Length: 300 words (approximately)

Weighting: Not assessed except as 5% penalty for non-submission.

A preliminary one-page summary (about 300 words) from each participant that outlines initial insights about the book assigned to their group (first impression and any relevance of these impressions to one's sense of leadership) will be required to be submitted in iLearn on or before the due date as listed in the above box – (Note that this due date is before the start of the first class). It is not expected that students will have completed detailed reading and analysis of the assigned book but that they will have broadly reviewed the book and have an impression of the book. The intention of this summary is to initiate engagement with the book in order to support early syndicate group interactions. While not formally assessed, this summary will constitute an assessment item of the course and will represent the first 5% of a participant’s final mark. Thus, failure to submit the assessment by the due date will result in a deduction of 5% from the final course mark. Students will receive a submission confirmation receipt in their MQ student email account if their submission in iLearn is successful. You must keep this submission confirmation receipt as evidence of your submission.

Duration: 30 minutes (time will be strictly enforced)

Due: All presentations occur during session 9 and/or session 10 depending on class size. The order of presentations will be advised prior to the presentation day.

TASK – Syndicate groups are required to provide an engaging overview of the group’s reflections on the assigned book in the form of individual presentations by group members. The presentation is to be done in an engaging way and show each member at his or her best in terms of presentation skills.

Role-plays and use of videos are strongly discouraged – if role-plays or videos are used they should be used for a very short time as one aim of the presentation includes the exposure of syndicate members to the “joys” of public speaking.

The aim is to “Share” your insights and understanding. Therefore, you should not “Preach” or “Teach” the content of the book in the presentation.

In addition to the focus on the content of the book and reflections, groups are also required to discuss (No more than about 5 minutes of the 30 minutes) the group dynamics observed within their syndicate groups and what aspects of their interactions they would incorporate into future syndicate groups’ activity and what would they do differently.  At the completion of the presentation, there will be additional time for questions and answers with the audience (about 10 minutes is allocated in addition to the 30-minute presentation). It is the responsibility of the audience to generate questions.

Group presentations will be visually recorded on video and will also be assessed by all the members of the class audience (information on assessment of presentations is below). As well, two "presentation buddies” for each individual presenter will be assigned. The role of the “presentation buddies” is to provide personal feedback on individual presentations. The feedback provided to individual presenters does not impact assessment of the group and is intended to provide a source of feedback to the presenter about his or her presentation performance from the perspective of these two members of the audience.

The presentation sessions will be concluded with all syndicate teams reviewing their video of the team member’s presentations, discussing each member’s performance in the presentation and the interactions among members of the team during the course. This information should be incorporated into one’s MSD assignment.

While it is not essential, groups are requested to submit an electronic copy via email of their presentation to the lecturer on the day prior to their presentation (this need only be a draft, not a final version).

Assessment Of Presentations

Overall assessment of presentations will be based on a group mark component (50%) and an individual mark component (50%). The group mark component is a mark awarded to the group and is based on an evaluation of the content and delivery of the presentation. Information about the process and criteria for evaluation of presentations will be provided by the lecturer in the first class.

The individual mark component of the presentation assignment will be based on group member’s rating of the contribution of other members of the group (in an anonymous survey). If others in your group rate you as having made a satisfactory contribution (relatively equal contribution) this will equate to you receiving an individual mark the same as the group mark. A rating of having made less than a satisfactory contribution may result in individual deductions up to 50% of the obtained group’s mark. It will also be possible to judge a group member as having made an exceptional contribution and this will lead to consideration of additional marks to the final subject’s mark. All group member assessments of individual contribution will be reviewed and considered by the lecturer in determining the final presentation assessment.

Rating of “satisfactory contribution” to the presentation

Satisfactory contribution means that a member of the group contributed to the discussion, reflections, and analysis of the book and the group reflection process, as well as contributing to the effort of developing the presentation, as well as was being supportive and encouraging of others in the group. 

Rating of “less than satisfactory contribution” to the presentation

Less than satisfactory contribution means the person did not carry out his or her share of the activity required for the presentation. This may be represented by non-attendance at agreed group meetings, lack of interaction and engagement in the group’s discussions, failure to do as he/she was expected to do, limited or poor responding to emails, dominance in his/her opinion, failing to show respect in listening to others, and/or a general lack of willingness to work within the agreed consensus approach to the topic (allowing for voicing of different perspectives in planning and analysis stages of the group’s interactions).

Rating of “exceptional contribution”

It will also be possible to judge a group member as having made an exceptional contribution and this will lead to consideration of additional marks to the final subject’s mark. No more than two people in a group can be awarded this exceptional contribution mark and this nomination must come from at least two other people in the group. Exceptional contribution means that a person has exhibited leadership of the group but not dominance. Exceptional contribution would highlight a highly energised and engaged person who other group members feel was a powerful positive influence on the group both in terms of presentation task and the collaborative and social dynamics of the group.

No extensions will be granted.

Length: 2000 words maximum (word count for this assignment does not include excerpts included from your journal, the summary of leadership strengths and deficits, references, or appendices). The word should be noted on the front of the assignment.

This individual assignment forms Part A of the Self-Development project for the course. Part A - Self-Reflection Analysis essay is to be submitted at the same time as Part B - Action plan and included in the one document. Both parts of the assignment are to be written in an essay prose format. Thus, you must not use dot points or write your assignment in the form of a table (except for the summary list of key managerial strengths and deficits – see below for details). For both Part A and Part B you need to write in the first person – that is, you need to use “I”, “me”, and “my” in writing your assignment.

