Overview and Rationale

Journal writing is a critical part of becoming self-aware and developing effective leadership capability. Keeping a journal can help you integrate learning from your reading and class discussions with your previous or current leadership experiences. Each week you will be assigned a reflective exercise and a self-assessment to help you learn more about yourself, as a leader. The reflective exercise will be posted in the course materials section of Canvas. The reflective journals will become input for your Leadership Self-Assessment due the last week of the course.

Assignment Objectives

• Students will be able to connect personal experiences with each aspect of the course, citing course readings, lectures, and discussions.
• Students will be able to follow their personal progress as a leader by analyzing and reflecting on each module’s content and activities.
• Through the leadership learning journals, students will recognize obstacles and strengths to their own development as a leader, as well as identifying solutions or plans on how to overcome those obstacles or develop those strengths.

This assignment fulfills the course objective of understanding through lecture materials and readings, students will incorporate leadership theories to create a personal leadership model and definition. Students will also relate leadership theory and practice to personal experiences and examples through class discussion, personal reflection, and research to fulfill implementation.

Essential    Components
These    journals,    while    reflective    in    nature,    should    be    clear    and    concise,    as    these    will    be    used    as    reference    
points    for    you    as    you    move    through    the    Leadership    program.  
 
Think    about    the    following    when    writing    your    journals:  
• Readings    or    discussions    that    surprised    you    or    changed    an    opinion    you    previously    held  
• Connections    you    made    to    your    personal    and    professional    life  
• What    are    leadership models I    value    and    identify    with?  
• What    strengths    do    I    have    that    will    help    facilitate    my    development    as    a    leader?  
• How    do    others    model    leadership skills?    How    do    I    model    these?