Introduction
Leadership is a complex process that embraces personal development, which encompasses understanding oneself. Since people desire to lead effectively, their leadership background becomes essential. The current reflective essay provides a comprehensive analysis of my recent leadership assessment findings, unveiling the revelations, strengths, and weaknesses that define my leadership style. Leadership is multidimensional and includes personality, efficacy, communication, and Teamwork – essential in defining one’s leadership style.
As a guide in this self-exploration journey, the leadership assessment reveals elements necessary for successful leadership. Personal Stability, productivity, self-management, and Teamwork are analyzed to evaluate my leadership potential. As the essay develops, it will traverse the complexities of these dimensions, unveiling the roots of my leadership identity. This self-reflective trip is not merely an intellectual undertaking but a meaningful journey towards understanding myself better and strategically advancing my leadership pathway. During the analysis of the test results, the reflection of past experiences, and the formulation of the action plans, the stereotypes will reflect not only the discovered aspects but also the applicable strategies that will shape my leadership style from the challenges that are in the future.
Evaluation of Test Results:
Personal Stability
The strength of Personal Stability scored full marks in the evaluation. This dimension measures the level of emotional resilience and Stability under adverse conditions. During the hard times, leaders such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill represented that steadfastness was vital.
This strength has been a defining factor in team dynamics under high-stakes situations. For example, under the pressure of strict deadlines, my unwavering Stability significantly contributed to preserving a favorable team climate. This finding is consistent with the view that a composed leader creates an atmosphere of security and assurance among subordinates during turmoil.
Productivity
Productivity, although of good quality, meant an area for improvement, rated 11 out of 15. This dimension relates to leaders such as Bill Gates, suggesting the crucial role of time management and problem-solving in leadership.
To increase productivity, I plan to implement the Pomodoro Technique, a time management technique where work is broken down into intervals, typically 25 minutes, separated by short breaks. This approach is consistent with well-known leadership virtues and may provide a more systematic approach to task execution.
Self-Management
Self-Management was a powerful dimension, with a 14 out of 15 score. This signifies discipline and restraint, akin to great leaders like Wayne Huizenga. The evaluation highlighted the importance of staying calm and focused even when juggling different tasks.
Successful leadership depends on self-management. Informed by Stephen R. Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the assessment supports Covey’s proactive form of self-control. Such an alignment makes the results credible and emphasizes the necessity for disciplined self-management in leadership positions.
Boundary Setting
The Boundary Setting dimension scored 9 out of 10 and measures individual and work-life balance. Excellent leaders in this field, like Sheryl Sandberg, tend to highlight the need to make distinct working hours and ensure enough time for personal recovery.
In order to reinforce this dimension, I will introduce a more formal way to define working hours. This means establishing clear limits, defining work-related tasks for specific periods, and creating a space for individual health and family. This strategic perspective aligns with modern leadership literature and reflects the changing expectations of the modern-day leader in the era of a fast-changing work environment.
Communication
Communication is the basis of good leadership. The Communication dimension, with a score of 12 out of 15, points to its importance in the context of leadership effectiveness. The transformative nature of successful communication can be seen in the application of leaders such as Oprah Winfrey.
In order to improve communication further, I will concentrate on active listening and empathetic communication strategies. This includes not only articulating one’s ideas but also comprehending the vantage points of team members. Implementing these approaches aligns with the guidelines reported in communication-based leadership literature for effective leadership practices.
Work Quality
The Work Quality dimension, with a score of 6 on a scale 10, indicates a possible focal point for focused growth. Leaders like Steve Jobs, who were known for their perfectionism, elucidate that every task should be executed with perfection.
Looking back, there were situations where a more meticulous approach helped lead to better results in a project. Recognizing this, I understand the necessity of a persistent feedback loop to assess and enhance work quality. This includes constantly evaluating results, gathering constructive criticism, and changing accordingly.
Teamwork
The Teamwork dimension, obtaining 13 points out of 15, clearly demonstrates high collaboration and inclusivity among team members. Excellent leaders in Teamwork, such as Nelson Mandela, emphasize the transformative power of collective action.
In order to further develop Teamwork, I will pay particular attention to promoting a more inclusive team atmosphere. This entails promoting open communication, accepting varying opinions, and asking team members for input. This strategy corresponds to Patrick Lencioni’s model in his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” and focuses on trust, communication, and cooperation for successful Teamwork.
