ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management

The ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management offers aspiring and newly appointed managers a practical and future-focused development experience. Spanning 25 weeks with flexible, phased learning, this course enables learners to explore leadership principles, understand their own leadership potential, and drive effective team performance. Grounded in real business challenges, the course aligns with modern organisational demands such as digital adaptation, hybrid working, and cross-functional collaboration. Learners will build career resilience and increase their capability to lead with confidence in today’s evolving workplace. Employers benefit from practical application tailored to business needs, resulting in capable managers who influence outcomes.

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• describe and evaluate different leadership styles and their suitability in various contexts
• identify and reflect on personal leadership qualities and areas for development
• connect team objectives with organisational vision and strategy
• use motivational strategies to engage and develop team members
• apply structured leadership approaches to real-world workplace scenarios
• present evidence-based leadership practices through written assignments

There are no formal prerequisites for this course. However, learners should be:

• employed in a role with some responsibility for leading teams or projects
• willing and able to apply learning to their workplace
• supported by their line manager or organisation to participate in learning and assignments

Target audience

This course is suitable for:

• aspiring, new, or practicing first-line managers
• professionals in early career stages who seek structured leadership development
• organisations aiming to build confident, capable leaders to meet modern workforce challenges

If you need support, please reach out to us through our Candidate Matcher. This tool is designed to help you determine whether this qualification is the right level for you.

If you work in a high-security environment, we strongly recommend using the Candidate Matcher and requesting a conversation with a member of the course team if you're still unsure.

Introduction and induction

• Overview of ILM qualification structure and expectations
• Guidance on assignments and assessment criteria
• Introduction to the QA platform

Module 1: Understanding leadership

• The role of the leader in modern organisations
• Leadership styles: directive, participative, delegative, and situational approaches
• Leadership traits, emotional intelligence, and personal effectiveness
• Self-assessment of leadership qualities and development planning
• Practical application: developing a personal leadership improvement plan
• Independent tutorials and peer feedback (self-arranged)

Break and study period (3–4 weeks)

• Assignment preparation and developmental feedback sessions
• Submission of first assignment for ILM assessment

Module 2: Leading and motivating a team effectively

• Building vision and purpose across a team
• Communication principles for alignment and clarity
• Motivation theories and real-world application
• Recognising and developing team potential
• Addressing performance issues and giving feedback
• Strengthening influence and team cohesion
• Practical application: demonstrating team leadership in your workplace
• Independent tutorials and peer review
• Submission of second assignment for ILM assessment

Exams and assessments

There are no formal exams. Learners will complete two written assignments aligned to the ILM modules:

• Module 1: Understanding leadership
• Module 2: Leading and motivating a team effectively

Assignments are internally assessed by QA and externally verified by ILM. Developmental tutorials and assignment cafes are built in to support learner progress.

Hands-on learning

This programme emphasises workplace application and guided practice. Learners will:

• test leadership approaches in real work environments
• receive structured peer feedback and coaching
• access tutorials with expert facilitators to refine written assignments
• evidence applied learning through workplace materials and documentation