Critical Self-Analysis Report: Leadership Development, University Name

This report presents a critical self-analysis of a student's development as a change leader, focusing on personal experiences, insights gained from coursework, workshops, and feedback, and exploring the essential traits for effective leadership. The report delves into various leadership theories, including trait, charismatic, and transformational leadership, highlighting the importance of communication, collaboration, and commitment in driving organizational change. It discusses the application of leadership theories, the student's strengths and weaknesses, and the use of 360-degree feedback for self-assessment. The analysis covers emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage change resistance, offering a comprehensive view of the student's growth and a roadmap for future development as a change leader. The report emphasizes the need for a compelling vision, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to navigate the political landscape within an organization to successfully implement changes.

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CRITICAL SELF-ANALYSIS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note:

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Introduction:
The aim of this report is to discuss the personal experience and development process for
being a potent change leader. As the definition of change leadership denotes, it is the process of
effective leadership that leads to successful as well as sustainable organisational development.
Successful change leader knows the methods of creating and disseminating his vision and
overcome all the resistance to the change and manage all the related conflicts for change. Change
leadership is obtained by the ability of influencing and engaging others through the personal
vision and advocacy (Coetsee and Flood 2017). It is the method of accessing resources and build
a solid platform for the delayed change. Change leadership is the supporter of any kind of change
required in an organisation and completing the change process smoothly without any adverse
effect on the business of the organisation. In this report, I shall share my experiences, knowledge
and thoughts that I have developed throughout the course. The SOC workshops, feedbacks from
my peers, mentors and other work reports have helped me to develop my insight about my
successful initiative to be a change leader.
Successful change in the organisation has become one of the biggest problems in this
fast-changing world. There are strategies, tools and techniques to bring changes in the
organisation theoretically but implementing those changes can lead to conflict and complete
devastation. This is the reason why leadership takes care of this change by putting on the needed
resources in their places and assessing the priority for the change management process. During
this course, I have developed some essential traits and knowledge that have helped me to
understand the demands of the current companies and identify where exactly the change is
needed (Cialdini 2001). Through the discussion of the workshop, reading materials and other
case studies, I have understood that change leadership needs 3 most common themes which

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include communication, collaboration and commitment. Based on these three themes, the
leadership develop another three competencies. These are initiation, strategies and execution
(Garvin, Edmondson and Gino 2008).
Self-analysis on the basis of learning and feedback:
In the workshop I have come across various theories, approaches and tools which the
current organisation used for bringing change in the corporation without disturbing the actual
framework or policies of the organisation. Due to globalisation the power distance among
employees and managers which used to be maintained traditionally and supported the
hierarchical leadership has been abolished. Due to this fact the current business organisations are
giving opportunities for the change leaders who are more versatile and support diversity.
Eventually these leaders have motivational character that support them to be more relationship
oriented rather than task oriented (Daubner and Priestland 2012). To gain the competitive
advantage in a local or foreign market, the business organisations are trying to empower their
work force so that the issues of demotivation and improvement do not emerge. Moreover,
changing process is in the core of marketing of the business. Therefore, the companies are trying
to gain competitive edge through organisational change in terms of change leadership.
From the workshop discussions, case studies and theoretical frameworks I have gained
knowledge about different leadership theories. These theories properly point out the factors
which influence the capabilities and confidence of the leaders. I have gained knowledge about
various leadership theories which include trait theory, charismatic leadership theory, behavioural
theories transformational leadership, contingency leadership and transactional leadership
theories. In every theory one thing is common for the leaders that they are the chief influencing
factor for their employees the most important asset of an organisation (Ehrhart 2015). Different

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leaders follow different theories or frameworks but their primary aim remain to motivate the
human resource and use them to fulfil objectives of the organisation.
There are some critical competencies needed for leading and managing the strategic
changes. In the workshop discussion I have identified that to be a successful change leader there
are some requirements which I need to follow and fulfil. In order to be persuasive that can help
me to deleted changes I need to be confident to bring changes in the organisation and answer the
stakeholders positively about the outcome of changes. For being an effective change leader, I
need to be thorough and know all the possible outcomes of the change ideas. I need to develop
understanding of every possible angle by taking the change into consideration. According to the
theories of change leadership, communication plays a vital role. The leadership games support
only when the leader communicate with all the associated members when implementing change.
Otherwise there can be misunderstanding or wrong messages about the change can be conferred.
In order to gain a positive outcome of change in the organisation, the leadership need to
understand the criticality of this change and make sure that it causes no little disruption in the
workplace. By going along with confidence, I, as a leader need to speak to the guidelines of
changes and make sure that all happens as planned. This may include allowing the employees
letting go or employing them into different departments or functionality. In that case, I may face
resistance from the workforce but for the good of the company I need to remain unwavering in
my execution of changes.
As mentioned, before I may face resistance from both the internal as well as external
stakeholders therefore, I need to create compelling vision as well as rationally to engage them
with the future. It is essential to assess the perceptions of the stakeholders about the need of the
change in the organisation and the perfect approach need to be used for aligning them in the

