Leadership Reflection Report: Understanding Leadership in Business

This report provides a reflective analysis of leadership principles and development, drawing on a student's experiences and insights gained throughout a leadership course. The report begins by defining reflection and its importance in leadership, highlighting its role in identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It then examines how classroom activities, such as leadership exercises and discussions, have shaped the student's understanding of leadership, teamwork, and communication. The student reflects on the impact of these activities, including the development of active listening skills, peer coaching, and the application of leadership philosophies. The report also explores the student's experience in a professional setting, observing the impact of a new CEO on a senior leader and the challenges that arose. Finally, the report emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, personal values, and the practice of reflection in becoming an effective leader. The student acknowledges the significance of continuous improvement and the development of essential leadership skills. The report includes a re-evaluation of the student's initial leadership definition, reflecting on the changes and insights gained throughout the course, and concludes by summarizing the key themes that have influenced the student's understanding of leadership.

Leadership in business
Student’s Name:
Student’s ID:
Subject:

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Understanding of reflection
Reflection is determined to be a powerful tool that is helpful for a leader to enhance their
performance. It is a process which helps a leader to identify its strengths and weaknesses along
with the areas that need improvement. It guides a leader of how to develop and grow in the
coming weeks, months, and years. Reflection provides several benefits to the leaders and is
considered to be an enjoyable and easier process (Redmond & Dolan, 2016). It can be said that
the individuals who create plans to execute their work efficiently and effectively by applying
various approaches are regarded as more productive. I come to know that reflection is all about
asking questions to yourself about what are the areas that need improvement by being aware of
making rationalizations and justifications. Moreover, reflection enables an individual to focus on
the different areas along with the significant characteristics. Reflection must be practiced
regularly by the leaders to strengthen their self-awareness and help them to make better
decisions. The leaders who are more focused towards reflection possess high potential for
success, vitality, and creativity (Rigg, 2018). I believe that being honest to ourselves help in
making appropriate decisions and enhance our communication skills and become an effective
leader. Practicing reflection leads to a positive outcome that is helpful and useful in various
ways.
Moreover, it can be seen that the reflective leaders possess an ability to improve their
performance, engagement, and employee well-being. Reflective leadership leads to improved
performance of the organization, whereas reflective leaders are considered to be more effective
managers. It also helps a leader to innovate a solution, solve problems, and develop new
competency and skills (O'Neill, 2015). Thus, it is determined to be an effective and useful
approach to solving problems and learning various skills. I gathered knowledge that reflective
practice requires the ability to take others perspectives, ability to evaluate oneself, critical
thinking, and self-observation. It also requires a willingness to look back and step into new ways,
a non-judgmental stance, and an open mind. The leaders who practice reflective practice in
developing communications and relationships with employees helps in developing new
competencies and skills (Sousa & van Dierendonck, 2017). I gained knowledge that reflection
helps an individual to make efficient use of value open conversation, build confidence and self-
esteem, challenge assumptions and belief, create an environment that enhances trust, respect

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diversity and help others to achieve organizational goals. However, it is significant for a leader to
understand different leadership situations to gain the ability to overcome with such
circumstances,
In order to lead any group, the significant success factor is the ability as well as the willingness
to involve in reflection. It helps the leader to courageously and honestly ask questions to
themselves of how much they are contributing to a particular situation. It is helpful for a leader to
enhance its growth and progress to facilitate differently in different circumstances (Edwards &
Meliou, 2015). Doing hard work based on reflection, courage to look within, open mindset, and
growth-focused creates a various opportunity for an effective leader. Furthermore, I
acknowledged that reflection could be linked to mindfulness and the internal level of positivity
that influences the external and internal world. When an individual possesses a higher level of
thoughtfulness and awareness, it directly impacts on its behaviors. Reflection plays a significant
role in constantly improving the abilities and mindset of leadership that puts an impact on their
success and results (Despeisse, 2018). For a leader, it is significant to realize that the ability to
reflect helps in acknowledging the results and significance of reflection. Reflection enables a
leader to assist in identifying the attributes and strengths that put an impact on their work. It can
positively and significantly impact on the outcomes of changes that take place in the workplace
and provide an opportunity to resolve the issues (Seele, 2018). I got to know that reflection helps
in developing integrity in leadership to deal with the unfavorable condition.
Practicing reflection helps a leader to remain self-motivated in various ways. Effective
leadership and management begin with the help of practicing reflection. It made me recognize
that I need to strive hard to improve my strengths and weaknesses and build a culture of respect
for others and yourself. Reflection helps an individual to contribute to the outcomes such as
purpose, growth, and profitability (Scott & Scott, 2016). The leaders inwardly reflect upon the
organizational matters to understand the changing face of the organization. Reflection must be
made a regular part in the self-development process that builds confidence, competence, and
improves performance. Self-awareness is determined to be a significant key to becoming an
effective leader. The first step towards reflection is personal understanding values. It is
significant as the personal values of a leader is determined to be the major determinants that help
a leader to constrain or exercise leadership (Swanson & Frederick, 2016).

