Leadership and Management: Reflections on an MBA Residential Trip

This article provides a detailed analysis of the author's personal experiences and reflections on a residential trip, focusing on leadership and management qualities. It explores the impact of the trip on the author's behavior and psychology, as well as their hidden and unrealized qualities. The article also discusses the tasks and activities that were undertaken during the trip and how they revealed the author's leadership capabilities. Overall, it highlights the importance of understanding human psychology in leadership and management.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The entire writing would be focused on the experience that I had on the MBA residential
trip to the Crostwaithe Mill, fall barrow hall, Lake District. It would provide intense and detailed
analysis on my personal experiences/emotions and reflective analysis of my motives/behavior
and feelings i.e., why I did something like that and how I felt about it, how others in the
residential trip made me feel and so on. This would be done through regressive
acknowledgement of the human psychology. Human psychology and behavior has a diverse
nature and the psychology that one holds or builds up actually decides the behavior of the
person. Behavior is a reflection of what psychology one holds and it also reflects the actual
beliefs and the values of the person. A person could be accessed through analyzing his behavior
and actions which on acknowledging could provide the psychology that the person holds (Card,
2018). It is believed that the person builds up his basic psychology during his childhood and this
is the time when the child or the person actually sows the seeds of the mentality that would grow
in the future (Clayton and Myers, 2015).The experience of residential trip has impacted me
strongly because of the variability in the behavior and nature I experienced throughout the trip.
On the trip, there were three tasks which were provided to be done with a group of about five
members which consisted of both men and women. The tasks which were planned actually
reflected the tuning of each member with each other and the capability of understanding each of
the members (Daus et al. 2005). The trip which I experienced has actually helped me in
understanding my hidden and unrealized qualities which was revealed through the activities and
the tasks which were practiced or done on the trip. The various activities that I took part in on the
trip actually demanded the qualities of a leader, and management. The various emotional and
intelligence tests are available through which one could understand or judge his capabilities of
leadership one of which is the Belbin’s Team Role Test. The test helps in testing the coordinator,
implementer, specialize, shaper and monitor evaluator and other roles that a leader needs to play
or perform. On acknowledging the Belbin’s Team Role test I have received the result f being an
implementer, specialist, shaper, monitor evaluator and coordinator. These five premises have
been rightly marked on the trip through the execution of tasks in an appropriate manner. Through
the test it has also been realized that I carry the features of extrovert, enthusiastic and
communicative. These features or qualities are actually the qualities of a leader and thus, to some
extent it has been realized that I can lead a group of people in an accurate manner.

The tasks included the involvement of each and every member that too with severe sincerity and
dedication. The task demanded the members to be sensitive enough to sense the urgency and
the responsibility towards each members, accuracy which would help in recieving the orders or
instruction the leader in an accurate manner, dedication towards the group which would help in
winning the task, faith in each of the members and target to be achieved by the end of the task
(Cooley, 2017). These five premises were demanded in each of the task and the presence of each
of the premises in the group would actually have helped in winning over all the other three
groups (Davies et al. 1998). Though my experience has been quite different and initially I
considered it to be an irrelevant and casual experience but gradually as I realized the changes that
has taken place in me after the incident, has made me realized that the tasks were framed with a
different motive and after sheer analysis of human psychology.
On acknowledging my reactions and the way I behaved in the tasks it has made me feel that the
concept of me being enthusiastic, communicative and an extrovert through the Belbin’s Test
Theory, were actually not relevant to me. First and foremost, my experience in this residential
trip has been quite strongly impacted me because of the variability in the behavior and nature I
experienced throughout the trip. According to Belbin report my team role contribution is 80% as
a resource investigator and an implementer. It shows my capacity for practical efficiency and
strong organizing qualities which present me with broad-ranging opportunities for the future.
The foremost task where I was the leader of the group and I had to instruct other sheeps that is
the members through the act of whistling actually worked out because of my team members
being intensely active and sensitive to the scenario and not because I carried the leadership
quality (George, 2000). The MBA residential trip has been one of the experiences where I have
actually realized some of the hidden qualities within me and as well have acknowledged some of
the qualities which need to be developed. The foremost task where I was the leader with four
more members, I actually carried out the task in an effective manner through utilizing my
coordinator, and specialized qualities (Cooley, 2017). The task required the coordination
between the leader and the members as the members have to move in the correct direction on
being instructed through whistle of the leader. This revealed that I am a good coordinator as the
characteristic of a coordinator includes the ability to cause others to work which got revealed
through my ability of creating a team who followed my instruction as a whole and not an
individuals. The time management quality as also revealed in this task which t6hough lies on an

