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Length: Four pages (not including title and references page), double spaced, Times New Roman 12-point type, one-inch margins, plus your action plan table.

Value: 20 points

Objective: Leaders develop through a process of self-awareness, goal setting, and practice. These are activities that, when mindfully applied, will benefit you throughout your career. You will develop and execute a personal leadership development plan that will help you focus on developing a specific leadership skill.

Instructions: After reflecting on your leadership capabilities and where you would like to improve, choose a leadership skill that you will commit to improving this semester. Integrate knowledge gained from your textbook and at least three other sources (e.g., articles, LinkedIn Learning) to demonstrate your expertise about your chosen skill. Use your knowledge to develop a specific four-step action plan that you will carry out this semester.

Respond to the following in your paper:

SECTION ONE:

(approximately 1 to 1 ½ pages)
Evaluate your current leadership capabilities. Where in your life have you demonstrated leadership? Draw upon both formal and informal leadership experiences you have had at school, work, and/or in your personal life to help you make your points. Based on your experiences, feedback you’ve received, and/or your own perceptions, what are your leadership strengths and weaknesses?

SECTION TWO:

(approximately ½ to 1 page)
Identify one leadership skill that you will work on improving this semester. Choose a skill from page 2 of this document. If you would like to work on a skill that is not listed, you must get approval from the professor at least two weeks before this paper is due. Explain the reason for your choice, drawing from your self-evaluation in Section One, and describe why developing this skill will benefit you as a leader. Connect your discussion to your own professional goals and explain how improving this skill will help you when it is your turn to lead your project team in MGT 360.

SECTION THREE:

(approximately 2 pages)
Describe best practices/recommendations for developing your chosen skill. In this section, you should demonstrate the knowledge you have gained from the resources you have collected. What have you learned about this skill? Based on what you have learned, what will you need to include in your action steps to increase your likelihood of success? Make sure to properly cite your sources both in the body of the text and in your References page.

ACTION PLAN:

(use the table template provided on page 3 of this document) Finally, develop your action plan of at least four steps you will take to work on your skill this semester. Clearly describe what you will do to execute your plan (think SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-bounded). I will give you some examples in class to help you structure this.

Other details:

a. You should use both textbook and a minimum of three other resources in your paper. You can use articles, LinkedIn Learning, interviews with mentors/managers (limit one), etc. for your sources. Ask the professor if you are unsure about whether a resource you’ve identified is appropriate.

b. Include a cover sheet with the title “Leadership Development Plan, Part I” along with your name, date, and class section. Do not repeat this information in the body of the paper.

c. Properly cite your sources in the body of the paper and include a References page as the last page (does not count toward page total). Use APA format. A good resource for this is http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Leadership Skills (CHOOSE ONLY ONE)

If you would like to choose a skill that is not listed below, ask the professor for approval no later than two weeks before the paper due date.

Choose a skill that you can actually practice this semester given your current situation – for example, do not choose ‘managing conflict’ unless you are currently facing a conflict situation with one or more people.

Assertiveness	Verbal Communication (e.g., public speaking)	Nonverbal Communication (e.g., developing professional presence, body language)
Mindfulness	Giving and receiving feedback	Effective (active) listening
Charisma	Networking	Creativity (generating and offering creative ideas)
Flexibility/adaptability	Influencing others (positive tactics)	Managing conflict
Cross-cultural intelligence	Collaborative decision-making	Demonstrating accountability/responsibility to others

4

TEMPLATE FOR ACTION PLAN PORTION OF PAPER

*add rows as needed to complete your plan

What will you do?

By when/how often?

What resources/help will you need?

What evidence indicates progress?

How and when will this evidence be gathered?

What will you do?

By when/how often?

What resources/help will you need?

What evidence indicates progress?

How and when will this evidence be gathered?

What will you do?

By when/how often?

What resources/help will you need?

What evidence indicates progress?

How and when will this evidence be gathered?

Action Step #1: [describe]

What will you do?

By when/how often?

What resources/help will you need?

What evidence indicates progress?

How and when will this evidence be gathered?

Action Step #2: [describe]

Action Step #3: [describe]

Action Step #4: [describe]