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change process. In this aspect I need to follow processes of building awareness about the need of
the organisation and areas that need special regard. Thus, I can share my opinions and thoughts
to the stakeholders and gain their support for smooth running for change. From the wider reading
of texts and case studies along with my own experience I have developed this inside that any
organisation whenever feels any change to be happened, tends to resist it at its best (Beer,
Eisenstat and Spector 1990). There are key elements based on which the organisational structure
and Systems are developed. Now the stakeholders from the higher authority to the lower see the
change to be a threat for future. Therefore, I need to measure and build organisational capability
and face the challenges.
There is a relationship between authority, power and influence that lead strategic
organisational change. As mentioned before with the Global changes, the business organisations
are changing their views about the functionality of the leaders and their connection with the
employees. They are moving forward for empowering the employees by treating them as their
assets rather than liabilities. Change leadership therefore is a method of influencing human
resource not buy incentives rewards or payments but showing them new process of thinking,
working and acting. Thus, the Change management or leadership will get support for change
implementation and measure the sustained behavioural change among the stakeholders. This
reduces the threat of resistance in the change process.
In gaining a complete understanding of my personal abilities, knowledge and thought
process, I have shared my daily experiences with my friends, family and mentors. In order to
become an effective change leader, I have identified some unavoidable and essential attitudes,
understanding and values which needed to be guided through workshops, mentoring and
assessment. From the workshop discussions, text references, case studies and theoretical

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framework as well as insights from the wider readings, I have developed my own competencies,
attributes and techniques of change leadership (Bridges 1986). The approaches and tools
discussed during the SOC workshops, feedback from my peers, mentors and team members and
my experience, I have found out some strengths and weaknesses within me which can either
support or be the barrier for my personal development as change leader. To be a good leader, I
need to have the interpersonal skills which can help me to understand things quite easily as well
as identify the incidents through my analytical skills (Siu, Cheung and Lui 2015). I am capable
of collecting and analysing critical information that can help me to make decisions in a right
way. I am a good learner and quite flexible which is a positive aspect of my psychology. This
leads me to understand any situation and adapt with it quite easily. As one of my weaknesses, I
can refer to my stubbornness to complete a work perfectly for a long time and constantly doing it
until it gets completed perfectly. In addition to this I am slightly intolerant about the arrogance
showed before me by my subordinates. I cannot depend upon others to make a decision rather
tend to manipulate the thoughts of the others and bring their decisions according to my
preferences.
Along with the feedbacks received from the peers, mentors and work colleagues, I
have understood the aspects of my behaviour and competency to become a change leader.
However, to become an effective change leader, I ned to have a proper work review which I have
assessed through 360-degree test. This 360-degree feedback test is particular meant for assessing
the personal development. The feedback accumulated during this test helps the persons to judge
self-awareness aspects in the individual level and provide information that becomes an integral
part of personal development plan (Wang et al. 2014). 360-degree feedback test is also known as
multi ratter feedback where the person who is referred as subject get all the feedback

