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MNGT 311: Leadership, Communication and Teams

Personal Reflection Paper

50 points possible

Submit to Blackboard as .doc, .docx., or .rtf attachment by: Tuesday, October 4 at 1200 noon

When reflecting on your own views of leadership, followership, and teams, it’s important to look back to where and how those views were formed, your current views, as well as look ahead to the future. This writing assignment will allow you to engage in reflection, analysis, and goal-setting.

Quality papers begin with an attention-getting introduction which previews what you’ll talk about in the paper in the exact order it is discussed.

Part 1: Personal Profile (approx. 1 page)

Discuss in a separate paragraph each of the following aspects.

1. Followership experiences that have influenced you and how.
2. Leadership skills/abilities you believe you naturally possess (things that come easily to you) along with leadership skills/abilities you have developed through your various experiences    

3. Your greatest accomplishments as part of a group (regardless of whether you were a leader or follower in that group). Point to specific or tangible/concrete accomplishments).

**Throughout this section, I will look for connections to course material (theories, concepts, etc.) as you explain each part of your profile!**

Part 2: Personal Leadership Philosophy (approx. 3/4 to 1 page)

In this a substantial paragraph, answer the following questions, highlighting the key concepts that are bolded below so I am sure to see them. Be sure to write in a cohesive paragraph—do not just number your answers.

1. What is your code of ethics as a leader? In other words, what principles/values are essential to your leadership behaviors?
2. Discuss your style of leadership (pulling on course material, naturally).
3. Share your viewpoints about what makes you an effective leader.

Part 3: Personal Leadership/Followership Goals (approx. 3/4 to 1 page)

Regardless of your future plans and/or career path, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate and refine your group interaction skills.

Begin this section discussing how your past group experiences (in which you were a leader and/or a follower) relate or have prepared you for your career demands as well as your personal life.

Finish the section with three specific goals for the coming years that relate to either leadership or followership. These should be goals that you can begin working on yet this semester. You certainly do not have to achieve these goals by December 2015, but you should lay out a specific, tangible plan for how you can begin practicing and improving your abilities. Your plan should address a) the steps will you take in order to reach these goals; b) when these steps will take place, and c) how you will know when you’ve been successful in reaching your goals.

End the paper with a conclusion that reviews the ideas you’ve covered in the same order they appear, wrapping up the paper succinctly.

Final thoughts

This paper could easily be twice or even three times as long as the section length approximations specify. You likely will not find it particularly difficult to meet the recommended lengths. However, please note I will not read past the third page of your paper. Consider this an opportunity to make your thoughts concise, choosing your wording carefully.

You can and should use first-person in this paper, as it is your reflection.

Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are expected. Papers with excessive typos or errors will not be read or evaluated.

The paper should be written in essay format. You are strongly encouraged to use subheadings for each section to organize your thoughts, along with bolding key terms or concepts.

The paper should use double-spacing, 1-inch margins, and 12 point Times New Roman font.

You do not need to provide citations for course material if you are simply referencing concepts or terms. You should provide citations in APA format if you are using direct or paraphrased quotes from either textbook.