Reference no: EM132359207

Stage One - Research/Observation

Identify a person who you consider to be a successful or effective leader. This could be someone you work with (for example: business, professional, sport, volunteer work, religious organisations etc.), live with (e.g. a parent, brother, relative etc) or anyone you judge to be a good leader or your role model. This leader could be someone you can observe in person or from your past experience or a public figure or someone you have read about same qualifier as above.

From your research and/or observation, critically analyse:

1. What makes this person a good leader?

2. What you perceive this person's leadership traits, behaviours and qualities;

3. How the person uses power and influence to make him/her an effective leader.

You must be able to apply theories/concepts/models covered in this course to support your research/observation.

Please note that in this stage, leader's autobiography, that isn't related to the above three points, is not acceptable.

Second Stage - Leadership Development Plan

For the second stage, you are asked to reflect on your own leadership, based on what you learnt the research/observation of your role model, and consider how your own leadership qualities could be improved.

First, using ideas and knowledge you have gained from the course and what you learnt from the first stage to guide you, you are required to diagnose and assess your current strengths and weaknesses as a leader (or potential leader). To identify your leadership strengths and weaknesses, you will choose to complete three or four 'leadership diagnostic tools' provided (see Canvas for the diagnostic tools). You must include the results of your tests as an appendix.

Second, you are then required to create a leadership development plan. The plan should aim at one-year timeline. The plan must at least maintain or further develop your leadership strengths and/or improve your weaknesses. You must review the leadership theories and concepts explored in this course and describe how they relate to you and your leadership development plan.

The plan should focus on 'Three important goals' that you would like to change or improve and should consist of key components such as timeframe, activities, goals and measurement indicators etc. (see Canvas for Suggested Development Plan template).

Stage Three - Feedback

In the final stage, you must seek feedback on your plan from a leader. This leader has to be someone you know who holds a leadership position in an organisation. This leader could be the same person as Stage One or a different leader. To assist with the feedback stage, you should provide the leader with the 'Feedback Checklist' (see Canvas).

At this stage, you must:

1. Describe what and how you have incorporated this leader's feedback into your plan;

2. Describe how you will evaluate whether or not you have reached the level of development set out in your plan (e.g. how will you know that you've achieved the goals set out in your leadership development plan? what kind(s) of data and information will inform this?);

3. Provide a conclusion on how your final Leadership Development Plan would make an impact on your future lives and careers.

Key questions you might think of at this stage:

a) What did the leader have to say about your draft leadership development plan?

b) How have you modified your draft as a consequence? (For example, if the leader you consulted said that your timeframe to achieve your leadership goals was unrealistically short, did you then extend the timeframe top achieve these?)

Format: This assignment should have the following format:

1) Introduction

2) Body with headings and sub-headings (e.g. Observation, Leadership Development Plan; Feedback)

3) Conclusion

4) References

5) Appendix:

(a) Your leader's feedback on the Feedback Checklist form;

(b) Your tests results;

Note: 4) Reference, 5) Appendix and 'Leader Background Information' are not included in the word count.

Referencing: It is expected that you will use at least 10 academic references, preferably refereed journal/research articles.