Assignment: Primary Research and Reflection on Leadership, Teams, and Collaboration

Part 1. Primary Research

1. Primary research and data synthesis (2-3 live interviews)

2. Reflection on your actions and learning in this course since the beginning of your time at Hult

3. Integration of your primary and secondary research, experiences, and course content

4. Your Action Plan

Your assignment is to interview at least 2-3 leaders that you respect who have been leaders for at least 5 years.  These questions will give you a chance to hear from experienced managers what they know about Managing Up, Managing Across and Influence and Collaboration. 

The interviews are to be in person, not over email or chat.  In-person interviews can be through Zoom, WhatsApp etc., or in-person (properly masked).   Please use the following template to record the person, time, and date of the interview and confirmation that you have their oral permission to participate in a Hult Research Project. 

Before you begin the interview, please read the Informed Consent below to the people you interview.  If they choose not to participate in the research section, you may still turn in the interview as part of your assignment. Informed Consent – to be read to the interviewee before the interview begins.

"You are invited to participate in Hult Research that is exploring the lessons that leaders learn over the course of their careers.  In this research, we are exploring the knowledge a leader has gained over the years, the events or experiences that contribute to that learning, and who has shaped leaders as a person over the course of their lives. 

We are inviting you to participate in the research. Participation in this research means that you give your consent to the research team to use the answers you give. You do not have to participate in the research to participate in the interview. "

For each interview, use the template provided  Download template provided to capture your notes and complete an informed consent form to participate in this research project. The from includes details for confidentiality and informed consent. One informed consent form for each interviewee should be uploaded with your final submission.

You will use the guide below for suggested questions during your interviews but are not limited to them.  Feel free to modify these questions.

1. What are the major challenges that you bring to your manager/supervisor to help you resolve or make a decision?

Part 2: Reflection on Your Actions and Learning in this Course Since the Beginning of Your Time at Hult

2. What do you do that works and doesn't work when attempting to influence your manager/supervisor?  (Follow-up question: how do you know what works and what doesn't work?)

3. What do the people that you manage do that works, and what doesn't work when influencing you?  

4. What increases collaboration in your work teams and what decreases collaboration?

Please include your interview notes as an addendum using the informed consent template provided. 

In the first section of this paper, you will identify the insights and conclusions you draw from the interviews that you have conducted.

When writing the paper, please address the following points:

• Reflect on the actions you have taken and the experiences you have had in this course that have shaped your thinking about Leadership, Teams, and Collaboration.

Part 3:  Integration of your primary and secondary research, experiences, and course content

• Integrate what you have learned from your primary research, reflections on your experiences, and how course content has helped shape your thinking about leadership.  This should identify the insights you have had and the conclusions you draw about leadership.

• Layout an Action Plan that outlines 5 specific detailed action steps that you will take for your personal and professional development as a leader. Consider various inputs that have been available to you, including the prompt questions listed at the end of the articles in the "Mastering the art of speaking up" series, your Personal

Development Plan, and feedback from others.

• Be sure to include SMART goals.

• Use the After Action Review format to structure your reflections.

This paper should reflect upon your experiences since the beginning of the program, what your intentions were, what were the results you got, and what did you learn or discover that you need to do for your own development as a leader.  Please also consider how you will handle conflict and negotiations and build relationships within and outside of your future organization. 

A superior assignment will be one that is creative, professionally delivered, references specific observed behaviors, how you perceive the intended vs. actual impacts and the lessons learned for your future work environments.

Your submission should be between 2,000 and 2,500 words (8-10 pages), double-spaced, and use proper APA v6 referencing as needed. Take care to check spelling, grammar, and sentence structure as points will be deducted accordingly.