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anonymously from people around him mainly associated with his work life. The people in search
domain who rendered feedback for this individual include the managers, peers, customers and
direct company reports. Based on these feedbacks, the capability and competency of the
individual is evaluated. As the individual ratings or feedback collected from 7 to 12 people
having different outlook and perception of the individual, it helps usually in the self-development
process and self-Awareness of the subject. Through this test the levels of personality which was
previously overlooked, can be explored and exposed with the perpetual blind spots (Wertalik and
Kubina 2017). Through this test I have effectively identified several types of preferences and
opportunities in one hand and developed processes for mitigating weaknesses of my personality.
In the emotional intelligence aspect, the levels include managing oneself, motivating oneself
having social skills managing emotions and self-awareness skills. I have scored more or less
average in all the categories which means I need to work more on the self-awareness aspect so
that I can manage myself in all the critical situations. I can manage emotions and try to mitigate
the difficulties originated from the critical situations in the profession. As the leadership skills
required emotional Intelligence and empathy for the subordinates, I know I shall be doing well
through my effective social skills.
This feedback based on 360-degree test has helped me in individual growth, feedback
culture, planning, team effectiveness along with ability to convince the employees. Through
knowing myself more than I used to I have identified all the subtle places which I need to work
more on. in this feedback I am given and all-inclusive insight including my weaknesses as well
as my strengths of personality (Favaro 2013). Through this I have also started to find out the
Expectations of the others through their demonstrated behaviour. This will leverage my strengths
in making Strategies for development plan. Based on the feedback I can uncover my blind spots

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which will help me to transfer my weaknesses into strengths. My own behaviours will now be
checked and I will develop myself to be a perfect leader who will be capable to bring changes in
every nook and corner of the organisation I will take all the challenges in the organisation and
play a central role of my own development as well as of the others (Coetsee and Flood 2017). In
case of self-analysis in relation to specific change roles in the organization I have found
through appraisals reveal that I posses leading factors and influence others to bring changes.
These also reveal that I have complete knowledge of the organisational process and ambition for
acquiring power to guide my subordinates.
Personal Action Plan
Leadership
goals
Strategies for creating change Time Developed skills
Enhancing
communication
ability
 Listening to others
with more attention
 Judging position of
the communicator
 Realizing the
expectation
 Being to the point,
within limited words
 Participating in the
debate or group
discussions
Within a
year
Learning method to express
myself before audience

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 Maintaining a
positive attitude
Learning about
organisational
culture and the
process of
team building
 Reading the
business case
studies more
extensively
 Listen to more
real-life examples
for change
management
 Enhancing social
skills
 Learning issues of
discrimination and
employee
dissatisfaction.
Six
months
Developing skills to lead the
teams and delegate my
subordinates
Fostering
employees
 Encouraging
employees by helping
them with my
personal resources
 Assisting teams to
achieve all the
1 year Learning to bonding with others
rather than doing all by myself

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objectives
Conclusion:
Therefore, it can be concluded that, critical self-analysis is an important part in
developing oneself to be an effective leader aiming to bring changes in the organization. In this
analysis process, the impact of tools, discussions, theories and feedback were vital. These have
allowed me to look every aspect of personality which will lead me in the workplace eventually.
By knowing myself I have developed the skill to learn the psychology of the others and reached
to a perfect understanding of the organisational culture. I have attained a balanced view about my
strength and weaknesses and initiated to act upon them.

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References:
Beer, M., Eisenstat, R.A. and Spector, B., 1990. Why change programs don’t produce change.
Bridges, W., 1986. Managing organizational transitions. Organizational dynamics.
Cialdini, R.B., 2001. Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 79(9),
pp.72-81.
Coetsee, J. and Flood, P.C., 2017. 8 Leadership models: the future research agenda for HRM. A
Research Agenda for Human Resource Management, p.130.
Daubner, D. and Priestland, A., 2012. Walk slow to go fast. OD PRACTITIONER, 44(4), p.54.
Dinh, J.E., Lord, R.G., Gardner, W.L., Meuser, J.D., Liden, R.C. and Hu, J., 2014. Leadership
theory and research in the new millennium: Current theoretical trends and changing
perspectives. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), pp.36-62.
Ehrhart, M.G., 2015. Self-concept, implicit leadership theories, and follower preferences for
leadership. Zeitschrift für Psychologie.
Favaro, K., 2013. How leaders mistake execution for strategy (and why that damages
both). Strategy+ Business.
GalbRaith, J.R., 2014. Organizational design challenges resulting from big data.
Garvin, D.A., Edmondson, A.C. and Gino, F., 2008. Is yours a learning organization?. Harvard
business review, 86(3), p.109.
Siu, O.L., Cheung, F. and Lui, S., 2015. Linking positive emotions to work well-being and
turnover intention among Hong Kong police officers: The role of psychological capital. Journal
of happiness studies, 16(2), pp.367-380.

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Wang, H., Sui, Y., Luthans, F., Wang, D. and Wu, Y., 2014. Impact of authentic leadership on
performance: Role of followers' positive psychological capital and relational processes. Journal
of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), pp.5-21.