The Leadership Self-Assessment - Term Paper Example

? Academia-research.com MGS 524 The Leadership Self Assessment and Reflective Assignment 31 July Part Analysis Assessment Purpose in Leadership-management As time progresses in the multiple disciplines of business, academia, and the behavioral social sciences, it becomes apparent that various types and styles of assessment are essential and necessary for designing and implementing effective, proactive, productive management and leadership plans. The interconnectedness and interrelated plans and actions of management-leadership collaborations are critical in the endeavors of networking, shared meaning, and problem solving. Therefore, appropriate types of assessments utilized at critical times are time consuming, but necessary for sustaining and maintaining stability, empowerment, and from my perspective, ethical purpose and considerations. Assessment type: The Survey Were you surprised by your findings? The purpose of planning and implementing ‘the survey’ as a strategy and method of assessment is effective in finding out specific information concerning specific populations or audiences. Whether it is an ordinal Likert scale of quantitative analysis or a nominal scale survey analyzing societal demographics, I have started, again, to realize that I am a part of the important population and audience that has shared meaning within society. However, I am also part of a dialectic society that must continuously and consistently try to maintain ethics, value, budgets, and integrity amongst dynamic change and norm/value diversity and adversity. When participating in a survey or assisting to design a survey, I am practicing strategies in participatory management. Interestingly, the planning, designing, and completion of a survey does result in surprising results. Therefore, the answer to the initial question is “yes”. I am surprised by the results of a survey…in which results are swift, unexplained, and blunt. Assessment type: The Interviews Have the findings changed your behavior in any way? The assessment technique of the ‘participatory interview’ process is not only intimidating, but interesting and thought provoking. In a sense, conducting an interview as a researcher or employer or, in turn, responding to the assessment questions as an interviewee are both critical components of the participatory decision-making procedures called ‘The Interview’. The conceptual nature of interview assessment is multi-faceted. Is it an example of situational inquiry, where someone simply needs to ask questions concerning the management of a situation and a response is required? Or is the interview assessment the important component of proactive, collaborative communication. I think the ‘narrative interview’ process is an important component and demonstration of the communication skills of good listening and effective speaking. Therefore, in answering the question… “Were there changes in behavior as result of the prospective findings”? Yes, narrative and situational interviews, as well as the basic job interviews, have the effective ability to put both the interviewer and respondent in positions of control and empowerment. There is a consciousness of appearance and intellectual perspectives; self-awareness, multi intelligences, and moments of reflexivity emerge within the context – the time and space – of the interview. Approaches to inquiry, whether personal or professional, often create symbiotic relationships. Both the interviewer and the respondent can exercise the concept of shared, purposive meaning, assessing if there are common values, purposes, and perspectives. As a very authentic Headmaster demonstrating leadership and management abilities once stated, “… the endless committees and endless debates about process, I still want people involved…I seek its voice all the time” (R. Evans 232). Assessment type: The Questionnaire Interesting thing about questionnaires, they are a strategic method in which I’ve been allowed to be creative and innovative in the approaches to inquiry. For example, while constructing my thesis, I was able to design a questionnaire in which the intended purposive professionals were an animator and illustrator. Delving into the behavioral perspectives of the professionals, the questionnaire became an analytical tool in which the insight, opinion, and professional intrigue of the respondents was shared. The responses of a questionnaire, I have determined, quite often are insights into the mind and spirit. And this is what motivates and creates an impact on my personal and working life. Leader’s Self-insight Assessments According to the various ‘Leader’s Self-insight assessments, three leadership-management evaluation criterion dug deep into the meanings and purpose of what it requires to sustain within leadership-management contexts. It is a complex environment. Leader’s Self-insight 1.3, “Are you on a Fast Track to Nowhere?” (Frankel 230) focused on three important criteria – people skills, working with authority, networking – that I, according to the questionnaire scale, could use some work and improvement. Although I am proactive and enthusiastic about belonging to professional organizations and regularly maintaining contact, my opportunities to invite and be invited for lunch or regular interaction with my peers is lacking. My sustaining in socially, positive behaviors is very limited. Budgets, social distance, communication barriers become overwhelming roadblocks for consistent and continued productivity in this area. I am surprised by my limitations of social behavior and am growing more concerned about how my academe and business affairs will be affected. One of my strengths has been the acknowledgement and respect for diversity, multiple intelligences/perspectives, and interpersonal professionalism. It will become a weakness on the ‘fast track to nowhere; if the barriers of limitation are not analyzed and re-managed for quality and improvements. The analytical questionnaire “Leader’s Self-insight 4.4, “What’s your thinking style?” (Hermann n. pg.) was another insightful assessment that got my mental models working. This assessment provided much food for thought and inquiry on how I approach, consider to problem-solve and participate in decision-making. Is my thinking style a personal, cognitive proaction or is it an action involving the participatory input of others. After taking the Leader’s Self-insight 4.4, the findings indicated that I possessed characteristics associated with the four quadrants of the “Hermann’s whole brain model” (Hermann n. pg.). I practice a balance of analytical, detail-oriented, emotionally-based, and integrative-imaginative cognitive or thinking styles. This is good when considering the concept of authentic leadership-management processes. Leader’s Self-insight assessment test 5.2, “Emotional Intelligence” (Weisinger 214-215) was a feasibly applicable assessment for managing situational decision-making. It delved into the issues of social responsibility and ethical awareness. I was surprised by the findings concerning my emotional intelligence. I became conscious of the impacts – influentially and logistically – of my emotional intelligence as leader and as a part of management. Self awareness and self management became strengths of my authentic leadership qualities, while social awareness, responsibilities, and relationship management impacted management skills and abilities of personal working life. 2. Application A large part of leadership-management roles and behaviors are interdependent with motivation, empowerment, and productivity. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are essential for effective organization performance and integrity. It has been very interesting and intriguing to discover that leadership and management are becoming more interdependent and in partnership with open-mind thinking and respect. Respect for multiple perspectives is often a result of diversity in an organization. The missions, visions, and goals of an organization are interdependent with leadership-management mental models that encompass norms, values, and processes or protocols of the organization. The models of the partnerships of leadership and management apply directly with Leader’s Self-insight assessments. Assessment questionnaires delved into the issues of cognitive thinking, emotional intelligence, and social/behavioral skills often associated with the context of an organization. These self-assessment issues are critical when considering theoretical models such as Maslow’s Laws of Hierarchy and Herzberg’s Model. The Self Assessment Insight questionnaires are cognitively motivating and act as a stimulus for critical thinking. Theoretical models can be analyzed in terms of leadership-management assessments. Important questions are formulated amongst complex issues: Are the characteristics of emotional intelligence compatible with my organizational social responsibility? Are the Laws of Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs) and the Herzberg Model, mental models of leadership-management? They certainly are models designed to manage life skills. Are the Leader’s assessment test effective tools (guides) for reconstructing open-mindedness, in spite of the assumptions and limitations of assessment processes? The heart and mind – the spirit – that constructs a concept of leadership continues to be an essential ingredient for the effective, healthy productivity of an organization. Assumptions and limitations in my critical thinking and mindset must continuously reflect new information, empowerment, and motivation and open-mind thinking. This is what can stimulate intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. When reflecting upon the relevance of each of the Leader’s Self-insight assessments and being an effective leader, a main insight emerges…reasons of purpose, empowerment, and the assessments ability to influence direction and interpretation in my critical thinking. Again, the insight assessment exercises have been motivating and intriguing food for thought…chicken soup for the spirit. I must meaningfully share a few Insight Assessment inquiries and perspectives that ignite purposive engagement: Be personally and socially aware of the impacts that my behavior has on others; Be self-aware of when I am becoming anger; Be conscious of ‘distress’ behaviors of others; Engage in motivational thinking when performing uninteresting work and duties; Engage in calming actions when I am the target of angry behaviors from others. (Weisinger 214-215) 3. Development Plan “The prospect of a committed, empowered, collegial leader community (organization) served by an enlightened leader is exciting. It has congruence with important concepts we have explored, such as followership. Its appeal spans the political spectrum exemplifying American values of freedom and self-determination on the one hand and community democracy on the other…” (Evans 232). This is authentic leadership and management at work. When constructing a development plan for improvement, I acknowledge that many of the purposive, quality assurances may have to start with leadership-management qualifications and characteristics that I exhibited throughout much of my networking, collaborations, and management skill building. “Leader’s Self-insight 4.4, “What’s your thinking style” (Hermann n. pg.) extrapolated and highlighted the cognitive thinking styles that could be utilized in designing techniques and strategies for effective self-SWOT analyses. Categorical improvement: Analytical Thinking (Self SWOT analysis) Strength: Continue to engage in approaches to inquiry – both quantitative and qualitatively – to practice analytical, realistic, rigorous, and intellectual thinking; Weakness: Clarity and factual thinking continues to be a need; Opportunity: Engage in practices of directive and objective thinking; Threat: Be self and socially aware of unknowledgeable and unintelligent, mindless thinking. Categorical improvement: Detail-oriented Thinking (Self SWOT analysis) Strength: Continue to engage in planned, disciplined, and practical thinking; Weakness: Be self and socially aware of extremes in over organized and controlled thinking patterns; Opportunity: Try to consistently participate in positive persistence and productive implementation; Threat: Be aware of the dangers of extremely organized, controlled thinking and behaviors. Categorical improvement: Emotionally-based Thinking Strength: Flexible, conceptual and open-mind thinking play important roles in my leadership-manager-follower roles; Weakness: Spontaneity, intuitive thinking often cause confusion in my daily, logistical thinking; Opportunity: I have unique opportunity to participate in holistic, flexible, adventurous thinking. I appreciate this integrative thinking. Threat: Synthesizing and conceptual thinking in an illogically organized method can be cause for alarm. It is not healthy spontaneity…it is dangerous. 4. Reflection Leadership that sustains and maintains social consciousness and humanistic values/norms somehow consistently meet the demands of quality improvements in our postmodern, demanding society. One of the single most important things that I have learned about leadership is that it does not happen overnight. Authentic leadership is a networking of considerate practices that heighten both self and social awareness, ethics, and respect. Management is the proactive partnerships and processes that result in implementation of these fair practices. Why is it important? As of yet, I have not engaged in any outreach actions or collaborative assignments that do not demand respect for the humanistic cause of improvements in the conditions of our society. Respect for human values – as diverse as they are – is not extinct. This becomes a very necessary benefit in my life and the lives of others. It is the sustaining of our human lives – our ethos – that constructs purpose and mission in personal and organizational practices. Work Cited Evans, R. The Human Side of School Change: Reform, Resistance, and The Real Life Problems of Innovation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 1996. Print. Frankel, L. P. Dr. “Are you knocking out your own career?” Fast Company, 1999. n. pg. Retrieved 1 August 2012 from http://www.drloisfrankel.com/. Hermann, N., Berberet, J. The Whole Brain Model: Understanding working styles. University of California: Business Office Institute. 1990-2003. [Web] Retrieved on 2 August 2012 from Read More