Wgu leadership and communication reflection paper

COMPETENCIES

1013.1.1 : Self-Discovery and Mindfulness

The graduate evaluates and displays behaviors consistent with the process of self-discovery and mindfulness.

1013.1.2 : Working Styles and Leadership Skills

The graduate demonstrates the ability to apply the concept of working styles to leadership skills.

1013.1.3 : Effective Communication

The graduate demonstrates appropriate patterns of effective communication.

1013.1.4 : Communicating in a Community of Peers

The graduate identifies and applies appropriate communication strategies to develop a supportive community of peers.

INTRODUCTION

At the end of the Leadership and Communication course, you will write a four-part reflection paper. This paper will help you focus on your experience and insights from the course. This includes what you have experienced about your working style; how you work with others; insights you have gained regarding conversations and interactions you have with friends, family, coworkers, and others; and strategies you will use to improve your chances for success.

REQUIREMENTS

Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. An originality report is provided when you submit your task that can be used as a guide.
You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.

A. Reflect on your experience in the Leadership and Communication course by doing the following:

1. Provide a brief overview of your understanding of your Energy Graph from the Learning Report, including two personal strengths and two personal challenges that relate to your working style.

Note: Consider discussing your intensity level (Extreme, Effortless, Deliberate, Stress) in your main dynamics—Explore, Excite, Examine, and Execute—and how they relate to your strengths and challenges.

2. Describe your experience(s) of conversations as they relate to the laws of conversation and the four levels of the conversation meter.

3. Discuss your strategies for being a successful student, including how you will incorporate your strengths and address your challenges.

4. Reflect on your overall experience in the course and how it applies to two of the following: academic activities, professional career, or personal life.

B. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.

C. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.

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RUBRICA1. WORKING STYLE:

NOT EVIDENT

A discussion of 2 personal strengths and 2 personal challenges is not provided.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

The response includes an impractical or poorly detailed overview of the candidate’s understanding of the Energy Graph, or the response is missing or provides unclear descriptions of 2 personal strengths and 2 personal challenges that relate to the candidate’s working style.

COMPETENT

The response includes a brief overview of the candidate’s understanding of the Energy Graph, including a description of 2 personal strengths and 2 personal challenges as they relate to the candidate’s working style.

A2. COMMUNICATION:

NOT EVIDENT

A description of the candidate’s experiences as they relate to the laws of conversation and the four levels of the conversation meter is not provided.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

The description of the candidate’s experience(s) is missing a connection or includes an unclear connection to the laws of conversation and the four levels of the conversation meter.

COMPETENT

The description of the candidate’s conversation experience(s) demonstrates a thoughtful, reflective, and detailed connection to the laws of conversation and the four levels of the conversation meter.

A3. STRATEGIES:

NOT EVIDENT

A discussion of the strategies for being a successful student is not provided.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

The discussion includes unfeasible strategies for being a successful student, or the discussion includes a missing or unclear understanding of how to incorporate personal strengths and address challenges to support success.

COMPETENT

The discussion includes feasible, applicable strategies for being a successful student. The discussion includes a thorough understanding of how to incorporate personal strengths and address challenges to support success.

A4. REFLECTION:

NOT EVIDENT

A reflection of the candidate’s overall experience in the course or how the candidate’s experience applies to academic activities, professional career, or personal life is not provided.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

The reflection on the candidate’s overall experience in the course does not identify how specific course concepts apply to 2 of the following: academic activities, professional career, or personal life.

COMPETENT

The reflection on the candidate’s overall experience in the course is thoughtful, insightful, and identifies how specific course concepts apply to 2 of the following: academic activities, professional career, and personal life.

B. SOURCES:

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not include both in-text citations and a reference list for sources that are quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

The submission includes in-text citations for sources that are quoted, paraphrased, or summarized and a reference list; however, the citations or reference list is incomplete or inaccurate.

COMPETENT

The submission includes in-text citations for sources that are properly quoted, paraphrased, or summarized and a reference list that accurately identifies the author, date, title, and source location as available.

C. PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION:

NOT EVIDENT

Content is unstructured, is disjointed, or contains pervasive errors in mechanics, usage, or grammar. Vocabulary or tone is unprofessional or distracts from the topic.

APPROACHING COMPETENCE

Content is poorly organized, is difficult to follow, or contains errors in mechanics, usage, or grammar that cause confusion. Terminology is misused or ineffective.

COMPETENT

Content reflects attention to

detail, is organized, and focuses on the main ideas as prescribed in the task or chosen by the candidate. Terminology is pertinent, is used correctly,

and effectively conveys the intended meaning. Mechanics, usage, and grammar promote accurate interpretation and understanding.

