BUSM4194 : Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Assessment task that Allows Students to Apply their Knowledge and Skills: Leadership and Decision Making Assignment, RMIT, Singapore

Overview: This is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) assessment task that allows students to apply their knowledge and skills to practical situations. It is assessed through a real workplace context where feedback from the industry is integral to students’ experience. This assessment is designed to lead you from a critical analysis of your role model to reflect on how you can improve your own leadership qualities and effectiveness through three learning stages:

a) Research and Reflection;

b) Leadership Development Plan; and,

c) Industry Feedback. At stage one, you will build on the knowledge gained from listening to the feedback provided by a Guest Industry Speaker in Week 3.

The Guest Industry Speaker will outline some of the difficulties that leaders face. You will then be required to reflect on the Guest Industry Speaker’s presentation in Week 3 and use that knowledge to select a person whom you consider to be a successful and effective leader. Then, through your research or observation, you will identify the person’s leadership traits, behaviors, and qualities.

The learning outcome of this stage is that you are challenged to apply the theories in this course with your research or observation. For the second stage, you are asked to reflect on your own leadership, based on what you learned from the research or observation of your role model, and consider how your own leadership qualities could be improved.  At this stage, you are required to:

first, diagnose and assess your current strengths and weaknesses as a leader through the completion of three ‘leadership diagnostic tools’ provided (see Canvas for the diagnostic tools); and, then create your initial draft Leadership Development Plan (which will be placed at the end of your report as an appendix).

In the final stage, you will seek feedback on your initial draft Leadership Development Plan from a person in a leadership position and capable of providing you with objective feedback on your personal Leadership Development Plan. Incorporate the feedback from the leader in your final leadership development plan (which will also be placed at the end of your report as an appendix).

Ideally, the identified leader who will provide you with feedback should not be from within RMIT University or your relative. By going through these three stages, you should be able to critically analyze and evaluate leadership theories and practices and understand how to improve your own leadership effectiveness and qualities.

Important Note: You are required to submit background information of your leader who will provide feedback on your plan via the Course Canvas. You do not need to identify the person (e.g. by name). However, you must provide background information of your role model (e.g. position, leadership experience, organization information, etc.).

You are required to advise your local lecturer of your leader’s details. Leadership Development Plan – Final Paper Stage One – Research & Reflection You will build on the knowledge gained from listening to the feedback provided by a Guest Industry Speaker in Week 3. The Guest Industry Speaker will outline some of the difficulties that leaders face.

You will then be required to reflect on the Guest Industry Speaker’s presentation in Week 3 and use that knowledge to select a person whom you consider to be a successful and effective leader. This could be someone you work with (for example business, professional, sport, volunteer work, religious organizations, 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. Then, through your research and reflection, you will identify the person’s leadership traits, behaviors, and qualities. From your research and reflection,

critically analyze 1. What makes this person a good leader?

2. What you perceive this person’s leadership traits, behaviors, and qualities;

3. How the person uses power and influence to make him/her an effective leader. You must be able to apply leadership theories covered in this course to support your analysis. Please note that in this stage, the leader’s autobiography, which isn’t related to the above three questions, 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 learned from 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 learned 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 the three ‘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 an initial Leadership Development Plan. The initial plan should aim at the one-year timeline. The initial 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 initial 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). The initial plan must be placed as an appendix.

Stage Three – Industry Feedback In the final stage, you will seek feedback on your initial draft Leadership Development Plan from a person in a leadership position and capable of providing you with objective feedback on your personal Leadership Development Plan. Incorporate the feedback from the leader in your final leadership development plan (which will also be placed at the end of your report as an appendix).

Ideally, the identified leader who will provide you with feedback should not be from within RMIT University or your relative. 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 to achieve these?)