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Leadership Development Report

Leadership Development Plan (REPORT)

Assessment Task 1: Leadership Development Report

This assessment task is a REPORT.

This requires you to use a particular style of writing which involves both the way the report is structured and the way that you acknowledge other people’s ideas used in your work.

Your second step should be mastering the art of referencing. There are many styles of referencing in use in different disciplines and geographical locations.

HARVARD REFERENCING is required.

Remember: this current assessment task is a REPORT not an ESSAY.

The critical thinking element

We want you to be very comfortable with questioning everything you read and hear.

Anyone can remember facts and state other people’s views but a far more useful skill is to critically review what you read and hear and decide for yourself how reliable, accurate, applicable, contemporary, objective and fair it is.

In this report, your assessor will value the fact that you are able to see both benefits and deficiencies in a particular theory. Make sure you look through the critical thinking exercises in the course site to get a clear understanding of critical thinking!

How many references should I cite?

There is no right answer to this question because it all depends on what you write in your report. Some statements you make in your report will certainly need a reference to support them.

So, to determine how many references you need to cite, first (as described in the report writing tutorial) draw a mind map of ideas to go into your report and for each idea try to link it to a reference source.

How will the report be marked?

Your lecturers have already created a marking rubric that will be used to award you a mark out of 50 as the report comprises 50 of the overall 100 marks available in this course.

The rubric is reproduced over the page and will be used as a way of providing feedback to you on how you performed.

The most important thing about the rubric is that it DEFINES what you will be marked on. If you include additional material that is not mentioned in the rubric it will not attract any marks, if you forget to write about something listed in the rubric, you’ll lose marks.

So the rubric is like a “contract” between you and your lecturer. Following the rubric clearly is your best strategy for a good result

THE TASK

1. Explore the Central Michigan University competencies model (5 clusters eg. Self-Management, Leading others, Task management, Innovation and Social Responsibility)

2. Identify your current strengths and weaknesses as a leader (or potential leader) within the context of the CMU (eg. Create a clear vision of yourself in approx. 5-10 years time – only then will you be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses)

3. Review the leadership theories explored in this course and describe how they relate to you and your leadership development (again in the context of the CMU model eg. Blake and Mouton model grid)

4. Create a leadership development plan (*Starting point – Action plan eg. For future job/ self-improving etc.)

5. Seek feedback on your plan from an established leader. This leader can be anyone you know who holds a leadership position in an organisation. (And be anyone even your father or mother)

6. Describe how you have incorporated this leader’s feedback into your plan (whether you agree with the advice given or not)

7. Describe how you will achieve the developments set out in your plan (eg. Volunteering to help out with people with disabilities etc.)

8. Describe how you will evaluate whether or not you have reached the level of development set out in your plan (Set a timeline/dateline and a goal – eg. I used to be late on 9 out of 10 times for appointments but after goal should be ON TIME 9 out of 10 times)

Word limit: 2000 words (not including your reference list or any appendices you may wish to attach)

Some important key points:

· Write in First Person’s Writing and this assignment includes reflection on the past and must follow up with clear vision!

· Do not explain theory and ‘waste’ words – just apply and use them to describe yourself

Can use tables to explain plan – counts in the word count

Please refer to the attachments below - FULL details are found in the attachment, including important things such as marking criteria, Report writing guidlines.

A step by step guide to report writing

Step 1 Choose your topic

If you are given a list of topics from which to choose, select the one that interests you the most or that may have relevance to your chosen career.

If you are allowed to create your own report topic choose a subject that you want to learn more about and that interests you or is a current problem in your workplace that you wish to address.

Step 2 Read the instructions relating to your assessments as set down in your Course Guide

Always check your course guide to ensure that you are clear about what you are required to do.

 When is the report due?

 How long is it?

 What is the format?

 What is the structure?

 How does this topic relate to the course?

 How does this topic relate to the current area being studied?

Step 3 Analyse the topic

Break the topic into its component parts to understand what the main issue is that must be addressed.

Report topics can usually be divided into three sections:

 Content What is the issue or problem to be addressed?

 Instruction What have you been asked to do in relation to the topic?

 Scope How has the topic been limited – is there a focus on particular organisations/ countries /year(s)?

Underline key words and draw circles around the action/instruction words.

It is really important that you understand what the instruction words are telling you to do.

Step 4 Brain storm – what do you already know about the issue?

