Developing Leaders of Tomorrow: LSST’s Commitment in Action
By Muhammad Hamid Saeed
Lecturer in Business, LSST Luton Campus
Leadership is not merely about occupying positions of authority; rather, it is more about equipping individuals with the capacity to inspire, innovate, and act ethically in the face of uncertainty. At LSST, this philosophy is more than aspirational language; it is embedded in the daily teaching, learning, and student experience. As a lecturer in Business at LSST, I witness firsthand how leadership development is woven into coursework, co-curricular activities, and the wider LSST community. This article seeks to showcase how LSST is concretely shaping tomorrow’s leaders, drawing upon examples from my own teaching and student journeys.
Embedding Ethics into Business Education
One of the most pressing challenges for future leaders is ethical decision-making in an increasingly complex global landscape. LSST recognises this by embedding ethical frameworks directly into business modules. For instance, in the Business Management with Honours programme, students are not only taught the theoretical foundations of ethics but are also required to apply these concepts to real-world case studies, such as evaluating corporate responses to sustainability or social justice issues. During a seminar last semester, one of my students reflected on whether multinational corporations genuinely advance diversity or whether initiatives amount to tokenism. The critical debates that followed underscored how LSST equips students with the courage and tools to interrogate and act upon ethical dilemmas—hallmarks of true leadership.
This approach reflects the argument made by Brown and Treviño (2006), who emphasise that ethical leadership is a combination of moral personhood and moral management. LSST’s methodology moves beyond theoretical discussions by fostering critical reflection, giving students the confidence to translate ethical reasoning into business action.
Agility Through Practice-Oriented Modules
The modern leader must thrive amid volatility and change. LSST’s teaching practices actively encourage adaptability and agility through modules designed to simulate uncertainty. For example, in our Strategic Management module, students are tasked with developing business strategies in response to sudden market disruptions. I recall one group in my cohort that had to pivot their entire business model presentation after we introduced a simulated technological disruption mid-project. Instead of frustration, they embraced the challenge with creativity, producing a compelling strategy that impressed both peers and faculty.
Such experiences mirror what Pulakos et al. (2000) identify as adaptive performance – leaders’ ability to adjust behaviour in response to dynamic conditions. At LSST, agility is not left to chance but is intentionally cultivated, ensuring that students leave with the resilience and mindset to thrive in real organisational contexts.
Nurturing Collaborative Leadership
Leadership today is rarely about solitary visionaries; rather, it is about collective intelligence. LSST deliberately emphasises collaboration, both in-class and across broader networks. Group projects within the Organisational Behaviour module, for instance, encourage students to engage in cross-cultural teamwork, reflecting LSST’s diverse student body. I recall a project where a group of students from varying backgrounds worked together to design an inclusive HR strategy for a hypothetical company. The depth of their perspectives and the respect they developed for each other’s viewpoints exemplified how LSST nurtures collaborative leadership in practice.
This aligns with Goleman’s (2000) assertion that emotional intelligence and teamwork are vital components of effective leadership. At LSST, collaboration is not a by-product but a pedagogical choice, equipping students with interpersonal sensitivity and cross-cultural fluency.
Storytelling and Entrepreneurial Leadership
Leadership also demands the capacity to envision and communicate compelling futures. Through LSST’s focus on entrepreneurship, students are encouraged to cultivate this visionary dimension. The Entrepreneurship and Innovation module allows students to pitch their own start-up ideas, building both confidence and persuasive communication skills. One of my Business Management students, who had previously struggled with self-doubt, delivered an entrepreneurial pitch that not only secured top marks but also convinced local investors to mentor her idea. This is leadership in action: taking initiative, inspiring others, and driving innovation.
By fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, LSST aligns with Drucker’s (1985) notion that entrepreneurship is less about risk-taking and more about systematically seeking opportunities for innovation. Students are trained to spot possibilities and galvanise support and that is the quality that distinguishes tomorrow’s leaders from followers.
Leadership Development Beyond the Classroom
Leadership cultivation at LSST extends well beyond formal curricula. Initiatives such as student-led societies and the LSST Leadership Programme give learners additional platforms to practice influence and decision-making. For instance, several of my students in the Business Management cohort took part in the LSST Leadership Programme, where they worked alongside alumni mentors to design sustainability projects. One group initiated a campaign promoting ethical fashion on campus, sparking discussions about supply chains and consumer responsibility. These activities demonstrate how LSST empowers students to bridge theory with impactful practice.
Furthermore, staff play an active role by modelling leadership. Faculty mentoring sessions under the umbrella of Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), in which faculty members act as PAT for devising personal development plans to provide safe spaces for students to reflect on challenges and aspirations. In my mentoring practice, I have seen hesitant students gradually evolve into confident voices within class debates and group leadership roles. This holistic environment reinforces what Day et al. (2014) describe as the developmental systems approach to leadership, where networks of support amplify individual growth.
Call to Action: Building Leadership Together
Developing leaders of tomorrow cannot be the work of faculty alone because it requires a whole-community effort. At LSST, we invite our alumni, staff, and students to take active roles in shaping this mission:
- Alumni: Join mentorship schemes to share your real-world experiences with current students. By guiding them through the transition from academia to practice, you can offer insights that textbooks cannot capture.
- Staff: Infuse leadership principles into every aspect of teaching, from assignment design to feedback conversations. By modelling ethical and agile practices, we demonstrate leadership by example.
- Students: Take initiative by engaging in leadership programmes or entrepreneurial ventures. Seek out mentorship opportunities and practice leading in small ways, like chairing a group discussion or spearheading a campus initiative.
It is through these deliberate, shared efforts that LSST will continue to amplify its leadership impact.
LSST’s Unique Leadership Legacy
In my Business Management with Honours cohort, I have seen students evolve from uncertain learners into emerging leaders who act with ethical conviction, adapt with agility, and inspire through collaboration. Their journeys underscore LSST’s unique capacity to cultivate leaders not only of tomorrow but of today. We do not merely teach leadership; indeed, we live it, model it, and embed it into every aspect of our community.
As LSST continues to expand its programmes and partnerships, its students remain the clearest testament to its mission. Their resilience, creativity, and ethical courage prove that the leaders of tomorrow are already in the making here at LSST. And it is this lived reality, shaped by faculty, alumni, and students together, which is cementing LSST’s place as a crucible for leadership in the 21st century.
References
- Brown, M.E. and Treviño, L.K. (2006) ‘Ethical leadership: A review and future directions’, The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), pp. 595–616.
- Day, D.V., Fleenor, J.W., Atwater, L.E., Sturm, R.E. and McKee, R.A. (2014) ‘Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25 years of research and theory’, The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), pp. 63–82.
- Drucker, P.F. (1985) Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Practice and Principles. New York: Harper & Row.
- Goleman, D. (2000) ‘Leadership that gets results’, Harvard Business Review, 78(2), pp. 78–90.
- Pulakos, E.D., Arad, S., Donovan, M.A. and Plamondon, K.E. (2000) ‘Adaptability in the workplace: Development of a taxonomy of adaptive performance’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(4), pp. 612–624.