Reflective Journal: People, Culture and Contemporary Leadership MBA401

This reflective journal analyzes the student's learning journey in the MBA401 People, Culture, and Contemporary Leadership course. It begins with an introduction outlining the paper's scope, which includes an examination of leadership skills and competencies. The journal delves into performance and reward theories, highlighting the importance of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and its objectives, such as boosting organizational productivity and reducing employee turnover. The student discusses online resources, specifically the "Monkey Business Illusion," emphasizing the need for leaders to observe all aspects of operations. Insights from an industry guest speaker on customer satisfaction and supply chain management are summarized. The journal further explores learning from in-class activities, particularly the advantages of promoting insiders to managerial positions. Assessment feedback and psychometric test results are analyzed to identify strengths and areas for improvement in leadership capabilities. The student reflects on areas like performance initiatives, performance measurement techniques, cultural understanding, and the need for more detailed recommendations. The psychometric test results provide insights into the student's emotional stability, assertiveness, and rule consciousness, while also revealing areas like sensitivity and a tendency towards being less forthcoming. The journal concludes with an overview of the learning experiences and insights gained throughout the course, including how the various elements have contributed to their development as a leader.

Running head: PEOPLE, CULTURE AND CONTEMPORARY LEADERSHIP
People, Culture and Contemporary Leadership
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Theories:.....................................................................................................................................3
Online Resources:......................................................................................................................4
Industry Guest Speaker:.............................................................................................................5
In class activities:.......................................................................................................................6
Assessment Feedback:...............................................................................................................7
Psychometric Test:.....................................................................................................................8
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................9
Bibliography:............................................................................................................................10

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Introduction:
The paper highlights my individual skills and competencies in being an efficient
leader. The paper analyses my learning of the performance and reward theory and along with
that, the paper also provides significant information that I was able to gather from the internet
browsing. Apart from this, the paper also summarizes the important points from the interview
of the industry guest speaker which has the potential to improve my skills and the
competencies as a leader. In addition to this, the paper describes my learning from the
experiences of the in class activities and portrays the method in which that experience can
help me in strengthening my skill and competencies. Other than this, the paper also
comments on the assessment feedback that I received from my assessor which educates me
regarding the activities that will boost my skills of leadership. Along with that, the paper
evaluates the results of my psychometric tests for the effective identification of the strengths
and the weakness of mine in being an efficient leader.
Theories:
From the theories of the performances and rewards, I understood the importance of
the SHRM and along with that, the theories were of great significance for me in
understanding the objectives of the SHRM which were the improvement of the productivity
of the organizations, the increment in the sales of the organizations, effective reduction in the
rate of the employee turnover, increment in the effectiveness of the business activities of the
organizations along with strengthening the link between the internally consistent policies of
the organizations and the objectives of the organizations. Apart from that, from the theories, I
was able to understand the scope of improving the performances of the organization with the
application of the efficient SHRM practices.

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In addition to this, the analysis of the theories was crucial for my understanding of the
various aspects of the performances and that is pretty evident with the identification of the
important aspects such as the talent acquisition and selection, salary and incentives, job re-
design and task analysis, talent development and careers, succession, employee autonomy
over tasks, performance appraisal, teamwork and training.
Apart from this, the theories enabled me to have the knowledge regarding the impact
of the performance rating errors. I was able to understand the fact that the performance rating
errors are generally of five different types which includes the hallo error, leniency error, error
of the central tendency, stereotyping ad recency error. The effective understanding of the
detrimental impact of the mentioned errors were crucial for me in gaining the appropriate
knowledge regarding the method of efficient leadership.
In addition to this, the theories were of great significance for me in gaining the
knowledge regarding the significance of the appropriate rewarding system and along with
that, I was also able to understand the objectives of the efficient rewarding system which
were the attracting the employees, retaining the employees, development along with
motivating the employees for the better performances in terms of productivity and quality in
the services of the employees of the organizations.
Online Resources:
From the Monkey Business Illusion, I understood the importance of the multitasking
for being an efficient leader and along with that, the message from the video was crucial for
me in understanding the significance of having a precise look at everything being the leader.
Being a leader, it is important for me to cover each and every part of the activities that are
happening inside the organizations as that not only improves my knowledge regarding the
operations of the organization but also increases the effectiveness of my decision making as

