Individual Leadership Development Plan Assignment

About Me

We updated resources and word document that mentions the assignment: My Individual Leadership Development Plan Assignment During the first seven weeks of the semester you have been actively engaged in exploring different Leadership theories, your individual Strengths, MBTI, Values Perspective, and Emotional Intelligence in an effort to better understand YOU, your views on Leadership, and most importantly, how you see yourself as a LEADER. You have completed two Individual Reflective Assignments, participated in various in class exercises and activities, engaged in an Online Discussion, and reflected on your learning. Each of these activities have provided you with an opportunity to identify aspects of, and critically explore your authentic self - leading you to uncover your emerging leadership voice and vision. Assignment Details: The assignment is comprised of five key sections: 1. About Me - Share a brief biography, including your leadership experiences, thoughts about leadership before joining this course, and the key question(s) you are looking to answer during this course. 2. Assessments and Reflections - Compare and contrast the results, and your critical reflections for each of the assessments (StrengthsFinder, MBTI, Values Perspective, and EQ-i). Identify what, if any, correlations there are among all assessment findings. Identify both the positive and the shadow or blind spots. Identify key themes that are emerging in your reflections. Explain what this suggests about you as a leader. Explain why it might be important. 3. Development Goals and Strategies - Based upon your analysis and key themes emerging from number 2, identify 3 Leadership development-oriented goals. Where do you believe you need to stretch, develop, grow? Develop an action plan on how you intend to achieve your goals (See the developmental areas noted in your EQi report). 4. Leadership Vision - What is your emerging Leadership vision? What do you aspire to be as a Leader? How will you "live" as leader? Articulate how you wish to "operationalize" what you are learning about leadership and yourself going forward. Utilize specific examples where you might apply your new understanding - this semester, course-work, extra-curricular activities, in your work place, and beyond... Consider, for example: o What does it mean to lead? o What does your analysis suggest about how you might lead? Self-lead, in teams, at work? o How does what you have learned thus far help to increase your understanding of yourself and your leadership potential? o What are the implications if you are leading someone whose Strengths, Values, MBTI and/or EQ-i results are different from yours? o How might this new knowledge help you in a future leadership situation? To assist you in this Assignment, consider applying Borton's Model of Reflection to support your thinking through the questions presented - starting with "What?". To complete this assignment successfully, you will need to draw upon your previous work and reflections in Individual Reflective Assignment #1, Individual Reflective Assignment #2, the Online Discussions #1 & #2, and finally your reflections on your EQ-i assessment results. See the following summaries for each: 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0 Assessment - Determine your top 5 themes - how do they resonate, provide examples of when you have demonstrated these themes, explore both the positive and shadow side of the themes as they relate to leadership 2. Values Perspective Inventory - Determine your top 9 values - how do they resonate, provide examples of when you have demonstrated these values, explore both the positive and shadow side of the themes as they relate to leadership. 3. MBTI Personality Type Indicator Assessment - What is your Myers-Briggs Type - does the type assessment resonate? What do you believe your strengths are based on your M-B Type? What possible underdeveloped areas might you have? What are the positive and shadow sides of your type as it relates to leadership? Why is this important to know this? 4. EQ-i (Emotional Intelligence) - What does your EQ-i report suggest to you about your "self-perception", "stress management", "self-expression", "decision making", and "interpersonal" skills? Do these results resonate? Were you surprised? Provide examples of how and when you have demonstrated these skills, explore both the positive and shadow side of what your assessment results suggest as they relate to leadership. In what areas might you need further development? Why? 5. Connections - What connections do you see across the following: About Me, your StrengthsFinder, Values Perspective, MBTI Type, and EQ-i findings? Similarities? Differences? Gaps? Areas of growth/development? Areas to leverage in leadership contexts? 6. Key Learnings and Implications for YOU as a Leader - Leadership Vision There is an expectation that you link current thinking and research on Leadership into your assignment. To that end, be sure to complete all of, and refer to, when appropriate, the required readings, including the chapters indicated in your weekly schedule, the additional papers (i.e. Values-Based Leadership articles) provided in SLATE, and the first 30 pages of Strengths Finder 2.0. I also encourage you to explore additional peer-reviewed papers to further support your exploration. NOTE: A majority of our activities during weeks 1 - 5, and the reflective questions posed - both in class (during activities) or post-class were intentionally created to support your thinking and reflection for this assignment. Assignment Outline: This assignment is a reflective essay and is to be written in the first-person. The use of examples from the literature, as well as personal experience (in and outside of class/school) to support one's claims and assertions is expected. Maximum 2000 words (4 pages) in length (not including title page or reference list) Minimum 12 point font, double spaced lines, 1 inch margins Use of APA 7 formatting is required. Rubric for Individual Leadership Development Plan Assignment The core learning objective of this assignment is to challenge you to become more critically self aware; to identify your emerging leadership vision, potential and development needs by leveraging your strengths, values, MBTI type, and EQ; expressly exploring the shadow or blind spots, and articulating which current leadership theoretical construct(s) resonate(s) most with you and why. By articulating your emerging leadership vision, you are in a better position to become a more effective, intentional, and authentic leader. By being more aware of what you want to be as a leader, you are also in a better position to purposefully engage in leadership behaviours for self, in teams, or in official leadership constructs, identify the types of leaders you would like to work with and identify companies whose values align with yours. The value in this exercise/assignment then is hopefully very practical and helpful for you. NOTE: This assignment will be a core component of your final Leadership Creative Learning Portfolio Assignment due at the end of the term. I suggest that you refer to this document from time to time as a guide for your career and leadership path.