Reflection on Past Experience:
Looking back into the past, I saw cases when the strengths and weaknesses of my leadership were critical. Personal Stability played a significant role in increasing team morale when handling challenges in high-stakes projects. On the other hand, the Work Quality dimension referred to cases where a more detailed approach could have improved project performance. This provided a contextual setting for the test results, adding the required depth of analysis.
Focusing on particular events wherein my leadership approach appeared, I remember a project that imposed a stringent deadline on the team. My constancy during this challenging period helped ensure a bright team atmosphere. Nevertheless, the Work Quality dimension revealed that a more meticulous approach improved the project’s performance even more.
Figure 1: Leadership Assessment Summary
Action Plans
Effective leadership is a never-ending voyage of self-improvement and change. Based on the recent leadership assessment results, I have developed a series of action plans to strengthen my strengths further and improve my weak areas. These action plans are intentionally developed to improve my leadership effectiveness and steer me toward a more effective and influential leadership style.
Time Management Enhancement:
The identified aspect of productivity, particularly in time management, is another area that needs improvement. I intend to implement a holistic approach based on popular time management strategies such as the Pomodoro Technique to overcome this.
- Pomodoro Technique Implementation: Inherent with the Pomodoro Technique, work is divided into intervals that are typically 25 minutes long and separated by short breaks. This organized method increases attention and efficiency, using the natural flow of attention. Working on this technique daily will improve work efficiency and lead to more effective time utilization.
- Prioritization and Goal Setting: Priority and goal setting are the foundations of successful time management. I will create an efficient strategy for organizing tasks by importance and urgency so that I will spend my time in the high-priority field. Reviewing goals regularly will enable adaptability and adaptation in light of changing priorities.
- Technology-Assisted Time Tracking: Technology tools for time tracking and task management will ensure real-time information on time allocation. This data-based approach will help objectively assess the pattern of productivity, allowing for timely adjustments for optimum efficiency.
Continuous Feedback Loop:
In order to overcome the discovered gap in work performance, it is necessary to establish a continuous feedback loop. This action plan establishes a culture of open communication, constructive criticism, and continuous improvement.
- Regular Check-ins and Evaluations: Check-ins on a daily and weekly basis between team members and colleagues will create an environment for helpful feedback. These sessions will not only celebrate accomplishments but also shed light on areas that need improvement. A systematic and consistent feedback system using structured evaluations at specific intervals will be provided.
- 360-Degree Feedback Mechanism: An integral part of 360-degree feedback is soliciting feedback from peers, subordinates, and superiors. This holistic perspective gives a panoramic view of leadership effectiveness and can reveal blind spots that could go unnoticed in assessment. Accepting constructive feedback from multiple points of view will make it possible to develop a more detailed vision of what areas need to be addressed.
- Actionable Feedback Implementation: Being actionable in receiving feedback makes a feedback loop effective. A strategic plan with clear steps for improvement will reinforce each feedback session. This proactive approach ensures that areas identified to be improved receive recognition and are also actively addressed.
Balancing Personal and Professional Boundaries:
The balance between personal and professional life is also crucial for long-term leadership effectiveness. This plan is centered on deliberate boundary setting to protect wellbeing and maximize overall effectiveness.
- Structured Work Hours: Defining work hours and adhering to a strict schedule will create boundaries between work and personal life. Such commitment to the timeframe helps create a habit of discipline and avoid work creeping into the personal life.
- Scheduled Downtime: Scheduled downtime must be an integral part of the weekly schedule for recharging and rejuvenation. Such intentional breaks can lead to better mental health and resilience against professional adversity, whether via hobbies, exercise, or leisure.
- Communication of Boundaries: In the work environment, open communication on personal and professional boundaries is critical in ensuring a supportive environment. Colleagues and team members should be made aware of such boundaries to make collaborative efforts to create a favorable and respectful environment within the workplace.
Investing in Continuous Learning:
Leadership is a continually shifting frontier, and lifelong learning is essential. This action plan focuses on conscious attempts to increase knowledge, improve skills, and be up-to-date with the current leadership practices.
- Engagement with Leadership Literature: Interaction with literature such as books, articles, and research papers will eventually furnish diverse leadership styles and approaches. This constant reading habit develops a broader perspective and deeper understanding of leadership dynamics.
- Participation in Workshops and Seminars: Participation in leadership development workshops and seminars ensures access to the latest theories and successful practices. Networking with colleagues in such environments facilitates knowledge transfer and the development of a community of supportive leaders.
- Seeking Mentorship: Personalized learning can be achieved through mentorship relationships with seasoned leaders. Mentorships offer actual advice and shorten the process of leadership formation. The philosophy of continuous improvement is reflected in the proactive mentorship search.
