Agile Leadership and Data-Driven Strategy

Ends soon! Save on skills that make you shine with 40% off 3 months of Coursera Plus. Save now

Agile Leadership and Data-Driven Strategy

This course is part of Data-Driven Leadership Specialization

Instructor: Matt Offord

Included with

Learn more

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

10 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

10 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Evaluate how agile teams and collective decision-making drive organisational performance in data-rich environments
Apply your understanding of agile and hierarchical leadership structures to assess how data shapes strategic decision-making
Analyse how data volume, quality, and timeliness influence leadership decisions in volatile and uncertain environments
Evaluate exploratory strategy as an alternative to traditional strategic planning in a VUCA world

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Data-Driven Leadership Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

The 21st century has fundamentally disrupted how organisations make decisions and plan for the future. In this course, you'll explore why agility has become an essential leadership capability, and how the rise of data has challenged traditional hierarchical structures and long-established approaches to strategic planning.

With the enterprise agile transformation services market projected to grow from USD 41.2 billion in 2024 to USD 48.75 billion in 2025 (Business Research Company), agile leadership skills have never been more in demand. You'll examine the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment that defines modern organisations, and discover how leaders are responding by shifting from rigid, top-down strategies to more exploratory, data-informed approaches. By the end of this course, you'll be equipped to assess the role of data quality, volume, and timeliness in real-world decision-making and apply agile thinking to the leadership challenges you face. This course is suitable for current or aspiring leaders and managers looking to strengthen their strategic thinking in a data-rich environment. No prior knowledge of data science or strategic planning is required. References: Business Research Company. (2025). Enterprise Agile Transformation Services Global Market Report 2025. The Business Research Company.

Welcome to the second course in our specialisation which looks at leadership in the age of data. In this course we will look into the emerging importance of agility. Agility is a response to the age of data. Data has been building up since the first wave of Big Data which occured in the late 19th Century. 100 or more years on, we find the data deluge is so overwhelming that leaders find it difficult to plan ahead in traditional ways. Modern leaders must be agile to adapt to a world that is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA). In today's digital age, leaders who can harness the power of data and translate it into actionable insights have a significant advantage in navigating complex business landscapes. This course equips participants with the skills and knowledge needed to lead with agility, leveraging data-driven strategies to achieve success.

What's included

1 video14 readings4 assignments3 discussion prompts

1 videoTotal 2 minutes

Module overview2 minutes

14 readingsTotal 225 minutes

About the Team10 minutes
About the Course10 minutes
Course Quizzes/Assessments10 minutes
An alternative to VUCA?15 minutes
V is for Volatile20 minutes
U is for Uncertainty20 minutes
C is for Complexity20 minutes
A is for Ambiguous20 minutes
Cynefin 20 minutes
Thriving in ambiguity20 minutes
Exploratory strategy10 minutes
Connecting to next week10 minutes
Resources and References10 minutes
Exercise: Cynefin practice30 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 85 minutes

Cynefin Quiz 20 minutes
POLL Do you need vision to have agility?5 minutes
Graded quiz30 minutes
Graded Quiz over course syllabus30 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 50 minutes

An alternative to VUCA?20 minutes
How can you lead in a VUCA environment?20 minutes
Cynefin practice10 minutes

In this module, we will look at collaboration. Collaboration and social learning are the building blocks of human culture and many anthropologists argue the foundation of human success. As organisations move from hierachical structures to agile teams, collaboration is returning. In the data deluge there are too much data for a single leader or a small team to digest. Hyperconnected teams are how businesses in the knowledge economy thrive, so let's take a look at collaboration, the most powerful data analytic tool there is!

What's included

3 videos6 readings2 assignments4 discussion prompts

3 videosTotal 23 minutes

Week overview4 minutes
Informal networks Part 19 minutes
Informal networks lecture part 210 minutes

6 readingsTotal 110 minutes

The return of collaboration20 minutes
The Blame Game20 minutes
The ownership of data20 minutes
Resources and references10 minutes
Organisational structure and data30 minutes
Closing out the module10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Graded quiz30 minutes
Graded quiz: collaboration30 minutes

4 discussion promptsTotal 65 minutes

The power of collaboration15 minutes
Ownership of data20 minutes
The power of networks20 minutes
Organisational structure and data10 minutes

Welcome to the last module of this course. In this module you will start to look at some data oriented tools which aim to support agile decision making, whether this is a single, or a few leaders, or dispersed leadership through the organisation. It is not our aim to provide a deep familiarisation with these tools but merely to introduce them. The tools themselves change rapidly, by next year new and more powerful tools could be on the market. With recent developments in AI, the data landscape is shifting rapidly. It is important that leaders maintain currency with data science and management, much as thye must for finance, ESG and countless other disciplines.

What's included

1 video9 readings2 assignments

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Week overview1 minute

9 readingsTotal 211 minutes

OSEMN Framework30 minutes
Exercise: Explore Tableau and Power BI60 minutes
Critical Thinking Skills and Data20 minutes
Podcast: AI and data11 minutes
Demystifying AI30 minutes
Reflecting on this week10 minutes
Resources and References10 minutes
Data and AI task30 minutes
Closing out the course10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Data wrangling and AI30 minutes
Data and AI quiz Graded Quiz30 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Matt Offord

University of Glasgow

4 Courses6,816 learners

Offered by

University of Glasgow

Explore more from Leadership and Management

University of Glasgow
Data-Driven Decision Making for Leaders
Course
University of Glasgow
Data-Driven Leadership: Capstone Project
Course
University of Glasgow
Rethinking Leadership Narratives for a Data-Driven Age
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.