A brainstorm is the beginning of a mind map – these random ideas can be organised into a structured mind map that will provide you with a guide for your research and your writing.

 Using your reading, lectures and your own experiences think about what you already know about the problem/issue.

 On a blank piece of paper, write down all the ideas that you think might be related to the subject under review

 Write down where you think you need to go to get information other than from books, journals websites etc. Think about who you know in business who you might be able to interview.

Step 5 Starting your research

Although you are required to read and research widely, it is better to gain an overview of the topic by firstly reading the recommended texts – don’t go straight online unless instructed to do so by your lecturer or tutor.

The texts will give you a broad understanding of .the main ideas, writers and theories associated with the issue.

By familiarising yourself with the key concepts, the next stage of your investigation will be more targeted.

Step 6 Mind mapping

A mind map is a visual way of gathering your ideas about a particular topic.

Mind maps help you to identify the main ideas and what research needs to be conducted to provide the evidence that supports these ideas.

Your mind map is a good time management resource. It will help you focus your search for information more efficiently and to organise your ideas into a coherent and logical structure when you write your report.

Table 16

Mind mapping for reports

Topic question

On a blank piece of paper, write down the topic.

Key ideas

Use the brain storming notes and information gained from general reading to jot down the key ideas. This is the first step in developing a mind map.

Research

As you continue to do research, start to put the information into groups so that you can see the connections between ideas/theories. This will help you to sort out which are the key ideas and what is the supporting information.

Delete any unnecessary ideas

Once you have completed this task, you can delete any unnecessary ideas that you have now identified as irrelevant.

Single page

Keep your mind map to a single page.

For more information on mind mapping go to the Learning Lab - Study Skills .

Step 7 Focus your research

As Business students you need to be familiar with current trends and thinking. Websites, newspapers and journals will be important resources for your research.

When you are using the online resources use the search engines provided by the university such as Factiva, Proquest, Blackwell Synergy, IBIS world, Informit. These will provide you with sources that can be relied on for accuracy and integrity.

At this stage you must read with a purpose and only make notes when you are sure that the text has the information you need to use in your assessment task.

Always make sure you have recorded the full reference list entry details – you will need this information later.

For more information on recording your research go to the interactive online referencing resource for Business students .

Refer to your course guide for recommended reading lists. If there are no recommended texts, you will need to use resources available through the Library data bases .

Hints and Tips on Efficient Reading Strategies

 Once you have identified the key words and concepts relating to the topic, use these reading strategies to make your research more efficient and to maximise the use of your time.

 Skim and scan. Use key words and concepts to quickly locate information

 Use chapter headings, abstracts, introductions, conclusions to find the main ideas the writer is exploring – if they are relevant – continue

 Make notes when key information has been identified

Contact the Library Liaison Officer for your course if you need assistance. For additional help with reading more efficiently visit the Learning Lab .

Hints and Tips on Critical Reading

One of your tasks when researching is to determine the validity, accuracy and credibility of your sources. This requires you to consider carefully what you are reading. It is always important to critically examine the statements being made and the evidence being used.

For your assessment tasks you will often be using the websites of companies and organisations. The information they provide will be positive and promotional so it is important to question the objectivity and reliability of the data.

Do this by considering the following questions:-

 Who is the writer?

 When was the article written?

 What evidence has the writer provided to support their argument?

 How convincing is it? Why? - What are the grounds for saying so?

 How logical is it? - Again, what are the grounds for saying so?

 What assumptions / overgeneralizations does the writer make?

 What are the implications of this work?

 What has the writer failed to consider? Where are the gaps?

 Is there evidence of bias?

 Do you agree or disagree with this writer’s standpoint?

 With which parts of the argument do you agree/disagree, and for what reasons?

 Is the methodology / the analysis appropriate?

 Are there any weaknesses or errors in the writing or calculations?

What are primary information sources?

Students are required to use primary sources whenever possible. This means that you read and reference the original works of the authors. Information you have gathered from first hand experience – eg. an interview or survey – is also a primary source.

What are secondary information sources?

When you use the ideas /words of one author that have appeared in another writer’s text you are using a secondary source.

Below are two examples of how to use a secondary source in a sentence:

(1) Bartlett and Ghoshal (cited in Daft 2004) suggest that companies expanding into global markets are forced to do so because of economic, technological and competitive factors, which relate to economies of scale, economies of scope and cheaper production factors.