Building Collaborative Leadership:
Productive collaboration is the foundation of effective leadership. The basis of this action plan is developing a shared leadership approach, encompassing transparency, participation, and creating a favorable team atmosphere.
- Open Communication Channels: Establishing open communication within the team is essential. Motivating the team members to share opinions, fears, and suggestions helps create an open and honest environment. Formal and informal team meetings also provide avenues for discussion and cooperation.
- Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciating the significance of different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds is critical to collaborative leadership. In this case, actively championing diversity and inclusion initiatives within the team creates a rich canvas of perspectives and strengthens resolution skills.
- Team-Building Activities: Scheduled team-building activities help build strong interpersonal relationships. Regardless of whether such activities take the form of workshops, retreats, or collaborative projects, all of them contribute to the development of team cohesion and cultivate a positive and encouraging ambiance.
Setting out on the transformative leadership trip, the Gantt chart acts as a visual compass, outlining the strategic plan for personal and professional growth. This ten-month journey is structured precisely, moving through important waypoints like master time, feedback integration, boundary harmony, continuous learning, and collaborative leadership. Because the chart details each stage, the path points to a full-circle evolution of talent in leadership. As demonstrated below, this structured approach aims to develop a balanced and efficient leadership style in a definite time frame.
Figure 2: Strategic Leadership Development: A Ten-Month Journey
The Gantt chart of the ten-month Action Plan for Leadership Development is given below. From “Time Management Mastery” through the first two months, the emphasis is on the Pomodoro Technique, goal setting, and time tracking. The succeeding two-month period, “Establishing Feedback Loops,” requires regular reviews and a 360-degree feedback mechanism. “Balancing Personal and Professional Boundaries” follows, covering two months with working hours and scheduled breaks. The plan moves forward to “Investing in Continuous Learning” for the next two months to promote engagement with leadership books and mentorship. The last two-month component, “Promoting Collaborative Leadership,” focuses on improved communication, diversity programs, and team-building activities. This systematic approach seeks to develop an all-encompassing leadership style across time.
Integration of Leadership Concepts
The leadership development process is strengthened based on pre-existing frameworks and principles. The analysis of the leadership assessment outcomes, especially in Self-Management and Teamwork, is paired with significant themes from Stephen R. Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” The merger of these ideas is not only aimed at enhancing personal leadership
Self-Management: The Covey Connection
The Self-management analysis of the assessment delves into the intricacies of individual discipline, time management, and resilience in the face of challenges. This correlates very well with Covey’s effectiveness paradigm described in his leading work. Covey’s seven habits encompass eternal laws extending beyond personal productivity to emphasize leadership effectiveness (VanNortwick, 2020).
Proactivity: Taking the Initiative
The assessment emphasizes the importance of proactive self-control. The first habit of Covey, “Be Proactive,” resonates with this thought by focusing on the importance of initiative (Goleman, 2021). Proactivity means being responsible for one’s answers and decisions, a characteristic crucial for superior leadership. As such, the assessment outcomes confirm the significance of proactivity and offer relevant details of aspects that can be further advanced in proactive leadership.
Putting First Things First: Time Management
In the evaluation, time management becomes a key component of Self-Management. In his third habit, “Put First Things First,” Covey emphasizes the structured method of time management, which involves prioritizing essential but not urgent tasks (Goleman, 2021). The action plan addresses the identified need for improved productivity by incorporating this concept into its design. The assessment’s results and Covey’s principles provoke an integrative approach to using time and resources.
Synergize: Leveraging Strengths
The assessment highlights leadership style strengths and weaknesses. Covey’s sixth habit, “Synergize,” is about celebrating the differences and harnessing strengths among a team (Covey, 2020). This synergistic approach is consistent with leveraging strengths enshrined in the assessment. The action plan, reflected by Covey, highlights the deliberate construction of collaborative leadership, in which individual talents support the group’s achievement.
Teamwork: Insights from Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions
Effective leadership goes beyond individual capability to coordinate a unified approach driven by Teamwork. The examination of Teamwork by this assessment finds a perfect match in the Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Thus, Lencini’s approach can be used as a diagnostic lens for assessing and redefining team interrelations, coinciding with the collaborative leadership requirement (Cho et al., 2019).
Trust: The Foundation of Teamwork
Lencioni’s first dysfunction, lack of trust, mirrors the assessment focussed on creating open communication and transparency within a team (Moore et al., 2019). In both cases, trust is an essential component of successful Teamwork. Lencioni’s ideas have influenced the action plan, which focuses on building a trusting culture so that team members can voice their opinions and concerns without fear.
