Reference no: EM133942151

Critical Thinking/Application Prompts

Instruction
Each week, you will be presented with a series of critical thinking prompts and application prompts.
Please copy/paste the prompts into an offline document (Word, for example) and compose your responses offline (be sure to save your work).

Each question is generally worthy of, at a minimum, at least 250 words (2-3 well-written paragraphs) in response for the open-ended types of prompts.  Be sure to connect with (and informally cite in-text) the applicable readings/videos from the module's learning materials.
A note on in-text citing and connecting with the learning materials:  As a graduate student, it's very important that you offer perspectives and arguments that are grounded in the literature - NOT simply personal opinion or anecdotal evidence. I don't want a works-cited page, but I do want you to clearly cite your sources in-text for the various connections you'll be making between the learning materials and your application thereof.  For example, one might write, "While I marveled at the uncanny ability of the psychic to tap into my true personality, the Barnum Effect (Aronson, 2022, p. 117) could have well explained my feelings..."  Be sure to use these informal in-text cites to make your arguments and to support your perspectives.
Excluding the prompts that are simply requiring you to input data, these are all open-ended prompts/questions, each deserving of a well thought out response. Again, that generally means two to three well-constructed paragraphs (about 250 words on average) per prompt.

While we are still maintaining our typical instructions and parameters for our critical thinking prompts exercise, this module is unique in that there are a larger number of prompts -- all of which are focused on YOU.  This module is addressing "Boyatzis's Theory of Self-Directed Learning" (now referred to as Intentional Change Theory) -- which is composed of five steps (or "discoveries"); see illustration on page 110.  As our authors state: "The crux of leadership development that works is self-directed learning: intentionally developing or strengthening an aspect of who you are or who you want to be, or both. This requires first getting a strong image of your ideal self, as well as an accurate picture of your real self -- who you are now (109)".  The process is summarized below:
The first discovery: My ideal self -- Who do I want to be?
The second discovery: My real self -- Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps? Get world-class assignment help from subject experts.
The third discovery: My learning agenda -- How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps?
The fourth discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thoughts, and feelings to the point of mastery.
The fifth discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.
The prompts below require you to do a bit of self-introspection/self-reflection, for you want to get a picture of both your ideal self and your real self, as well as getting started on a possible learning agenda.  Obviously, the self-directed learning process is ongoing.  We are taking the initial steps below -- getting a quick read-out on the ideal self and the real self and taking steps toward the creation of a learning agenda -- a learning agenda that should be built on throughout one's career.

Basically, the strategy is this: 1) What is your ideal self? -- You will move through a few exercises that culminate in the creation of a Personal Vision Statement. 2) What is your real self? -- You will take some steps that will help you come up with a Personal Balance Sheet. 3) What are the gaps that may exist between the ideal self and the real self? -- Addressing this question will culminate in the creation of seeds of a Learning Agenda. 
***DO make sure that your Personal Vision Statement, your Personal Balance Sheet, and your Learning Edge/Agenda are particularly well thought-out/detailed and well crafted/written (i.e., worthy of at least 250 words).
The following exercise includes the following eleven prompts:
Ideal Self Prompts:
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 1 (My Ideal Life): Think about where you would be fifteen years from now if you were living your ideal life. What kind of people would be around you? What does your environment look and feel like? What might you be doing during a typical day or week? Don't worry about the feasibility of creating this kind of ideal life. Just let the image develop, and place yourself in the picture. Try doing some free writing around this version of yourself fifteen years from now.
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 2 (My Values):  Think about the different arenas of your life that are important, such as family, relationships, work, spirituality, physical health. What are your core values in each of those areas?  Think about the principles, values, beliefs, that guide you in your work and life -- and think about whether they are values that you truly live by or something talk about.  If necessary, go to a decent internet site and find a "list of values."  Then, on a sheet of paper or in a "Notes" app etc., make a list of your ten most important personal values.  Finally, examine that list of 10, and rank each of your 5 most important values.