Energy Map Ketty Jane

Ketty Jane

Energy Map

This is a chart of how much energy this person

applies in typical situations, from start to finish.

Spending prolonged periods of time outside of a

zone of comfort will drain a person and

ultimately lead to mental and physical stress

and lower results.

1 EXPLORE

Energy Map

Ketty is Deliberate

It takes a bit of effort for Ketty to move through this Dynamic.

She completes the required actions but it takes conscious application.

1st Dynamic What Ketty is like in 1st Dynamic

DESCRIPTION:

This Dynamic requires focused effort and

attention inward on ideas, feelings and

concepts. Explore Energy within a person is

creative, independent and fluid.

DESCRIPTION:

Ketty has a fair degree of energy that occurs

internally. She can immerse herself in the

world of ideas and possibilities but does so

with discernment.

ORIENTATION:

This Energy asks, "How?"

It is process-oriented.

ORIENTATION:

She does not require a full understanding of

the "bigger picture" in order to move forward

on anything.

APPLICATION:

Explore Energy is most useful at the

beginning of projects when new ideas,

creativity and open-mindedness are required.

APPLICATION:

She needs to maintain her energy level in

order to keep her interest on the broad and

vast landscape of the Explore Dynamic.

PERFORMANCE: PERFORMANCE: Page 1 of 9

PERFORMANCE:

The Explore Dynamic is most effective when

participants think broadly, considering more

ideas, information, connections and

possibilities.

PERFORMANCE:

It would help her creative development if she

would put more energy into searching for more

options and possibilities at the beginning of

projects.

2 EXCITE

Energy Map

Ketty is Deliberate

It takes a bit of effort for Ketty to move through this Dynamic.

She completes the required actions but it takes conscious application.

2nd Dynamic What Ketty is like in 2nd Dynamic

DESCRIPTION:

Activity within the Excite Dynamic is

expressive and outward, sharing and

invigorating the conceptual process from the

Explore Dynamic.

DESCRIPTION:

She generates enthusiasm and excitement

during occasions that call for them.

ORIENTATION:

This Energy asks, "Who?"

It is interaction-oriented.

ORIENTATION:

She is not terribly concerned with "who."

However, she can be rather particular about

with whom she connects and communicates.

APPLICATION:

Excite Energy provides the impetus for

progress. It generates synergy through

inspiration, influence and persuasion.

APPLICATION:

Ketty has a measured ability to animate people

and her environment. She must apply some

effort to uplift others using motivation,

optimism and humor.

PERFORMANCE:

The Excite Dynamic is most effective when

participants generate substantive, active

discourse among stakeholders through both

verbal and non-verbal communication.

PERFORMANCE:

She requires energy when she has to relate to

people on an ongoing or long-term basis.

3 EXAMINE

Energy Map

Ketty is Extreme

Ketty has boundless energy when she is engaged in this Dynamic.

It requires effort for her to exit from it.

3rd Dynamic What Ketty is like in 3rd Dynamic

DESCRIPTION:

Activity within the Examine Dynamic is

cautious and introspective, extracting realistic

expectations from the energized vision from

the previous Dynamics.

DESCRIPTION:

Ketty constantly judges what possibilities can

become realities, based on facts, logic and

time constraints.

ORIENTATION:

This Energy asks, "Why?"

ORIENTATION:

She is unyielding when she dives into the Page 2 of 9

This Energy asks, "Why?"

It is detail- and fact-oriented.

She is unyielding when she dives into the

weeds of research, details and fact-finding

missions.

APPLICATION:

Examine Energy provides the procedural

strategy and informational tools required for

successful completion of the project.

APPLICATION:

She puts most of her energy into creating and

organizing structures, rules and timelines to

ensure a solid foundation for action.

PERFORMANCE:

During the Examine Dynamic, participants

focus on avoiding and/or mitigating omissions,

mistakes and potential weaknesses.

PERFORMANCE:

She will focus primarily on flaws and will

anticipate problems all along the way.

4 EXECUTE

Energy Map

Ketty is Deliberate

It takes a bit of effort for Ketty to move through this Dynamic.

She completes the required actions but it takes conscious application.

4th Dynamic What Ketty is like in 4th Dynamic

DESCRIPTION:

Execute is the Dynamic of external results,

implementing the plan developed in the

previous Dynamic and producing concrete

action.

DESCRIPTION:

She requires some effort to maintain the

energy needed to force action, accountability,

decision-making and task completion.

ORIENTATION:

This Energy asks, "What?"

It is goal- and control-oriented.

ORIENTATION:

She does not need complete control over

situations and/or people. She has a measured

interest in attaining goals.

APPLICATION:

Execute Energy focuses on completing

tasks with accountability, authority and

delegation.

APPLICATION:

It would help Ketty if she would learn to

generate energy to get herself focused solely

on task completion. She may need to become

more comfortable delegating.

