Personal Portfolio (Critical Reflection on Self-Awareness and Skill Development)

Personal Portfolio (Critical Reflection on Self-Awareness and Skill Development)

Self-Leadership

Introduction

There are many perspectives of leadership; one of these is self-leadership or super-leadership, which encourages persons to lead themselves. The goal of this evaluation is to create a self-leadership plan and developing skills in motivating others and myself in meeting duties and responsibilities. According to Manz & Neck (1999), the central element of an effective self-leadership plan for any leader is the redesign of their world and work to bring out the best qualities and reach the highest potential. To fulfill this, this leadership plan will evaluate analyses made by peers and a self-evaluation test, to identify strengths and weaknesses in my persona and leadership approach. The plan will create improvement strategy on weak areas on leadership theories identified in literature, this along with the goal setting theory, will develop a competency level. The objective of this development plan is to create change behavior that will improve my leadership skills and better my human resource management approach.

Analysis and Reflection

Leadership in human resource management requires a link between qualities and traits, with the leader being able to develop and lead others. Human resources face a varied workforce and culture, which create an intensive working environment. This is not a problem to me, as I am self-assured, able to make quick and considerate decisions, patient and am able to work with a diverse group of people. I believe I have the necessary traits required for HR leadership, since I am creative, quick learner and innovative, there by easily fit in a diverse workplace set up.

Based on Kolby’s learning style indicators, I fall under the diverging (CE/RO) category. This is because I have the ability to identify situations from a different point of view. This ability was from a colleague, who noted that I was able to assimilate different things, possessed various skills and could accommodate various points of views aspect that made me comfortable with different people. This is in line with Kolby’s learning style, as I prefer to assimilate complex situations and gather information, prior to making a considered decision based on a rational, decisive and cognitive decision made. This has led to the development of creative and critical thought, which is useful in problem solving and dealing with complex situations. I lead in discussion and project groups, where brainstorming and creativity prevails, since I am able to organize and bring harmony to divergent points of view.

I am a charismatic leader and able to motivate, transform and articulate vision in a group to achieve extraordinary results. My charismatic nature can create enthusiasm in a group, as I am able to identify new solutions and opportunities to complex situations and connect group members. This quality has allowed me in many situations to find solutions and implement strategies for complex problems, inspiring group members. My charismatic nature is in association with my ability to create a positive working environment even with diverse personalities and cultures. According to Ashforth and Kreiner (1999), this is a positive mark in a leader because, in identity research, people will look at themselves positively. This positive outlook is a product of a positive self-sense, which has a basis on the social importance and salient roles perceived by others. My ability to make members of a diverse group feel important, contribute and share ideas, is good leadership skills in creating positive self-sense in followers.

To colleagues, my greatest weakness is my charismatic character, which is able to evoke a desire in others to follow and relate to me. Through this charismatic ability I am able to motivate each group member, each character, and personality to participate. However, this quality has led to the need for power and personalized character, where my life themes, personal visions, and narcissistic tendencies have emerged. This presents a contradiction since I do not believe if I have a need for power and personalized character. If anything, I believe my colleagues’ perception stems from my driven and strong willed character. My strong character leads many to believe that I seek power and my presentation depicts pride. I believe my character is interfering with the analysis, and causing biased results. I know my colleagues are ethical and I will identify areas of development to improve my leadership qualities.

Areas of Development

The analysis has revealed that while I may have human resource manager’s qualities like motivation, articulate, enthusiasm, ability to identify solutions, there are dark areas that need development. I need to improve my people and teamwork skills, since I have a tendency to reflect my life themes, personal visions and narcissistic tendencies onto the vision of teams I am leading. To develop these qualities, I will first compliment them with my positive characteristics like ability to motivate different personalities, encourage participation and teamwork. Moreover, since I posses Kolby’s learning style, I will use these to improve my weaknesses. The plan is to use my ability to assimilate different aspects and skills, accommodate different views, to acknowledge my colleagues comments, learn from leadership theories, and use goal-setting theory to develop a leadership change plan.

