Unit title & code
Leadership Project SHR011-6
Assignment number and title
Assessment 2 – Summative Assessment
Assignment type
Report
Weighting of assignment
100%
Size or length of assessment
3,600 words +-10%
Unit learning outcomes
1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding
Critical appreciation of how types of leadership/management styles differ depending on history, culture, geographic life and conditions and how they impact people performance, followers and productivity.
2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities
Critically evaluate leadership/management styles, leadership problems and challenges and your personal leadership capabilities and needs for future development.
What am I required to do in this assignment?
You will produce a written report of 3,600 words (+/- 10%) that critically assesses and evaluates current leadership theory and synthesises a model of leadership drawn from authoritative academic sources You will then use this as a basis for evaluating the leadership in your organisation, reflecting how your personal leadership practice fits in with this, and what steps you will you take to develop your personal approach to leadership in the future .
It is anticipated that you will tackle this assignment in 3 logical stages
1. Synthesise a theoretical model of leadership from a critical analysis of modern leadership theory making specific reference to contextual factors arising in the middle east.
2. Evaluate your current organisation against your theoretical model of leadership identifying how the types of leadership/management styles you observe impact people, performance, and productivity, suggesting a future leadership strategy for your organisation
3. Reflect on your personal leadership development. How have you developed your leadership skills to date? What have been the formative influences on you, and how do these relate to leadership theory. How does this reflection guide you to your future development as a leader?
A suggested structure for the written report would include the following:
This assignment can be divided into three sections.
1. Critical evaluation of leadership theory
Sythesise a model of leadership appropriate for the middle east from a consideration of current and emerging aspects of leadership theory,
a. Note that this must not be a description of differing models of leadership but a critical review of leadership concepts leading to a closely argued model of leadership, appropriately referenced
b. You should pay particularly attention to the contextual issues of leadership in the middle east and discuss how this affects your model
2. Critical evaluation of leadership practice in your organisation and your fit in it.
An evaluation of the leadership practice and structures prevalent in your organisation.
a. Using your leadership model developed in 1, discuss how the practice of leadership in your organisation relates to your theoretical model of leadership
b. In what way does your organisation’s approach to leadership differ from your competitors (local or global) ?
c. To what extent are these differences positive points of differentiation or negative traits of the organisation?
3. A personal reflection of your leadership development – past and future
Having examined leadership theory, and developed a model of leadership which you have used to evaluate your organisation in sections 1 & 2 above, you are invited to use these to reflect on your personal leadership development.
a. Identify how your leadership capabilities have developed historically, comparing and contrasting these to academic theory
b. Evaulate your personal model of leadership in the context of your current organisation – what conclusions do you draw?
c. Critically review your current situation. What steps in your development as a leader do you think you need to take to achieve your future goals?
Sections 1 &2 should be closely referenced and argued from a base of theory and observation and each should result in clear conclusions. The final section, which is a personal reflection drawing together the theory and practice of leadership as it relates to you, is the most important section and the one that is the hardest to complete. Glib observations will not be sufficient to get a good pass. The requirement is for you to develop a closely argued analytical reflection of your personal leadership journey – evidenced and supported by thoughtful reference to your observations of leadership theory and practice that you have developed in the previous sections.
What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)
In order to pass the assessment you will need to:
• Assess and demonstrate understanding of how varying leadership styles impact upon the organisation and sector and systems
• Evaluate and compare the impact of leadership types upon followers.
• Reflect on aspects of your leadership capability and needs for future personal and organisational development
How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?
How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?
This assignment builds on our learning achieved in the first part of the unit, and extends this to compare and contrast the theory and practice of leadership leading to a personal reflection of your leadership development.
In the first session we examine leadership in the context of organisations systems and structures using the Seven Organisation Sector Mindset Thinking Systems and Structures model amongst other leadership theories. This provides the theoretical underpinning for the first aspect of the assignment.
In the second session we explore whether leadership structures and systems are related to specific industries and sectors.This is the evaluation of practice which relates directly to the second part of the assignment.
The third session focusses on Organisational Transformation and Change and examines change taking place in organisations.with their associated implications for leadership,
The final session looks forward to the design and delivery of an intelligent strategy whereby resources are aligned to deliver effective strategic plans and projects, again identifying the implications for future leadership
The reflective element in the assessment gives you an opportunity to review all you have learnt and evaluated from theory and practice and draw this into a personal critical evaluation of your own leadership capabilities – past and future.
How will my assignment be marked?
The standard of your work will be benchmarked against the criteria contained in the attached rubric and will be double marked by two independent markers.
In addition you will receive feedback which is designed to give you guidance on how you can improve your work and achieve higher grades. You should take time to reflect on this and consider how you can implement these suggestions.
Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.
You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.
Pass – 40-49%
Pass – 50-59%
Commendation – 60-69%
Distinction– 70%+
Critical evaluation of leadership theory and construction of a model of leadership
20% Attempts to apply appropriate theory (ie) drawing on published sources introduced. Limited evidence of understanding key issues and concepts.
Minimal attempt to conclude with a model of leadership Draws on a good range of theoretical contributors introduced but with limited evidence of wider reading.
Some attempt to conclude with a model of leadership Draws on most theoretical contributors introduced and with evidence of independent reading. Good attempt to conclude with a model of leadership Draws on major theoretical contributors introduced in the unit and with substantial evidence of independent reading.
Well developed model of leadership
Analysis of leadership practice in your organisation
20% Limited critical evaluation of practitioner sources with limited reference to academic theory. Demonstrates an adequate knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in integrating theory and practice. Reasonable attempt to apply appropriate theory with adequate critical evaluation of practitioner sources .Demonstrates reasonable knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in integrating theory and practice. Good attempt to apply appropriate theory with good critical evaluation of practitioner sources. .Demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in integrating theory and practice. Critical evaluation of an excellent range of directly relevant quality academic and practitioner sources. Demonstrates an excellent understanding and clear practical awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the integration of theory and practice.
Personal reflection of leadership development
50% A patchy reflection which develops some themes from academic theory, weakly related to some observations from practice and draws minimal conclusions relating to individual development as a leader. An adequate reflection which develops some themes from academic theory, relates them to some observations from practice and draws some conclusions relating to individual development as a leader. A good reflection which develops themes from academic theory, relates them to observed practice and draws reasonable conclusions, relating to individual development as a leader. Mostly
convincing. An excellent reflection which develops clear themes from academic theory, relates them to closely observed practice and draws deep and profound conclusions relating to individual development as a leader. Entirely convincing.
Presentation and Referencing
10%
Acceptable but not in report format. Few citations and a passable bibliography.
Well-structured in report format, adequate but limited references throughout and with an adequate bibliography.
Clearly and concisely structured in report format, good, thorough referencing with appropriate in-text citations and a good bibliography. Excellent, clear and concisely structured report format, excellent referencing with appropriate in-text citations a and good bibliography.