PERFORMANCE:

Within the Execute Dynamic, participants

thrive on challenge, competition and reward.

PERFORMANCE:

She will take a calculated interest in winning

and gaining material rewards.

5 EVALUATE

Energy Map

This is a universal Dynamic that requires each individual to reflect on the preceding

Cycle and anticipate the next.

DESCRIPTION:

The focus of this Dynamic is both internal and external. Internal focus evaluates feelings of

satisfaction and self-worth. External focus evaluates feelings of success and how one

appears to others.

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ORIENTATION:

This Dynamic asks all the open-ended questions - the ones that start with "Who," What,"

"Why" and "How."

APPLICATION:

Examine the process just completed according to these criteria: Where were individual and

group strengths put to their best use? Where was productivity at its best, and where was it at

its worst? Where was the work energized, and where did the energy dip? Repeat this advice

for every Dynamic.

PERFORMANCE:

Take a careful look at whether you're free to move on to a new subject or process, or whether

you should repeat what you've been working on. Before any process begins, think about what

you would consider an ideal outcome. When the work is over, compare the results with that

ideal result.

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Learning Report Ketty Jane

Let's begin by stating that Ketty will not change her predominant, "analytic" learning style to another until she realizes that analytic methods alone will not make her successful. Even then, she may decide not to switch. That's the power that a predominant analytic style brings to bear. Ketty is a reserved, logical thinker—the ultimate skeptic. She spends most of her time asking the question "why" about what she sees, hears and reads. Whatever she is thinking about has to be analytic, systematic, precise and have a historical and factual basis. If Ketty finds something not to be logical, she is rigid about not accepting it. For her, everything has its proper place, rational underpinnings and specific timelines. This is why Ketty is a very careful, hesitant decision maker who does not appreciate being rushed or pushed into doing something. Ketty quietly weighs everything by the numbers and, if asked, she may let someone know her opinions. Even after she has given an opinion, she will be one of the first to raise questions about her opinion's logic or assumptions. That's because she is always thinking rationally about everything. Ketty can be highly critical of how other people express themselves and how things are structured. She is often delighted to find what is missing or wrong in the world around her. Whether she points it out to others or not depends on how safe and secure she feels in expressing herself in that particular situation. Safety, security, punctuality, and logic are woven together inside of Ketty to tie everything up into a clear and exact rationale for action. Traditional learning (lectures and reading) comes easily to her if the lecturer or books are factual, logical and historical in their approach. Ketty prides herself on being an excellent learner. She also is a perceptive listener and reader who logically categorizes everything, easily memorizes things, zeroes in on the details and builds her own rational conclusions. Then, she checks them repeatedly in many different ways. It is not that Ketty is distrusting (even of herself); it is that she is a true, rational skeptic.

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Learning Tips Ketty Jane

In Almost Every Educational Setting, She is Lucky to Be Traditional learning and teaching are tailored to her style, enabling success in most learning environments. She has little need to adapt to a teacher's style, as most organize their lectures or presentations in a way that is very familiar to her. For the most part, learning and studying comes effortlessly for her. Learning can become an effort when content or presentations are disorganized or too anecdotal. Then, she has to fight being bored and analytical. Sometimes, it pays to be patient instead of intellectually superior towards certain types of "creative" presentations that wander off topic or become too personal. Her Middle Names Are "Logical" and "Factual" She has a natural bent for being logical and factual. In fact, she really enjoys it! "B" follows "A" and then is followed by "C." Everything has its place and its appropriate time. The more facts that she can add to her rationale, the better she feels. Fortunately for her, most curriculums are built upon a logical and factual foundation. She should be sure to outline her notes after every class and every chapter that she reads. Minding the Details and Putting Them in Their Right Places Everything has its place until proven otherwise. She loves to categorize facts and organize them into rational outlines. Once they're in this form, she can easily memorize them. She should use outlines from her books and class notes to review, categorize facts and study for tests. She may find it helpful to start with a full outline, then create additional outlines with fewer and fewer levels of details, requiring her to fill in the missing information as she studies. When she has teachers who demand more critical and creative thinking on their tests or in her papers, she needs to anticipate what type of questions those might be and form some outline answers when studying. She Should Know What She Wants Before Signing Up for a Class Tips for Learning in Traditional Settings In traditional classrooms, the best place for her to sit is off to the side and about one half-way back. From this perspective she can easily observe the teacher, presentations, board and other students. In classes where blackboard notes or presentations are mostly visually/graphically oriented, a recording device is very useful to track the conversations while she is copying the presentations. Thus, when she reviews, she can add the verbal parts of the class to the visuals in a more exacting outline. Remind her always to ask the teacher's permission before recording lectures. It is important for her to connect with other students who take learning as seriously as she does, in case she is absent from class and needs notes or if she wants to join a study group. Tips for Learning in Virtual Settings Best practices for online learning fall into four general strategies for success. Each category listed below roughly corresponds with an Energetic learning style. Whether these strategies just come naturally for a person or if that person has had to work at it, all of them are good practices, no matter the Energy profile.