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well. In case, I miss any sort of inputs regarding the operations of the employees, then it has
possibility to affect my leadership.
The effective analysis of the video is pretty significant in describing the necessity of
observing each and every aspect of the activities minutely as any sort of incapability in
observing the activities have the potential to place me in a position where I might take the
wrong decisions. As the incapability in evaluating the business activities has the potential to
create considerable amount of bias in our decision making, the formation of the conflict
inside the organizations will be pretty prominent. Adding to this, the effect of the conflict
amongst the employees of the organization will be a major drawback of my leadership.
Hence, from the browsing of the mentioned online resource, I was able to understand the fact
that an efficient leader needs to have a proper look at everything happening in and outside the
organizations and along with that, I gained the knowledge regarding the possible impact of
the inappropriate observation of the activities over the leadership and decision making.
Industry Guest Speaker:
From the interview of the guest speaker, I was able to understand the fact that the
main motive of the operations of the services industry in the modern world, is the increment
of the customer satisfaction. The speaker’s comments were significant in stating the fact that
it is not the delivery of the required products which is the optimum satisfaction for the
modern organizations rather it is the creation of the values amongst the customers which is
more important for the organization operating in the services industry. In addition to this, the
guest speaker’s comment was crucial in understanding the importance of the design of the
products in accordance to the preferences of the customers in managing the impact of the
intense competition of the modern business market. Apart from this, the guest speaker was
seen to put strong emphasis on the effective management of the supply chain of the

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organizations as that provides the scope to the organization in the design of the products in
accordance to the preferences of the customers.
The guest speaker also elaborated the need of maintaining strong relationship with the
supplier network of the organization in order to make sure that the sourcing of the raw
materials are not affected with any sort of interruptions. Along with that, I understood that the
strong bond with the suppliers of the organization plays a key role in the increment of the
flexibility of the organization in terms of designing attractive products.
In class activities:
From the in class activities, I was able to understand the importance of promoting an
insider for the managerial positions. I was able to comment on the scope of achieving the
much required success with the introduction of an insider for the managerial positions and
along with that, the activity was of great significance for me in understanding the competitive
edge of an insider in comparison to an outsider in the effective management of the operations
of the organizations. From the activity, I was able to gather the important information
regarding the additional level of competency of an insider in terms of establishing effective
communication inside the organization, effective allocation of the tasks depending on the
expertise of the employees, the precise knowledge regarding the skills and competencies of
the employees and the capability in managing the conflicts amongst the employees of the
organization in an efficient manner. Depending on all of the above mentioned advantages of
an insider, I consider that an insider has the capability to manage the organization in a more
efficient manner in comparison to an outsider.
From the in class activities, I was able to understand the fact that the ineffective
performance has significant impact on the overall performances and the efficiency of the
organizations of the modern business world. In addition to this, there are considerable

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number of reasons for the ineffective performances in the employees inside the workplaces
staring from the dissatisfaction of the employees owing to the ineffective pay structure,
reward plans, inappropriate recognition of the good work of the employees, ineffective
technique of measuring the performances of the employees, improper method of talent
management, declining organizational culture, unproductive working environment,
incapability of the management of the organization in meeting the training and the
developmental needs of the employees, the absence of the much required work life balance
amongst the employees and the improper style of the leading from the part of the senior
management of the organization.
Assessment Feedback:
From the feedback of my assessor, it is pretty evident that I have considerable number
of areas for improvement. The assessor provided important information regarding my
performances in the assessment and from that, it is clear that I require significant amount of
improvement in being an efficient leader. In the assessment, I performed on performance
related issues. However, it was significantly focused on scandals. Along with that, I missed
the important elaboration regarding the performance initiatives of the company in that section
which was a major drawback of my performances. Hence it is pretty evident that, in order to
improve my efficiency and the effectiveness of my performances, I need to include the
performance initiatives of the company.
Apart from this, I was unable to answer the questions regarding the techniques for the
measurements of the performances, the various types of the cultures and the engagement of
the success to the theory. The incapability of mine in delivering the appropriate answers of
these questions were significant in stating the needs of my improvement. Other than this, my
incapability in delivering the specific details in the recommendations that I provided in my