Strategies of Development

The positive inner qualities are the markings of a positive character for a HR leader, and are the reflection on my ability as an efficient strategic HR. I hold this view since according to Manz & Sims (1991) an effective leader is able to facilitate self-leadership to other people. This implies that a leader under self-leadership is able to maximize on the contributions of others, by recognizing that they have a right to direct their destiny, rather than the leader’s right to direct others to their will. This is a positive aspect for an HR leader since it allows them to understand the most effective ways of bringing out talent and abilities in employees for the benefit of organizations.

This entails the use of my colleagues the contributions to improve my characteristics. The suggestion is that I should try participating in a group as a member rather than a leader to learn how to listen and project group visions. In this strategy, the aim is to teach me the value of not projecting personal life visions on others for positive teamwork to be attainable. The suggestion is that I should follow Manz & Sims (1991) description of an effective leader, as one who is able to facilitate self-leadership to other people. In this plan, my participation in the group entails a member, who does not contribute but perform group activities proposed by others.

According to Manz & Sims (1991), a charismatic leader is still the source of direction and wisdom, and is not a super-leadership quality, as the expectation is that followers obligate to the leader’s vision. The negative effect of charismatic leadership description is by Peter Drucker in Manz & Sims (1991), who view charismatic leaders as inflexible, believes in their infallibility, and is slow to change. This negates the qualities of a self-leader and they should not be afraid of change and the development of strengths in their followers or associates (Manz & Sims, 1991). However, despite this weakness, my commitment focuses on developing an ideal self under the self-leadership theory. Using self-leadership techniques, I will eliminate the negative aspects of a charismatic leader, and be part of the team. To test if the change strategy works, I will join a group with associates have I have always considered as threats from their strong character, experience, knowledge, and skills.

The goal of using the ideal self as described by Boyatzis and Kleio (2006), in the intentional change theory, is to create a positive effect and stir up my psychophysiology to motivate intentional change. The ideal self entails Boyatzis and Kleio (2006) main components of, image of desired future, sense of core identity entailing past traits, strengths and enduring disposition, and hope entailing optimism and self-efficacy. Based on this theory, my ideal self is one in which I meet the component of desired future and elicit self-leadership qualities as I inspire and motivate employees in my capacity as a HR manager.

The identification of a weakness in my character and leadership quality evoked strong emotions, as I believed I had what it took to be an effective human resources manager. However, following Boss & Sims (2008), emotion regulation and self-leadership plan, I can overcome my weakness. In this theory, my requirements involve controlling my emotions and actions following the discovery of the weakness. My strategy is to use my strong points to overcome the weakness. I will use the traits of high motivation, quick learner and enthusiastic, to control the disappointment. Boss & Sims (2008), identify that some failures do not allow an opportunity to change. These involve situations where emotions interfere with leadership decisions or where failure erodes confidence and self-esteem.

According to Boss & Sims (2008), failure is not the final place but should be a stepping-stone in the achievement of success. It is for these reasons, that my charismatic weakness is not a failure, but is a point I can use to improve my leadership and HR skills. According to Boss & Sims (2008), a leader moves towards success by progressing from failure to failure with enthusiasm. This implies that overcoming failure with a positive attitude is a good characteristic of a leader. Overcoming failure with enthusiasm is the road map towards emotional control in the improvement of leadership. Enthusiasm will be the main trait in my leadership development plan. The role of the plan is to improve leadership skills with a positive attitude that will eliminate any negative emotions that can hinder the administration of HR skills.

In addition to emotional control, this improvement plan will make use of intrinsic motivation to develop self-leadership skills. Intrinsic motivation is the act of performing any activity that is enjoyable and interesting (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Intrinsic motivation is a vital component for the self-leadership improvement plan since it uses cognition and social development. This is applicable since it draws strength from the self-determination theory, where intrinsic motivation has it base on three innate needs these are competence, relatedness and autonomy. The theory is useful for the self-leadership plan as it improves competency, a vital characteristic in leadership. Under this theory, I will overcome my weaknesses working on enjoyable activities like teambuilding. These team-building activities are applicable in the comfort of a social circle like family and friends. This will involve the use of human resource development strategies like listening and communication skills, conflict resolution strategies, and teamwork.

