Revision: GUEST Foundation & Advanced Leadership (Units 17 & 22) — the HELM-Equivalent Pathway

Revision card — GUEST Unit 17 (Foundation Leadership) and Unit 22 (Advanced Leadership), the leadership-specific pair within Management level. Sourced from published course pages (Barcelona Crew Academy, yachtcrew.uk, ITA Courses). Both are recognised as equivalent to the deck/engineering HELM(O) and HELM(M) leadership courses and are accepted by the PYA toward the Chief Stewardess Certificate of Competency.

Unit 17: Foundation Leadership (HELM(O) equivalent)

• The role and responsibilities of a first-time team leader, and what makes a high-performing team
• The difference between management and leadership, and core leadership theories/styles
• Effective communication — empathy, cultural awareness, active listening, constructive feedback
• Recognising and managing conflict within a team
• Setting goals using the SMART framework
• The GROW coaching model, applied to career support, welfare conversations and difficult conversations

Unit 22: Advanced Leadership (HELM(M) equivalent)

Aimed specifically at Chief Stewardesses and Heads of Interior Department already managing a team, not first-time leaders. It builds on Unit 17 rather than repeating it.

• Adapting leadership style to the team and situation
• Communication barriers specific to yachts — hierarchy, cultural mix, confined living spaces
• Emotional intelligence and building team trust/resilience
• Conflict management as a constructive, growth-oriented process
• Motivation theory applied to a demanding charter environment
• The difference between mentoring and coaching, and how to structure a developmental relationship
• Bullying and harassment prevention — intervention strategies and escalation protocols

Quick Self-Check

• What's the practical difference between Unit 17 and Unit 22 — who is each one actually written for?
• What's the difference between mentoring and coaching, as Unit 22 draws it?
• Name two yacht-specific communication barriers Unit 22 identifies that a shore-based leadership course wouldn't cover.

Test yourself: the general leadership competences in Units 17 and 22 (SMART goals, conflict management, motivation, communication) overlap with Crew Connect's cross-department Leadership Knowledge Check — worth trying, though it isn't written specifically for interior crew.

Related Reading

• Bullying and Harassment on Board — What Seafarers Need to Know in 2026
• From Deckhand to Captain: The Complete Yacht Crew Career & Certificate Ladder