Reference no: EM133867261

Developing Leadership & Management Skills

Learning outcome:

LO 1: Understand and critically evaluate contemporary theories and models of management and leadership.

LO 2: Develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills

LO 2: Analyse the significance and impact of leadership performance in relation to overall business performance.

The Purpose

This module will provide an understanding of the core competencies relating to management and leadership skills in organisations. The module will examine management and leadership models and evaluate the effectiveness of those in the 21st Century, including the difference between management and leadership. This module will be assessed through a business report, which will analyse the effectiveness of leadership within an organisation through applying key models and theories.

Understanding the different styles of leadership and management is an important skill set for business school graduates to have in their toolkits, as one size does not fit all. Knowing which style to use, where and when is part of developing your junior executive capabilities.

The Context

You are a mid-level management consultant working for the global consulting firm PwC Strategy&. You have been engaged by UrbanNest, a growing social enterprise that develops sustainable, community-led housing projects in major cities across the UK. The organisation is undergoing significant restructuring to accommodate new regional teams and broaden its services.

The board of UrbanNest has recently appointed a new CEO to lead the restructuring process. This CEO is known for a strong democratic leadership style, focusing on collaboration, inclusion in decision-making, and valuing team input. While this leadership style promotes participation and team engagement, concerns exist regarding the CEO's ability to make timely decisions during urgent or complex restructuring challenges.

The Task
You are required to write a 2,500-word management report that critically examines the effectiveness of leadership within UrbanNest. Use appropriate leadership and management theories to address the following:

Analyse the CEO's Leadership Style: Detailed information on the CEO's leadership approach is provided. Evaluate how their democratic leadership style could impact the restructuring goals and employee morale.

Effectiveness Evaluation: Assess the potential effectiveness of the CEO's leadership in achieving the organisation's restructuring objectives amidst the challenges posed by the sector's growth and innovation needs.

Leadership Strategy Recommendations: Based on your analysis, propose alternative or complementary leadership strategies that align with UrbanNest's objectives, addressing any identified gaps or potential risks in the current leadership approach.

Assignment Requirements
Your report must:
Include a front cover with a clear title, your student ID number, and the word count.
Contain an executive summary (maximum 250 words).
Include a contents page.
Provide a minimum of 15 references from reputable sources, using the Harvard referencing system for citations.
Allow a maximum of 4 pages of appendices (not included in the word count). Note that the words used in tables, charts, and diagrams are also not included in the word count.
Be professionally formatted and suitable for presentation to a board of directors.

Key independent learning activities, employability skills and stretch activities:
Comprehend different leadership styles and the difference between leadership and management using theory and models appropriate to the task.
Apply competitive analysis models to the chosen sector.
Identify key information needs using the core textbook to develop commercial acumen.
Search using commercial databases, research reports, and other reputable sources to build an evidence-based argument that analyses the leadership approaches applied in the report.
Conduct research using, but not limited to, field observation, archival research, and e-research to develop deeper insight into the nature of the business environment within the sector, typical organisational culture and organisational performance using a range of different metrics appropriate to the sector.
Demonstrate junior executive-level professionalism knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Write a professional management report.

Assignment 2:

This module aims to provide an understanding of the core competencies related to management and leadership skills in organisations. It will examine management and leadership models, evaluating their effectiveness in the 21st century, including the distinctions between management and leadership. Additionally, students will complete a self-reflective report considering the development of their own leadership skills throughout the module, which will include updating their e-portfolio.

The Context
You are a business school graduate embarking on your career journey. In today's competitive job market, employers value candidates who demonstrate not only professional knowledge but also the ability to effectively lead themselves and others. A critical part of showcasing these capabilities is a clear demonstration of your commitment to self-improvement and leadership development.

This assignment requires you to identify a meaningful leadership development activity that demonstrates your growth during the module. Through self-assessment, reflection, and targeted action, you will develop and demonstrate skills that align with your future career aspirations.

The Task
Analyse Your Leadership Profile:
Use a range of leadership assessments such as Belbin, Myers-Briggs, DISC, or other reputable self-assessment tools to identify your leadership strengths and areas for improvement.
Identify Developmental Needs:
Based on your analysis, determine a specific leadership development need. This could focus on building a strength or addressing an area for growth.
Carry Out a Developmental Activity:
Design and participate in a developmental activity that directly addresses your identified need. Provide evidence of this activity, which could include photos, documentation, or testimonials. Get online assignment help now!
Reflect on Your Self-Development Journey:
Critically reflect on the process and outcomes of your leadership development journey in a 1,000- word reflective report. This should include:
Insights gained from the activity.
How the activity impacted your leadership profile.
Plans for further development.

Alongside your reflective report, upload evidence of your developmental activity to a separate e- portfolio submission point. Note that this refers to an electronic submission in this context.

Key Independent Learning Activities, Employability Skills, and Stretch Activities:
Assess your own leadership and management skills.
Construct a leadership self-developmental plan.
Identify key information needs using core textbooks to develop commercial acumen.
Search commercial databases, research reports, and other reputable sources to build an evidence- based argument for the self-development event.
Complete a leadership self-development event/activity.
Critically reflect upon your self-development journey.
Illustrate awareness of emotional intelligence in yourself and others.
Demonstrate the ability to develop life-long learning skills.