(2) Companies expanding into global markets are forced to do so because of economic, technological and competitive factors, which relate to economies of scale, economies of scope and cheaper production factors (Bartlett & Ghoshal, cited in Daft 2004).

Step 8 Draw up a detailed plan

Collecting the data for a report takes place over an extended period of time. Before you start writing, you need to use your mind map, your notes from various sources, texts, websites, surveys, interviews and more to draw up a report plan identifying the main ideas and the evidence that supports those ideas.

A plan is like a road map which allows you to have a clear understanding of the direction your report is going to take. A detailed plan can help you to have confidence when you start to write. You know what you want to write, why you are including it and the logical order in which to present it.

Step 9 Writing the report

Report Structure

It is important to follow your course guidelines or company /organisation instructions for your industry projects as guidelines for how to present your report are generally given to you. However, if you have not been given instructions about the format of your report, below is listed the structure of a business report.

Reports are generally divided into the following sections:-

 Cover sheet (use the RMIT cover sheet as per your course guide)

 Title page

 Acknowledgements (if necessary)

 Table of contents

 Executive Summary

 Introduction

 Main section(s) of the report

 Conclusion

 Recommendations

 Appendices

 Glossary

 Reference List

Table 17 covers each part in detail.

Table 17

Sections of a report

Explanation

Cover sheet

Download from the Course Guide

Every assignment must have the cover sheet stapled to the front of your assignment.

See .

Title page

The title of the report copied from the Course Guide.

If you have created your own project then the title needs to be a clear explanation of what the report is about

The title page also includes:-

 Student name and number

 Lecturer’s name or the manager who requested the report

 Date the report was submitted

 Name and number of the course

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents provides the reader with an easy guide to where information is located in the report.

Any report that is longer than a few pages needs a Table of Contents.

The Table of Contents lists

 sections, sub-sections of the report and the corresponding page numbers.

 diagrams and appendices.

.

The Table of Contents should be written when the final draft has been completed to ensure that the page numbers and headings match.

All numbering must be consistent and accurate.

For instructions on how to generate an automated Table of Contents in Microsoft Word go to . This enables you to match headings and page numbers into your Table of Contents.

Abstract/ Executive Summary

In companies and organisations, the Executive Summary is critically important as managers tend to read this section first to gain an overview of the whole report.

The Executive Summary

 provides a short and comprehensive summary of the whole report.

 gives the bare facts of the report including the findings and conclusions.

 provides enough detail for the reader to have a clear understanding of the main facts and critical findings.

 is typically very short.

 is written in the past tense as it is a record of what has been done.

Although the Executive Summary appears at the beginning of the report, this section should be written after the report has been finalised and you have had time to reflect on the report as a whole.

Introduction

The Introduction provides a brief, accurate background for the main section of the report.

Introductions typically include

 the purpose of the report/ background

 the scope, methods used – issues covered/not covered

 the limitations of the report and outlines terms of reference/definitions

Questions to be considered-

What is the situation that has made an investigation into the issue or problem necessary?

How will the research be carried out?

What are the aims/ objectives? What are you setting out to do? (These objectives will be addressed throughout the report and provide the framework for the research and the conclusions).

Scope-

Often an issue will be extremely broad and you will need to narrow the focus to the specific areas to be investigated.

There will be other factors that limit the scope of the report. State what they are e.g. time, budget, geographical location, client availability, a particular company …

Terminology -

If there are terms or words that are critical to an understanding of the report but may be unfamiliar to the reader, introduce them and define what they mean as used within the report.

Main section(s) of the report

may include:

 a literature review (optional depending on assessment instructions)

 Methodology

 Findings

 Analysis

There is no particular formula for this section of the report. What you are required to do is to thoroughly investigate, examine and analyse the factors that impact the current situation.

There is often a Literature Review as a component of your report.

The research methodology(ies) and the reasons why you have chosen them need to be explained.

A variety of methods can be used depending on the problem being investigated.

Examples of methodologies include questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, experiments, literature searches.

The findings / results from the research are documented and analysed.

Your research needs to be presented in a logical sequence using numbered headings that clearly show the reader what information is contained in each paragraph.

Note: Refer to your Course Guide to ensure that your report meets the assessment criteria.

Conclusion

The conclusion summarises the main points investigated and comments on the significance of the findings.