TASK- ‘Part A’ – Self-Analysis Essay - Part ‘A’ is worth 45% of the total course marks and requires you to outline and discuss self-awareness insights gained about your managerial/leadership style and your managerial performance skills and deficits reflected on during the course. It is critical that you show the thinking process (reflection) that led to your self-awareness insights. In other words, you need to demonstrate how your leadership skill and deficits insights were arrived at by discussing the results of various psychological assessments and reflection activities associated with the course as well as analysis and reflection on specific examples of your managerial and/or professional behaviour.

To aid your self-analysis you are encouraged to keep a reflection journal. You may include excerpts of the journal in the essay.  These excerpts should be clearly indicated in the essay in italic font and by placing them separately in their own paragraph. These excerpts do not contribute to the word count of the assignment, although they should be restricted to brief extracts.

Other significant life and work issues that have shaped your leadership style and provided insight into your managerial/leadership behaviour can also be discussed in the assignment, although your main goal is to discuss and reflect on the experiences associated with the course.

The report also requires you to present a summary of your key insights – which can be presented as a table or in dot points – about your leadership strengths and deficits at the end of part ‘A’. This table is not included in the word length.

Assessment criteria part ‘A’:

• Depth and quality of leadership style and leadership skill reflections
• Discussion of results of internal course development assessments (eg MBTI; FIRO-B; MSCEIT, etc.) to support reflective insights
• Discussion of classroom and group experiences to support reflective insights
• Discussion of workplace examples to support reflective insights
• The flow of ideas within the paper - paragraph and sentence structure
• Clarity of expression in developing arguments/insights
• Use of behavioural examples in developing arguments/insights
• List of strengths and deficits
• Conforming to stylistic requirements - word length, prose format, line spacing, margins, referencing, PDF format, etc.

Stylistic requirements: The assignment should be submitted in PDF format and written be in 12 point Times New Roman font using 1½ line spacing with at least 3 cm margins. References, if used, should be in accordance with APA 6^th Style. You must include the word count on the front cover sheet of the assignment (Remember that the word count does not include the journal excerpts, summary of leadership strengths and deficits, list of references or appendices). Pages should be numbered.

Submission details: Each student will submit a soft-copy (remember that Part A and Part B should be submitted as a single PDF file) in the class iLearn page on or before the due date listed above. Further instructions on how to do this will be provided to students via the MGSM806 iLearn page.

Please ensure your full name, student number, the unit code and name (MGSM806 Managerial Self-Development), and lecturer (Dr Paul Nesbit), are all clearly visible on the front page of your assignment.

Please note: There is a file size upload limit of 40mb (40 megabytes) or 40,000kb in iLearn. Please ensure that your assignment file size is below this limit.

Extensions and penalties:

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.

Length: 1500 words maximum (word count for this assignment does not include references and appendices).

This individual assignment forms Part B of the Self-Development project for the course. 

Part ‘B’ – The managerial self-development action plan – Part ‘B’ of the Self-Development Project assignment is worth 25% of the total course marks and requires you to outline a self-development action plan for no more than ONE specific development goal area identified in part ‘A’.

You should see this part of the assignment as a blueprint or self-coaching document that helps you advance your own self-development. The plan is based upon the insights about your managerial/leadership strengths and deficits you have gained from the activities and assignments of the course as well as taking into account your future management and leadership roles and aspirations. The outline of the plan and its content must show an understanding of a social-cognitive theoretical perspective of behaviour and an understanding of self-regulation theory in its design (to be discussed during the course).

The self-development action plan should take account of the reality of your work and social life as well as insights into personal predispositions and leadership style. These aspects are likely to support and/or obstruct your endeavours and you will need to show understanding of these influences in how you will approach your development plan.

In the action plan, you should include -:

•  A clear focus on which development goal you want to work on and the reasons why.
• A section on specific sub-goals where you outline the development of specific concrete goals and discuss their relationship to your broad development abstract goal.
• A plan of ongoing specific activities that details the strategies (what you intend to do) to address your development sub-goals highlighted. This should demonstrate an understanding of self-regulation theory in the design of strategies. You also need to critically discuss your strategies in relation to social cognitive theory.
• As part of the strategies within your action-plan, you need to include at least a single specific implementation intention. You need to carry out the implementation intention and critically discuss whether it was successful or not. (Implementation intentions will be discussed in class).
• Discussion of personal and environmental obstacles to your change objectives and plans to deal with these obstacles.

Assessment criteria part ‘B’: 

• Reason for selection of skill deficit explained
• Clarity and discussion of goal and subgoals
• Elaboration of action strategies
• Self-regulation theory evident in action strategies
• Explicit discussion relationship of social cognitive theory in the design of strategies
• Implementation intention outlined and assessed
• Discussion of obstacles to action strategies
• The flow of ideas within the paper - paragraph and sentence structure
• Clarity of expression in the discussion of strategies
• Use of behavioural examples in developing arguments/insights
• Conforming to stylistic requirements - word length, prose format, line spacing, margins, referencing, PDF format, etc.

Stylistic requirements: The assignment should be submitted in PDF format and written be in 12 point Times New Roman font using 1½ line spacing with at least 3 cm margins. References, if used, should be in accordance with APA 6^th Style. You must include the word count on the front cover sheet of the assignment (Remember that the word count does not include references or appendices. Pages should be numbered.

Submission details: Each student will submit a soft-copy (remember that Part A and Part B should be submitted as a single PDF file) in the class iLearn page on or before the due date. Further instructions on how to do this will be provided to students via the MGSM806 iLearn page.

Please ensure your full name, student number, the unit code and name (MGSM806 Managerial Self-Development), and lecturer (Dr Paul Nesbit), are all clearly visible on the front page of your assignment.

Please note: There is a file size upload limit of 40mb (40 megabytes) or 40,000kb in iLearn. Please ensure that your assignment file size is below this limit.

Extensions and penalties:

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.