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assessments was pretty prominent in specifying my need of improvement. In order to be an
efficient leader, I require to have the skill of providing sufficient details in my
recommendations so that it be more effective and along with that, I feel that I need to have
the knowledge regarding the methods of measuring the success along with the different types
of the culture in the organizations.
Psychometric Test:
From the results of the psychometric test, it is pretty evident that I have the capability
of behaving with the other employees in a nice manner which increases the effectiveness of
my leadership. Along with that, it helps in managing the employee grievances in an effective
manner. With the score of 2.2 in reasoning, I am partially capable in abstract thinking, along
with that, the score of 2 in the emotional stability aspect, portrays good quality of mine in
managing my emotions which is notably important in taking good decisions. My score of 2 in
the dominance aspect, is pretty significant in stating my assertive nature and at the same time,
with a score of 1.9, my partial portrayal of the energy in managing my operations is pretty
prominent.
With a score of 2.7 in the rule consciousness, social boldness and sensitivity aspect, it
is visible that my leading style is notably dependent on the framed legislations and the rules.
Along with that, the results also confirm the fact that I am significantly confident in terms of
presenting myself in front of my employees. Other than this, the score of the sensitivity
aspect clearly shows that I have the tendency of getting affected easily. My score of 2 in the
abstractedness aspect, clearly provides my partial capability of being imaginative. However,
with the score of 1.6 and 1.3 in the privateness and in the apprehension aspect, it is pretty
evident that I lack the quality of being honest about what we are. With the score of the
apprehension aspect, it reflects that I am less approached by my employees. On the other

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hand, with the score of 2.4 in the aspect of the openness to change, my flexible nature is
pretty prominent. My score of 2.5 in the aspect of the perfectionism, portrays that I set high
standards for myself, and the score of 1.1 in the aspect of tension shows I am notably patient
in managing my employees and the followers. Hence, it shows that I may have some areas to
improve, however, I have the potential and the skills required to be an efficient leader.
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it is visible that the theories on the performance and rewards
have enabled me to gain important inputs regarding the effective management of the
performances of the employees. Along with that, the theories are crucial for me in
understanding the importance of the rewards in motivating my followers and employees. In
addition to this, the browsing of the online resources is significant for me in achieving the
knowledge regarding the need of observing each and every activity before taking the
decisions. Apart from this the results of the psychometric tests is notably significant in
showing my capability as a leader. Apart from that, I developed significant amount of
knowledge regarding the appropriate form of leadership with assessment feedback and
interview of the guest speaker. In a nut shell, the learning from all these activities is
significantly crucial for me in becoming an efficient leader.

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Bibliography:
John Bernardin, H., Thomason, S., Ronald Buckley, M. and Kane, J.S., 2016. Rater rating‐
level bias and accuracy in performance appraisals: The impact of rater personality,
performance management competence, and rater accountability. Human Resource
Management, 55(2), pp.321-340.
Koopman, E.M.E. and Hakemulder, F., 2015. Effects of literature on empathy and self-
reflection: A theoretical-empirical framework. Journal of Literary Theory, 9(1), pp.79-111.
Monczka, R.M., Handfield, R.B., Giunipero, L.C. and Patterson, J.L., 2015. Purchasing and
supply chain management. Cengage Learning.
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource
management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Raja, J.Z., Bourne, D., Goffin, K., Çakkol, M. and Martinez, V., 2013. Achieving customer
satisfaction through integrated products and services: An exploratory study. Journal of
Product Innovation Management, 30(6), pp.1128-1144.
Srivastava, M. and Kaul, D., 2014. Social interaction, convenience and customer satisfaction:
The mediating effect of customer experience. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,
21(6), pp.1028-1037.
Sweeney, E., 2013. The people dimension in logistics and supply chain management–its role
and importance.
Travers, C.J., Morisano, D. and Locke, E.A., 2015. Self‐reflection, growth goals, and
academic outcomes: A qualitative study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(2),
pp.224-241.

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Uysal, G., 2013. Progress of HRM to SHRM: Human Resources as “Capital”. Journal of US-
China Public Administration, 10(3), pp.331-337.