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Understanding (Explore) She has a lower level of this Energy; she can still use these strategies to her full advantage, but it may require more of a conscious effort and some planning ahead. She may need a little time to "recharge" afterwards.

At the start of each course, she should take the time first to read carefully through the syllabus and other relevant course documents to understand how the course will work (for example, "What resources will I need? When are the major assignments due? How many tests will there be?") Also, she shouldn't overlook the importance of maintaining an open rapport with the facilitator and should ask questions whenever they arise. She should consider keeping a notepad or device handy (not just during her scheduled course times) to capture questions, ideas, or thoughts as they come to mind. She should then check this list during her scheduled course times to ask questions, add to notes, review materials, etc.

Inspiration (Excite) She has a lower level of this Energy; she can still use these strategies to her full advantage, but it may require more of a conscious effort and some planning ahead. She may need a little time to "recharge" afterwards.

She should discover and use the established means of staying connected and interacting with the facilitator and with her peers for each course. She should be aware that virtual learning might not provide her with the level of personal interaction on which she normally relies; she may want to find other means or outlets for this need to interact. She should consider posting a visual, personal record of her progress near her learning space. For some people, this may take the form of an inspiration board; for others, it may simply be a list of assignments and grades received. Staying engaged with her learning is especially important in a virtual environment. What inspires us is closely tied to our Energy profile; therefore, if she ever needs to "reconnect" to her learning or a specific course, she should look first to the areas that correspond to her naturally higher Energies.

Explore Energy is inspired by ideas, theories, patterns, and making connections between them. Excite Energy is inspired by people, communication, and interacting with others. Examine Energy is inspired by facts, logic, precision, and correcting mistakes. Execute Energy is inspired by action, results, and influencing others.

Organization (Examine) This is her highest level of Energy; these strategies are undoubtedly second nature to her and she doesn't have to be reminded to use them. Without awareness, however, she may tend to spend the majority of her time here, even to the point of ignoring other Dynamics or strategies that may be more appropriate in the moment. As she builds awareness here, it may help her to have an external reminder to "shift gears" as needed. She likely "recharges" quickly and feels energized, even to the point of overflow, when engaging in this area.

She should use a calendar to schedule out the course ahead of time; she should map out due dates, study times, and course check-ins on her calendar and then check this schedule when creating daily checklists. Depending on her level of tech savvy, she may prefer traditional, pen-and-paper methods or seek out virtual study tools to

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help in her learning; regardless of the tools, she should use the methods that best compliment her unique Energy pattern for scheduling, note taking and review, paper writing, test taking, etc. For example, people with higher Explore Energy may create a multi-colored mind map to organize their notes, while people with higher Examine Energy may prefer to use an outline structure for the same purpose. She should create a study space that fits her style and learning preferences. She should use this space consistently for course check-ins, to review notes, and to complete assignments. She should only use this space for studying to stay focused and cut down on potential distractions.

Time Management (Execute) She has a lower level of this Energy; she can still use these strategies to her full advantage, but it may require more of a conscious effort and some planning ahead. She may need a little time to "recharge" afterwards.

She should set SMART goals and use daily checklists to help her stay on task. She should consider scheduling small rewards to correspond with short-term goals; these rewards can help her to stay motivated and moving forward. She should use strategies to maintain focus and avoid distractions during scheduled study times. For example, stay focused on her current task for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break before coming back for another 25 minute session.

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Working Style Graph Ketty Jane

How To Use Your Working Style Graph

A Recipe For Your Learning The learning graph is your unique "Learning Recipe." It shows you the amount of ingredients and the type of ingredients you need to learn most effectively. Look at your graph and notice where the largest areas are. These indicate the working styles that you use often and find easy to digest. Smaller areas mean that you can learn in that style but it takes some effort. If your graph has a stressed area it indicates a learning style that you might find difficult to use.

Find A Teacher Twin Have you ever had a teacher that you really admired and respected? Did you find the learning experience exciting and the lessons stuck with you well past the classroom period? Chances are this teacher had a learning graph very much like yours. Why not find teachers, mentors and tutors that teach and communicate in a way similar to you so you can accelerate your learning experience?

Create Dynamic Learning Teams If you are working on a project with two or more people, you can make a successful team by choosing members who have different learning styles than you have. Try to get each learning style represented on your team. With this recipe you can be assured that this team will produce an excellent product on time with success and satisfaction