Conflict: Constructive Disagreement
The evaluation alludes to the possibility of feedback feedback and open communication (Moore et al., 2019). Lencioni’s second dysfunctional fear of conflict denotes the pernicious effect of avoiding disagreement among team members. The action plan includes regular check-ups and a 360-degree feedback mechanism, which reflects Lencioni’s model. This deliberate way of handling conflict encourages diverse opinions, thus leading to informed and healthy decision-making.
Commitment: Collective Buy-In
Commitment, as Lencioni’s third dysfunction, is related to goal setting and achievement, explored in the assessment described by Cho et al. (2019). The action plan focuses on the significance of having defined objectives and regular assessments to maintain the commitment. The convergence of these principles contributes to the image that successful leadership constitutes not merely the establishment of goals but also community engagement in achieving them.
Accountability: Individual Responsibility
The assessment recognizes the need for a feedback loop related to Lencioni’s fourth dysfunction, avoiding accountability (Moore et al., 2019). Based on Lencioni, the action plan creates a structured response mechanism whereby accountability is promoted and incorporated into the team’s culture.
Results: The Ultimate Objective
Results are the final point toward which the assessment and Lencioni’s model are directed (Cho et al., 2019). The strategic plan, spurred by Lencioni’s attention to a culture driven by results, includes quantifiable objectives and iterative improvements. This strategic alignment guarantees that leadership effectiveness is not just theoretical but is applied in practicality to the team and the institution.
Conclusion:
In summary, While exploring the complexities of leadership dynamics in the self-discovery journey through the leadership assessment, this reflective essay has built a reflection from personal experiences, theoretical frameworks, and empirical research. The evaluation confirmed leadership’s strengths and weaknesses, revealed new facets, and developed higher self-awareness. Through the incorporation of concepts from the renowned literature on leadership, such as Covey’s 7 Habits, Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions, Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence, and empirical studies by Moore, Cho, and VanNortwick, this essay has offered a holistic analysis of what good leadership entails. The action plans define a path towards intentional growth, building on strengths and reducing weaknesses. Finally, at the end of the story, it is clear that the road to leadership is complex – a combination of personal ability with well-founded principles and a dogged devotion to constant self-improvement. This reflection is not just a completion of the assignment but a stage in the journey of leadership evolution.
References
Cho, Y., Shin, M., Billing, T. K., & Bhagat, R. S. (2019). Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and affective organizational commitment: a closer look at their relationships in two distinct national contexts. Asian Business & Management, pp. 18, 187–210.
Covey, S. R. (2020). The seven habits of highly effective people. Simon & Schuster. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=3K7eDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Covey,+S.+R.+(1989).+The+7+Habits+of+Highly+Effective+People.+Free+Press.&ots=5C5Rhmj4Fi&sig=Uwva-KuIf6JUPnT8lpNx5mvDYhA
Goleman, D. (2021). Leadership: The power of emotional intelligence. More Than Sound LLC.
Kaufman, E. K., Mitra, S., Anderson, J. C., Courtney, J. S., & Cash, C. S. (2020). Leading collaborative change in an educational organization. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/100133
Kelly, A. Think Twice: Review of Think Twice: Review of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Daniel Kahneman (2011). https://www.academia.edu/download/104404086/viewcontent.pdf
Moore, C., Mayer, D. M., Chiang, F. F., Crossley, C., Karlesky, M. J., & Birtch, T. A. (2019). Leaders matter morally: The role of ethical leadership in shaping employee moral cognition and misconduct (Vol. 104, No. 1, p. 123). American Psychological Association.
Tolbert, C. L. (2023). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carl-Lee-Tolbert/publication/372409972_A_New_Take_on_Lencioni’s_Fable_of_Team_Dysfunctions_after_Two_Decades/links/64b547e88de7ed28baa47e27/A-New-Take-on-Lencionis-Fable-of-Team-Dysfunctions-after-Two-Decades.pdf
Ugoani, J. (2019). Management by emotional intelligence and why it matters in organizational excellence. American Journal of Marketing Research, 5(4), 42–53.
Urrila, L. I. (2022). From personal wellbeing to relationships: A systematic review on the impact of mindfulness interventions and practices on leaders. Human Resource Management Review, 32(3), 100837. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053482221000164
VanNortwick, T. C. (2020). Effects of the Seven Habits on Elementary Principals’ Leadership in Leader in Me Schools: A Mixed Methods Study (Doctoral dissertation, Delaware Valley University).
write