Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing question and need guidance to help me learn.
PART I – Autobiography
This section involves two components:
- A personal leadership autobiography constructed in a manner similar to the short speech given in session 1 relating influences on your understanding of good leadership.
- Relate various leadership positions you have held and what you learned about yourself as a leader. These do not need to be formal positions. Have you found yourself taking responsibility for group projects? Has your supervisor given you any specific tasks to oversee?
The two components should be integrated into a single narrative. The document should be constructed in APA formatting (you wont be citing resources, but do include a title page for the portfolio) and be no more than four pages in length (complete, yet concise).
PART 2 – Analysis of Leadership Traits
Before beginning to write this section, complete the Leadership Trait Analysis document. The data from this document is to be used to complete the SWOT Analysis. Using the notes from the SWOT Analysis, write a narrative description of your leadership traits.
- Describe the strengths you have identified. Give examples of how they have been helpful to you as a leader. (Don’t just say “I am a good communicator.� Give an example: I have noticed that when I work on a team that is having difficulty deciding on a plan of action I am often able to reframe the problem and break it down into tasks that allow us to move forward.)
- Describe the weaknesses you have identified. Give examples of how they have made problems for your leadership.
- Describe any external threats you have identified. How will they impact your leadership plan? Do you have any control over them, or will you need to be prepared to flex your plan? (Need to improve a skill vs. world-wide recession)
- Finally, what is your plan to strengthen your areas of weakness? Is there a way that your weakness can actually become an asset? For instance, if you have problems speaking up, could you listen to others and take notes so that you can summarize the group’s thinking and clarify options?