The conclusion/s are based on the results of the research you have conducted and not on your personal opinion. All the conclusions must be supported by the material / facts you have presented in the report.

Remember the conclusion/s should always relate back to the stated objectives of the report.

Do not introduce new ideas /theories/ issues in the conclusion.

Recommendations

The recommendations are based on the conclusions and provide possible solutions or courses of action to resolve the problems examined in the report. when and how action should be taken

Having completed the report, recommendations may include any of the following

 what action should be taken and who should be involved in its implementation

 what could have been done differently to achieve better more comprehensive outcomes

 what possible costs or risks are involved in carrying out your recommendations

 what makes this the best solution

 what further research might be conducted for continuous improvement

Appendix / Appendices

Information that is not essential to the general understanding of the report but may be important in supplying further information for the reader is placed in an Appendix:

 a copy of the questionnaire you have used when interviewing

 a financial statement / annual reports

 technical data

The information in the Appendix must be discussed in the main part of your report and the reader directed to both the Appendix number and the page where it can be found.

Glossary

If you have used words, phrases and terms which may not be familiar to the reader, you need to place these in an alphabetical list accompanied by a short explanation.

If they are unusual or essential to an understanding of the text, such terms should be defined at the beginning of the report or the reader should be directed to refer to the glossary.

Reference List

All the references used n your report must be documented fully in the reference list using the Harvard system used by RMIT College of Business.

The guide to RMIT referencing can be found at .

If you have not used Harvard referencing before, the online tutorial on . will help you.

Step 10 Using your plan to start writing

In Step 8 you wrote a detailed plan which included the various sources, texts, websites, surveys, interviews that you researched for your report. Your plan has identified the main ideas and the evidence that supports those ideas.

Sort your plan into sections so that you know what you want to include in the introduction, the various paragraphs in the main part of your report, the conclusion and recommendations. The more organised this plan is, the easier it will be to write the report.

Step 11 Writing the first draft

Using the detailed plan you have now developed, set aside a block of time to write the first draft of your report. Aim to write the whole report in the time you have set aside as this will give your work a clear flow. Do not be concerned at this stage with headings, numbering systems, correct grammar, spelling, or referencing as this will be done at the editing stage.

Once you have written this first draft it will be much easier to see where evidence is lacking, and where information could be more logically re-organised. Then you can start to create headings and subheadings related to each section of information.

Leave the numbering of each section until you have a final draft.

As you will probably need to write several drafts before the report is ready for submission, make sure you have allowed sufficient time to do this.

When you write your essay, you will need to use techniques such as paraphrasing and synthesising.

Paraphrasing is expressing in your own words the ideas of another writer.

Synthesising is the ability to express in your own words the similarities or differences in the ideas of a number of authors.

You must always acknowledge the sources for your ideas even when you use your own words. For more information on how to paraphrase and synthesise go to .

For more information on how to reference when paraphrasing go to .

Direct quotations are when you use the exact words of the author/source.

You may use direct quotation in your assessment tasks, but these should be kept to a minimum.

Whenever quoting from any source you must correctly reference the work. For further information on how to reference direct quotes, go to .

For more information on direct quotes, go to .

Step 12 Formatting your report

Headings

A report is divided into numbered sections using headings and subheadings which highlight the main parts and ideas within the report. Headings need to be brief and informative.

Headings are used to:

 separate the text into smaller, more manageable units that summarise the content of each headed section.

 assist the reader to find information quickly and easily.

 present a new idea / aspect of the content.

A sub-heading is used when this idea is extended and further explored.

Numbering system

You need to use a consistent numbering system to identify the different sections of a report. It is recommended that you use the decimal system as shown in the example below.

1 MANUFACTURING

1.1 Staff

1.1.1 Recruitment

1.1.2 Training

1.1.3 Salary

1.1.4 Promotion

1.2 Equipment

1.2.1 Costing and budgeting

1.2.2 Ordering

1.2.3 Repair and maintenance

1.3 Inventory

1.3.1 Raw materials

1.3.2 Component parts

1.3.3 Inventory management

1.4 Output

1.4.1 Work in progress

1.4.2 Finished goods

2 SALES

2.1 Staff

2.1.1 Recruitment …

All numbered sections and headings must all be included in the Table of Contents and must match with the respective page numbers. This ensures that the reader can access information easily.

Remember each page of your report must also be numbered.

