Case Study · Leadership · University of Cambridge
How to be an Effective Leader.
Self-awareness — and the courage to lead as yourself — with Churchill College STEM students.
When The Møller Institute re-ran its ACCEL leadership programme for Churchill College’s STEM undergraduates and postgraduates, they asked Anna Marsden to open it. The brief: tackle the “leadership is not one-size-fits-all” challenge head-on, through self-awareness.
"Your session was one of the most highly rated and well-received across the programme — it resonated strongly and left a lasting impression."
One of the most highly rated sessions on the programme
Of people think differently — the insight that stuck
Left a lasting impression on participants
Churchill College undergrad & postgrad leaders
THE CHALLENGE
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all — and these students knew it
ACCEL — The Academy for Churchill College Enterprise and Leadership — brings together some of Cambridge’s brightest STEM undergraduates and postgraduates to explore what it really means to become an effective leader. It is a stimulating, and at times challenging, group of young minds.
Like many leadership programmes, an earlier cohort had raised an honest challenge. The feedback gave the team real pause: the programme risked leaning too heavily on a single, “confident” model of how a leader should show up — and could do more to acknowledge that people lead, communicate and contribute differently, including neurodivergent students.
The team at The Møller Institute wanted to address this directly as they re-ran the programme. They turned to Anna Marsden for her experience in self-awareness and difference, with a clear brief: open the programme in a way that acknowledges and values difference as well as commonality — and make the case that effective leadership is emphatically not one-size-fits-all.
Churchill College STEM undergraduate and postgraduate students — bright, analytical and keen to explore leadership.
Move the programme away from a one-size-fits-all idea of leadership and towards one that respects difference.
Open the programme with self-awareness — so students reflect on how they, and others, naturally lead.
THE APPROACH
An opening session built on self-awareness, not a single “right” way to lead
Anna designed and delivered the programme’s first session — an interactive, reflective introduction that set the tone for everything that followed.
Know yourself first
"Reflect on self-awareness and how differently people think and communicate."
Students explored their own thinking and behavioural preferences — understanding their natural style before turning that lens on others.
85% think differently
"The fact that 85% of people think differently from I do."
A simple, memorable idea that reframes difference as the norm, not the exception — and dissolves the assumption that others should work like we do.
Adapt how you communicate
"The communication-adaptation exercises made it practical, not theoretical."
Hands-on practice in flexing tone, language and style to reach people whose preferences differ from your own.
The Platinum Rule
"Understanding people on their own terms."
Leadership shifts from “treat others as I would” to meeting people where they are — a direct answer to the one-size-fits-all problem.
Redefine the leader
"You don't have to be a certain person to be a leader."
Students saw that leading well means supporting the strengths of others — not performing one prescribed style of confidence.
Set up the programme
"A really great introduction to the course."
The session planted the seeds of self-awareness that the rest of the ACCEL programme could build on.
THE RESULTS
Highly rated — and translated into real behavioural change
“Your session was one of the most highly rated and well-received across the programme. Participants consistently highlighted how valuable it was in developing greater self-awareness, understanding their thinking preferences, and reflecting on how they contribute within teams.”
The programme team reported that several students described the session as challenging their assumptions about leadership — and helping them recognise that different people contribute in different ways. Exactly the shift the brief called for.
What was particularly encouraging was how far the learning translated into behaviour. Participants reported becoming more observant of themselves and others, more aware of their own leadership style, and more intentional in how they communicate within a team.
Behaviour change reported
In the institute’s words
“It resonated strongly with participants and left a lasting impression. Thank you once again — it’s certainly well deserved.”
PARTICIPANT VOICES
What the students said
A really great introduction to the course. It helped me become more aware of myself but also of others — and made me realise you don’t have to be a certain person to be a leader. Instead you support the strengths of others and communicate in a way they best understand. On top of that, the presenter was super engaging.
Session 1 made me reflect on self-awareness and how differently people think and communicate — which was useful in understanding both myself and others better. It challenged my existing preconceptions about leadership.
The most meaningful part was the focus on self-awareness in leadership — the idea that not everyone thinks, communicates or makes decisions the same way. The communication-adaptation exercises made it practical rather than theoretical, and the Platinum Rule shifted leadership towards understanding people on their own terms.
My personal favourite takeaway? The fact that 85% of people think differently from how I do.