average scale, it could be improved through the application of Time Grid Theory. Time Grid
Theory application could actually help me in allotting the required the task with required amount
of time, and prioritize the tasks as per its execution. This could have helped me in gaining the
winning title in all the three tasks with more surety but the way but I gained the winning title is
also quite appreciable. This coordinator’s characteristic has been realized to exist within me and
it also helped in acknowledging the ability to shape a team which took my instructions accurately
and made the team win (Daly and Wilson, 2017). These qualities have been developed within me
through being dedicated and focused to my goals. The intention of winning the task made it
happen and the results of my Emotional Intelligence test has revealed that I carry low level of
stress and have an ability to resolve the conflicts that arise in a team.
The Belbin Test has actually helped me gaining many of the hidden and unrealized capabilities
within me which provided support in the activities of the trip. My capability of understanding the
team and their intensity helped me allotting the activities in my team which actually provided me
with effective results. The capability of taking instructions and following it involves more of the
follower’s capability than of the leader. The leader gives instructions but the trust and the faith
that the team members built up upon their leader depends on their sense of responsibility and
team play (Goleman, 2012). The second task actually helped me in realizing my intensity of
sensibility and understanding the activity. The second task was a bit more demanding and it
required the individual capabilities along with the team role capabilities. As the task was to cross
the maze as per the direction shown in the map which was presented to the player for five
minutes, and the player was required to cross the maze through those blocks only (Wood and
Rünger, 2017). This task requirement was initiated by a men followed by another men and both
of them failed to complete the task which brought in my turn and just the last one minutes left for
the task to finish, which was accompanied by the high pressure and tension but somehow I
managed to cross the maze in the correct way and thus, we were the winners (Daus et al. 2005).
This description and the analysis of the entire task helped me realizing the capability of handling
pressure which I carry. The Belbin Team Role Test as proved right as it reflected that I carry the
implementer and the monitor skills which were revealed in this task. The implementation of the
plan which I actually calculated while reading the map was done accurately and I was successful
in monitoring the sequence of attempt (Lopez et al. 2018). The task was actually quite
productive for me as the line of inaccuracy in monitoring the sequence as realized later and this

helped me in gaining the knowledge of accurate monitoring and evaluation (Davies et al. 1998).
The stress and the pressure which I was able to handle in the task actually were due to the
patience and ability to stay calm. It is natural to panic and create a mess out of this situation for a
normal human being which I was expecting of myself too but I didn’t reacted that way and the
task was executed well by me. This made me realize that I underestimate myself which needs to
be checked through carrying out the tasks which I feel cannot be executed by me well. Though
the task as executed without any proper planning, still I managed to work out well in the task due
to the capability of understanding and setting the actions in an order which actually helped in
winning the game. Acknowledging and understanding along with memorizing the direction at
one glance of the ,map, as quite tough and I was not confident enough that I would complete the
task with that last one minute left, but on finishing it, I received boost in my confidence and the
sense of sensitivity (Thibaut, 2017). The task helped me in gaining the emotional intelligence
quality of thinking in a calm way and resolving the conflicting thoughts (Hyman, 2016). The
winning of this task was initially just for the sake of winning but the contribution of this task to
me personally was quite wide and something which would last for a long period of time or even
for life time (George, 2000). The lassie faire leadership style has been followed in the task which
helped in creating a scenario where the members of the team realized their own capabilities and
the capability and requirement of leader who made the entire team win. The ability and the
realization of the fact that one should try till his last minute ad it could actually change the game
and make you win. On executing the task I felt the pressure but I managed to complete the task
because of my ability to grab the directions and memorize it within short period of time (Landy,
2005). This reflects that I carry a sense of planning and this proves that I have the ability to
understand and react as per the situation. The third task was also completed by me and through
my sense of responsibility and sensibility (Clayton and Myers, 2015). The last task was quite
difficult and it required immense balance of mind and positioning. There were hurdles in
between and the two groups have to work at the same time and cross the hurdles facing the two
hoops in between. This task was initially attempted by two other people and lastly by me where I
again succeeded through losing balance and regaining it (Goleman, 2012). The task required
calm mind and control over your body which I have been carrying through practicing yoga o a
regular basis. The actions and the words spoken by my yoga guru gets acknowledged fully by me
and this has helped me in gaining this kind of mid set where I can control my mind and body