Style of language

Reports are intended to be read easily and to provide quick access to information. You are writing about facts or relevant pieces of information. Therefore the style of language is simple and direct.

Sentences should not be complicated - state the point you are making clearly and directly.

A report is written in an objective and impersonal manner as it is presenting facts. Unless you have been asked for your personal opinion you should not be using personal pronouns such as ’you’,’ we’ and ‘I’. Do not offer your own personal point of view.

Language needs to be formal. Do not use abbreviations or slang or SMS.

Table 18

Examples of the language used in the different sections of a report

Reasons for the report

This report was commissioned as a result of ongoing concerns about..

The report sets out to examine the reasons for …

This report investigated..

Objectives

This report aims to explore the options available...

The main objectives of the report are to examine the reasons …

This report examines the relationship between …

Methodology

In order to review current procedures …

Staff members were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire…

Findings

The investigation clearly showed that …

Initial findings suggest that ….

Conclusions

Analysis of the data showed that …

The following conclusion can be drawn from the investigation …

Recommendations

It is recommended that …

Because of the …, it is suggested that the following actions be considered.

Do NOT use informal language. Note the way impersonal and passive language has been used in Table 19.

Table 19

Informal versus formal language

Informal

Formal

I think that this sort of thing should never happen again.

Correct procedures, as set out in the Staff Manual, must be followed so that such incidents do not occur again.

I reckon if customers are unhappy about the service or our product, the boss needs to know.

When complaints are made, the problem needs to be reported and the situation monitored.

You should have got the minutes by now.

The minutes for the AGM has been circulated to all participants.

Cul8r

The committee will meet tomorrow.

Bullet points

In some reports, bullet points are acceptable. Check that they are allowed in your report.

When you use bullet points as part of the sentence, each bullet point is in lower case and should be grammatically correct, e.g.

The success of a report depends on:-

 the objectivity of the presentation

 the value of the research

 the analysis of relevant information

 the ease with which information can be accessed

Use of visual material

Graphic materials, e.g. figures, tables, illustrations and charts are a very useful way of presenting information.

If used in the text, visual material should be positioned as close as possible to the discussion and cited appropriately, both in the text and the reference list.

If used in the Appendices, they should be clearly labelled and referred to in the discussion within the report. They must also be cited appropriately and listed in the Table of Contents.

In your discussion, you will need to inform the reader what the graphic material represents, e.g. point out any important trends or generalisations and highlight the significant point(s) you are making.

Different types of figures and tables fulfill different functions. You should always choose the most appropriate type of illustration for your purpose. For example:-

 line graphs are useful for showing trends,

 bar graphs clearly show comparisons

 pie charts can be used to show sub-categories in relation to the whole e.g. the percentage of students attending RMIT University classified by nationality.

If you are giving the report orally, pie charts and graphs are easier to read and understand than tables.

Refer to.

Editing your final draft

You need to edit your draft before submitting the final version.

Read your Course Guide carefully to ensure that you have met the requirements of the assignment.

Observe the word limit or you may be penalised. Word limits, as the words imply, set the limit on the number of words that can be used. The topic has been designed so that the issues and complexities can be explored within this word limit.

Using ‘Tools’ on the menu bar in Microsoft Word, check your spelling and grammar and make the necessary changes.

Report writing checklist

Have you followed the instructions on report formatting set out in your course guide?

Table 20

Report Writing Checklist

Feature

Details

Title page

 Title of the assignment

 Author’s name

 Receiver’s name

 Name of course

 Date of submission

Table of Contents

 Accurate reflection of structure

 List of tables/figures

 Headings that match page numbers

Executive Summary

 A separate page

 Heading

 Summary of the main points in whole assignment

 Numbering

Introduction

 Definition of the topic and key terms

 Delineate the scope and focus of the topic

 Indicate the writing task

 Present a plan of the argument

 Show the writer’s theoretical approach

Main section of the report

 An introductory section

 Logical developments of problem and research

 Use quotations as evidence

 Use secondary and primary research

 Conclusions

 Recommendation

Conclusion

 Restate the main ideas

 Give the writer’s personal opinion on the matter

 State implications

Recommendations

 Relate to the conclusions

 Are they specific

 Are they action orientated

Layout of the report

 Headed

 Numbered

 Spaced as instructed (+ margins)

Final edit

 Spell checked

 Grammar checked – electronically and personally