisations
1.1 Analyse the values and characteristics of strategic leaders
1.2 Suggest ways in which strategic leadership support
organisational values
1.3 Discuss how strategic leaders can influence the behaviour of
others
2.1 Compare the functions of a strategic manager
2.2 Critically discuss how strategic management and strategic
leadership are related
2
3
Understand the
relationship between
strategic
management and
strategic leadership
Understand how
organisations can
influence the
behaviour of
strategic leaders
3.1 Discuss how organisations influence strategic leadership
Additional information about the unit
Unit purpose and aim(s)
Through this unit learners will improve their understanding of the
relationship between an organisation and its strategic leaders.
This understanding will be enhanced through consideration of
the functions of a strategic manager.
Learners will be introduced to models and theories which will
enable them to engage in high level discourse on why being a
successful strategic leader is important to an organisation.
The aim of this unit is to encourage learners to explore strategic
level relationships between leaders, managers and an
organisation and how these relationships can result in
successful strategic leadership.
Unit expiry date
Details of the
relationship between the
unit and relevant
National Occupational
30/04/2022
The following standards from the NOS for Management and
Leadership have been mapped to this unit;
Ethical Stance
8
Standards or other
professional standards
or curricula (if
appropriate)
Focus on Results
Strategic Awareness
Name of the
organisation submitting
the unit
Defence Awarding Organisation
Availability for use
Restricted
Unit available from
1 May 2017
9
URN:
L/615/6247
Title:
Strategic Decision Making
Level:
7
Credit value:
2
Total Unit Time
Guided Learning Time
Learning outcomes
20
16
Assessment criteria
The learner will:
The learner can:
1 Understand ‘thinking’
theories
1.1 Compare ‘thinking’ theories
1.2 Critically assess the value of different theories in context
2
2.1 Discuss what is meant by organisational politics
2.2 Suggest ways in which organisational politics impact
strategic decision making
3
Understand the
influence of
organisational
politics on decision
making
Know the importance
of creating a thinking
organisation
3.1 Determine the components of a thinking organisation in
context
3.2 Critically evaluate organisational thinking in context
Additional information about the unit
Unit purpose and aim(s)
All leaders must take decisions. Leaders should understand
how they and others think so they can take the route to and then
select the most appropriate decision.
However, learners must also be aware of the context in which
decisions are made and how an organisation, and those
employed in it, can implement decisions.
The aim of this unit is to introduce learners to key theories so
they can appreciate how organisations, as well as people, think
and how decisions are both influenced and reached.
Unit expiry date
Details of the
relationship between the
unit and relevant
National Occupational
Standards or other
professional standards
or curricula (if
appropriate)
Name of the
organisation submitting
30/04/2022
The following standards from the NOS for Management and
Leadership have been mapped to this unit;
Focus on Results
Political Awareness
Thinking and Decision Making
Defence Awarding Organisation
10
the unit
Availability for use
Restricted
Unit available from
1 May 2017
11