both. The task appeared to be quite difficult but n executing and relaxing my mind, I realized it is
more of a mind game then of physical force (Strauss, 2017). The Belbin Team Role test revealed
that I carry the quality of specialist and here it has been revealed that I carry the specialist
characteristic of controlling my body and mind in a way which could provide me positive results.
The enthusiasm and the attitude that I carry is accurate in nature and this has been framed
through the sheer working on my yoga practice as well as through acknowledging my
surroundings.
The hurdles were crossed by me through maintaining my balance and peace of mind even in the
stressed out situations which I have gained through severe practice of yoga. Though even after
practicing, there are people who lose control over their mind set in the pressurized situations but
I have been the one to maintain it (Card, 2018). This has been done because of my sincerity
towards my yoga practice and taking and analyzing every step and word of my yoga teacher in a
serious manner. This could also be because of the dedication and the integrity that I maintain in
my activities and each and every work. I have been quite dedicated and active to the works or
activities that I perform which has actually transformed into a habit of mine and thus, this has
helped me in achieving the results of the trip (Lopez et al. 2018). The trip has been in favor of
my development and I realized it later that the activities and the tasks which I performed there
revealed my personality and the kind of person I am. The involvement of my teachers, parents,
surroundings and the sense of responsibility I carry have been the key ingredients of this
performance. As is said that during childhood, the child goes through various situations and the
parent’s are the ones to transform their child into a sensitive and responsible one, so has been the
case with me.
On acknowledging my overall development and the way I reacted on the trip, I have realized that
it has been the contribution of my parents, teachers, guru, and surroundings. It is rightly marked
that the nature and the kind of person, one develops into reflects the kind of parents he had, the
kind of teachers and gurus he has been under and the kind of situations he has experienced
(Lepper et al. 2015). The overall acknowledgement of the MBA residential trip has actually
provided me with more than I expected. The games and the activities that were planned in the
trip were actually framed through sheer analysis of human psychology and human behavior
(Landy, 2005). The trip as planned to provide the students with an ability to acknowledge

themselves and realize their abilities and inabilities. This was done quite accurately and the
various emotional intelligence tests and the Belbin team role tests all have been favoring the trip
acknolwedgmenet6. The trip has provided me with some unexpected results which would be
cherished for lifetime (Lepper and Greene, 2015). The trip made me realized that I carry an
ability to lead, monitor, implement, specialize, and evaluate the team which were never observed
by me. The other team role features or roles could be developed gradually and the benefits of
yoga have been realized too. The trip made me bound to consider my quality of responsible and
sensitive to the surroundings which I never felt actually existed in me. This has been the result of
the scenarios or the situations which I have been handling since my childhood and the capability
of taking on the positive attitude which was given to me by my parents has been the actual tool
for me. The behavior of observing my surrounding and carrying out every action with
enthusiasm and accuracy has been the actual ingredient of my achievement. Still there exist
much more qualities to be included within me and enhance my management qualities, the
qualities which I have gained would be served all my life.

This has rightly been proven in the experience of the trip and the trip proved to be quite
productive for me. The psychology and the mindset that the child develops gets molded
throughout his lifetime depending on the people and scenario he witnesses but the basic
philosophy never changes which gets set during the childhood (Daly and Wilson, 2017). Thus,
the way I am today hugely belongs to my parents and I have utilized my surroundings in order to
polish it and channelize it towards the desired path. The tools and the techniques of inculcating
and taking on from the surroundings have been provided by my childhood experiences and this
has been proved in the trip tasks and activities.

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