Leadership in the 21st Century Assignment 2: Part B
Part B: Going Beyond the Case
25% of Course Grade (Due: Sunday, midnight of week 10)
Leadership in the 21st Century Instructions
As you know, a core principle at JWMI is “learn it today; apply it tomorrow.” This assignment is a continuation of the work you did in Part A, but the questions challenge you to go beyond simply analyzing what Satya Nadella did at Microsoft. It is time to consider how you can apply the leadership principles presented in the case to your own career. To prepare for Part B of this assignment, reread the entire case and review the feedback you received from your professor on Part A.
Write a 6-7 page paper that draws links between the case and your own leadership journey. Of the six topic areas below, select four (4) you would like to focus on.
- Learning from Nadella’s Example
- Building a High Performing Culture
- Channeling Conflict
- Effective Communication
- Fostering Diversity and Learning
- Building a Learning Organization
Make sure you consider each question in your response. Remember, a good response paper is one in which you: (a) show you understand what happened in the case, (b) apply tools and citations from course materials, and (c) offer insights into how you can apply the case and course materials to your own leadership journey.
Learning from Nadella’s Example
What characteristics does Nadella display that most closely align to traits you have, or aspire to develop, in your own leadership style? How are you most different from him in your leadership style?
What did he bring in terms of his own background (professional and personal) that helped him to be successful in stepping into the CEO role?
What makes Nadella an “authentic leader”? What actions did Nadella take that demonstrate he believes in role-model management?
Why is it important for leaders to take (appropriate) risks?
Building a High Performing Culture in Your Organization
In what ways is the culture in your current or former organization similar to what Nadella
faced when he took over Microsoft?
If you wanted to change or realign this culture, where would you begin?
What would be your biggest challenges? Why?
What steps can you take to build a learning culture?
Leadership in the 21st Century Assignment 2: Part B
Channeling Conflict
In what ways did Nadella embrace conflict in his role as leader?
What are some of the biggest potential areas of conflict within your own organization?
How well do you and your organization handle conflict now? Explain.
How do you determine which conflicts to embrace and which conflicts to avoid, and once you make that decision, what can you do to encourage a positive resolution to the conflict?
Effective Communication
What were the biggest communicative barriers that Nadella faced in creating “one Microsoft”?
Are these barriers unique to large corporations, or do all organizations face them?
Do they occur in your own organization? Explain.
What tools and communication practices would be most useful to you in building teams that embrace a common vision?
Fostering Diversity and Learning
How did Nadella seek to enhance diversity at Microsoft?
Why is diversity – in terms of culture, experience, background, and viewpoint – so important for an organization?
- What are some risks or obstacles to instilling more diversity?
- What steps can you take to make your organization stronger by bringing in more diversity?
- Building a Learning Organization
- What did Nadella do to transform his team from “know-it-alls” to “learn-it-alls”?
- On the “knowledge-learning” spectrum, where does your organization fit?
- Jack has said that to be an effective leader, you have to be confident enough to ask a lot of questions and not be afraid of looking like the dumbest person in the room.
- How can you promote a hunger for learning in your team?
- How can you support team members who may be too afraid to ask questions or challenge the status quo?
As an MBA student, especially if you have been out of school for a long time, what does a “learn-it-all” mindset mean to you? What will you do to embrace it?
Leadership in the 21st Century Professional Formatting Requirements:
Typed, double spaced professional font (size 10-12), includes headings and subheadings, with· one-inch margins on all sides. See the Sample Professional Paper under Course Documents for an example.
References must be included and provide accurate information that enables the reader to locate· the original source. Application and analysis of course materials and resources is expected.
Additional research is welcome.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the· course title, and the date.
The paper’s length is 6-7 pages, excluding your Cover page and Reference list.·
Before submitting your paper, use Grammarly to check for punctuation and usage errors, and·make the required corrections.
Leadership in the 21st Century Rubric Assignment 2: Part B
Weight: 25% Assignment 2 – Part B: Going Beyond the Case
Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors
1.
Engages with the case, as well as other course materials.
Weight: 25%
Does not make any reference to the case or course materials.
It lacks any link to the course.
Vaguely alludes to the case or course materials.
It does not contain much detail about any resources used.
Satisfactorily refers to the case and/or course materials.
It is somewhat logical, clear, and concise.
Refers in detail to the case and other course materials; demonstrates a clear understanding of the materials.
It is mostly logical, clear, and concise.
Exemplarily refers to the case and other materials; draws comprehensive and detailed insights that expand upon the materials.
It is highly logical, clear, and concise.
2.
Provides detailed answers to prompts in four unique topic areas.
Weight: 20%
Does not respond or responds to two or fewer unique topic areas; ignores all of the stated prompts.
Partially responds to three or fewer unique topic areas; not all of the stated prompts are answered.
Satisfactorily responds to four unique topic areas and provides good, but basic answers to all of the stated prompts.
Responds to four unique topic areas and answers all of the stated prompts; answers are kept distinct and detailed.
Offers comprehensive and detailed answers to all prompts in four unique topic areas; demonstrates a thorough understanding of the chosen topics.
- Draws lessons and insights from the materials to the student’s personal leadership journey.
Weight: 35%
Does not or unsatisfactorily makes reference to the student’s leadership journey; does not talk about the student at all, and does not demonstrate an ability to apply the materials.
Partially refers to the student’s leadership journey, but does not go into significant detail.
Very few links are made back to the reading materials.
Satisfactorily refers to the student’s leadership journey with some detail.
References are made to the reading materials, but clear links may be missing.
Offers a strong explanation of the student’s leadership journey, as well as how to apply lessons from the reading materials.
Links are extremely clear and strong.
Provides an extremely comprehensive analysis of lessons from the materials and how to apply them to the student’s leadership journey.
Links to readings and other resources are insightful, impactful, and manifold.
Leadership in the 21st Century
Assignment 2: Part B
Weight: 25% Assignment 2 – Part B: Going Beyond the Case
Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors
- The paper is professionally formatted and includes in-text citations, references, and is free from grammar and spelling errors.
Weight: 20%
The paper is unsatisfactorily formatted.
It may not include a cover page and headings, or lacks professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources are not consistently cited in text, and accurate references are not included.
There are mechanics and/or usage errors.
The paper is partially satisfactorily formatted.
It may not include a cover page and headings, or lacks professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources are not consistently cited in text, and accurate references may not be included.
There are some mechanics or usage errors.
The paper is satisfactorily formatted.
It includes a cover page and headings, but may lack professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources may not be consistently cited in text, and accurate references may not be included.
There may be some minor mechanics or usage errors.
The paper is professionally formatted.
It includes a cover page, headings, professional formatting, font, and spacing.
All sources are consistently cited in text, and accurate references are included.
There are no mechanics or usage errors.
The paper is exceptionally formatted. It is highly professional in look and easy to quickly locate information.
It includes a cover page, headings, professional formatting, font, and spacing.
All sources are consistently cited in text, and accurate references are included.
There are no mechan ics or usage errors.