Self-Motivation: Using Self-Determination and Goal Setting Theory

The theories identify a need to control emotion, develop self-leadership, and use self-determination theory and intrinsic motivation to draw strength for change. To increase my motivation and integrate the theories mentioned to change my leadership strategy, I will use the goal setting theory established by Locke (1960). The changes to leadership style require the setting of goals, linked to performance of certain tasks. This implies that I will set specific and measurable goals, with necessary feedback to get higher results. The achievable goals in the change plan are:

1. The willingness to use leadership theories to work towards change that depicts limited abilities. At the end of the leadership period, I will efficiently apply leadership qualities and theories to my HR strategy.
2. At the end of the leadership change period, I should be able to work in a team as either the leader or the follower for harmonious group.
3. I should be capable of controlling my emotions when colleagues point out a weakness in my leadership style.
4. I should accept the visions and life missions of others and stop projecting my dreams on individuals or groups.

According to the Goal setting theory, the goals must be clear and specific; therefore, my goals focus on achieving better teamwork with others, where personal visions do not interfere. Changing innate characteristics is not easy, but self-transformation is possible. A complete overhaul of personality is not realistic, but the change plan can assist in the elimination and reduction of the strong features. The goals will receive feedback from colleagues working with me in the teamwork activities.

A self-determined change process can occur and produce positive results. My self-determination is a product of choice, preference and goals, which fuel my vision. The first step towards self-determination is goal setting, planning and implementation strategies, which gives self-direction. The other model for self-motivation is the Self-Determined Learning Model, which involves self-determination. Self-determination within this context is “the process of self-regulated problem solving” (Wehmeyer et al., 2003). This model requires that implementation involve three phases; pre phase or questions, objectives, and supports. For the change leadership plan, the questions entailed the identification of areas of strength and weakness in personal leadership qualities. The results of this analysis in comparison to the feedback of colleagues, creates the pre phase stage. The second stage in self-determination is the setting up of objectives, giving the strategy of change, measurable outcomes, and time. Support in the model involves any resource required to self-direct the change learning process (Wehmeyer et al., 2003). In this case, resources are the leadership theories, goal setting theory, self-leadership materials, effective human resource management materials, and team building tools. The self-learning materials involve these tools, and are not limited to goal development, problem solving, self-evaluation, choice making, self-monitoring, and emotion control. The self-determination theory has assisted in self-learning, a vital tool in self-leadership theory. This is because I began my self-leadership plan with problem solving where questions like “What is my goal?”, “What is my action plan?” “What have I learned”, are asked (Wehmeyer et al., 2003).

Self-motivation is the product of a leadership change plan founded on self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is necessary in this situation since my expectations involve achieving set goals and adapt to the changes, and meet the expectations of colleagues in the change process. In the self-leadership theory, self-efficacy is vital, which has been defined as “a person’s belief in their abilities to mobilize cognitive resources, self motivation, and course action required to exercise control over events in their lives” (Tams, 2008). Self-efficacy is a motivation tool for my leadership change model, since it encourages enactive mastery experience, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective states (Tams, 2008).

My leadership style is an extension of my character, and using the positive psychology theory, I have learnt personal mastery of my traits (Selgman, 2002). The gaining of personal mastery has realized authentic happiness in my ability as a leader. The quest for self-fulfillment and self-knowledge can erode self-confidence. I will strive at attaining personal mastery to get authentic happiness, in my career as a human resource manager. Personal mastery will be useful in personal and professional development, as traits and characteristics are transformable during the change development plan. Authentic happiness is achievable with the strengthening of strong traits while reducing negative traits. By reflecting on my true purpose in life, I enter into a journey of self-actualization, mastery and transformation into a supper leader.

 

References

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