The purpose of this assignment is for the EMBA students to articulate aspirations for themselves as future leaders (vision), analyze their vision vis-à-vis their current reality (self-awareness), identify the gaps between vision and reality, and devise a leader development plan that specifies one development goal and method for developing it.
Part 1: Leader Narrative – Being & Becoming a Leader
Suggested Guides:
· Article: Multi-Domain Leadership
· Article: Managing your Career
· Article: Learning Charisma
· Case: Conor the Inspired
· Case: Wolfgang Keller
· Survey: MLQ
· In-Class Activities: Timeline, I am Statements, Domain Circles, Leader Identity Strength
· Book: Leadership on the Line, particularly, Get on the Balcony & Hold Steady
What’s your leadership story? Leadership begins with understanding who you are and what you value. “Know thyself” is often suggested by leadership gurus. Therefore, this is the part of the assignment that involves an honest and critical look in the mirror. This is not an easy process for most people. By embracing the good, bad, and the ugly, however, you will find more meaningful opportunities to develop. The most dangerous leader is the one who sees perfection in himself.
In the course of this semester we discussed a leader identity as having four main components:
1. meaning of leadership,
2. strength of leader identity,
3. the three social aspects, or levels of self, that contribute to identity formation, and
4. the extent to which a leader identity is integrated across the multiple domains of the student’s life.
In this section of the paper, the student might reflect on who they are as a leader and who they want to become. All of the assignments listed above may serve as reflection guides and/or concepts that might help the student articulate a particular view of themselves as a leader in a way that is grounded in the course work.
In addition, many of the cases provide a protagonist with whom you might identify. What meaning did you pull from that character’s experience and what have you learned about yourself as a result? Also, while much of the leadership we discussed in class dealt with organizational leadership, a leader is a whole person and you may, therefore, want to think about how domains beyond work contribute to your leadership story. The timeline exercise often provides some useful guidance regarding leadership lessons through your life.
Part 2: Personal Vision Statement
Suggested Guides:
· Article: To Lead, Create a Shared Vision
· Article: The Necessary Art of Persuasion
· Exhibit 4 of Charlotte Beers Case might serve as template
· Video: Simon Sinek
· Video: Purpose, Poverty, Pitfalls, and Redemption
· In-class Exercise: Future Timeline Activity
Before you can build a vision for others to buy in to, you need to have one for yourself. The vision statement should be an idealized picture of your future as a leader. It should inspire you and help guide you in major and minor life decisions. It likely already exists and your job may be finding ways to articulate it. As Senge comments, you know it when you see it and it makes your work seem worthwhile.
Remember, vision is not the same as having goals. They are related, as your personal goals are derived from your vision. Therefore, the process of “visioning” is rarely linear. Sometimes it involves listing your goals and reflecting on “why” those goals are important to you. Or may ask yourself what provides your greatest intrinsic significance. Your vision can be as simple as one phrase or sentence but the vision statement portion of your paper should explain what the statement means, how you derived it and how it impacts your decisions as a leader.
A vision can be multi-faceted, in that it incorporates many domains of your life. Or you may find that each domain requires its own vision. Either way, the vision should inspire you and/or articulate what provides a sense of meaning to your leadership.
Part 3: Leadership Development plan
Suggested guides:
· Presentation: Personal Development Plan – Directions
· Video: Implementation Intentions
· Worksheet: Goal setting and implementation plan
By this point, it should be relatively clear which aspects of your leadership are important to you to develop over the next 1-5 yours. Here explain what those are, why they are important, and how they connect to Parts 1 & 2. Then, complete the development plan, following the guidelines in class about how to make the goal as specific as possible, putting an action plan together (if/then statements) and a coping strategy for any obstacles that you anticipate. If you don’t have any obstacles, then, reconsider the goal – it may not be challenging enough (see what I did? I used an if/then statement).