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However, I got to know that reflective learning is regarded as a grounded theory, which is
helpful for a leader. This particular theory is based on the ability of an individual to reflect upon
their actions and words and also helps in undertaking a learning process. Within the reflective
learning, there possess various skills that help a leader to develop significant skills. A leader
could practice reflection with the help of personal recording events and by using a reflective
journal (Maurer, Leheta & Conklin, 2017). I understood that reflection helps a leader to develop
its social skills, empathy, motivation, self-regulation, and motivation.
Class activities help in the understanding of yourself
In our leadership class, our professor explained that the leader is an individual who possesses
great teamwork, motivation, and communication skills. They are committed, responsible,
respected, honest and trustworthy. Based on classroom activities, I realized that effective leaders
could identify potential difficulties and stop them from occurring. In order to become a great
leader, I need to develop commitment, persistence and motivation in order to learn through
experience. Such practical leadership activities provide a huge benefit to enhance leadership
skills and qualities (Warwick, 2017). It helps in improving cohesion and team spirit and setting a
value for the team. Several tools were used by the professor in order to organize leadership
activities. From such activities, I gathered knowledge that practicing leadership effectively helps
in strengthening our team-building and leadership skills. Within the leadership building
activities, we were allowed to reflect on our leadership philosophies based on the values that
guide the leadership approach. My participation in the course or activity helped me in improving
my active listening skills that are determined to be an essential characteristic of a leader. It also
helped me in practicing peer coaching efficiently and effectively. The leadership activity that has
been organized within the class is extremely helpful in identifying and strengthening the
relationships at a workplace. It enhances the team members within an organization to take
appropriate actions to build trust. The activity offers a practical framework for effective and
regular feedback within the team members (Lozano & Escrich, 2017). As a leader, it will help
the members of the team to receive positive feedback suitably. The professor encouraged me to
focus on collaboration and teamwork.
Moreover, leadership activity helps the group members to demonstrate the importance of
leadership principles that could be applied practically (Hezlett, 2016). In order to come up with

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real-life aspects of leadership principles me as a participant worked in groups. The team
members within our group conducted several rounds of discussion in order to discuss the ideas
that help in recognizing the significant behaviors. On the other hand, the leadership development
activity provides a self-assessment framework for individuals to recognize the attitudes,
attributes, and skills for effective leadership and implement the development in different areas
(Geithner & Menzel, 2016). This framework is considered to be a great tool to set the desired
goals for individual development within a coaching process. Furthermore, structured sharing
activity helps in determining the concept of situational leadership that helps recognize the
external as well as the internal factors. This is regarded as an appropriate activity as it helps me
in enhancing my self-improvement. This particular activity helped to explore my values as a
leader and encouraged me to follow my intuition instead of finding the correct values and over-
thinking. It is an amazing activity that helps in enhancing personal values and initiating
reflection. I come to know that trust and responsibility helps a leader to attain the common and
desired goals.
However, within the leadership development activity, the group members were made to
demonstrate the significance of components of leadership philosophy. It helps me in preparing a
coat of gallery that exhibits the philosophy of group members and leadership approach. As a
result, the different activities held within the class helped me in enhancing my knowledge
regarding leadership skills, qualities, and recognizing my significant strengths and weaknesses.
Another leadership activity such as the Marshmallow challenge is considered to be a team-
building activity that supports team members within a group to develop their innovation and
problem-solving strategies, collaboration, leadership dynamics as well as communication (Sparr,
Knipfer & Willems, 2017). I got to know that active listening skills will help an individual to
become a successful leader by avoiding difficult conversations that includes providing
constructive and honest feedback. Another effective activity is the self-assessment activity that
enables the team members to reflect on their trust that they have towards others. Therefore, with
the help of leadership development activity, I acknowledged that it is important for me to
practice effective leadership as it helps me in improving my communication skills, delegation,
flexibility, confidence, commitment, and humor. The activities are also useful in improving
managerial skills

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The structure of the leadership activities is significant as it helps the participants to link the
activity to the workplace setting. The leadership activities are utilized in order to learn significant
skills to become an effective leader and to promote the development and expansion of a
leadership team (Kurucz, Colbert, Luedeke-Freund, Upward & Willard, 2017). It can also be
used to foster better communication and improve teamwork in the workplace that enhances team
cohesion. The activities that have been organized helps in improving communication and
interpersonal skills and building trust. It encouraged me to think differently in different
leadership situation based on a specific leadership style. However, as a participant, I have asked
certain questions regarding leadership skills and development and also made comments on the
opinions of others. It enables an individual to makes appropriate decisions regarding
organizational activities and solving the difficult problems (Edwards, Elliott, Iszatt-White &
Schedlitzki, 2015). It helped me in understanding the personality that enables me to improve my
behavior by creating better results.
Experience of working in an organization
For example, I was working with a senior leader in a reputed firm to support him to adjust
working with the CEO of the organization. It was a great experience as I was engaged in
supporting him and his leadership team with the help of a new strategic framework. The senior
leader with whom I was working was a successful, self-directed, and confident leader who
always believed in relationships engagement and focused towards building trust. However, I
observed that the new CEO of the organization had created a huge level of impact on the senior
leader. Although the senior leader works with the leadership team by implementing effective
strategies that would help in enhancing future growth, he faces various difficulties within the
organization (Raelin, 2016). This clearly states the fact that the shift of the new CEO was
developing anxiety at a senior level by asking several different questions which were not raised
before (Edwards & Meliou, 2015). As a result, the senior leader was worried that the new CEO
would change the organizational policies that will negatively affect the organizational activities.
It will also create a negative effect on the organization as well as the employees.
Therefore, I recommended that it is a perfect time for practicing reflection to move ahead in
order to face a critical situation. As a result, the senior leader decided to write a leadership
reflection letter to the CEO in order to make him understand the skills and qualities of a leader

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(Amanchukwu, Stanley & Ololube, 2015). Therefore, I acknowledged that writing a leadership
reflection letter is determined to be an effective technique that helps in making others understand
the importance along with the roles and responsibilities of a leader. Although I possess a strong
sense of significant values before working in this organization, after joining the organization, it
helped me to practice a huge level of professionalism. The skill-building event that has been
organized within the organization helps in enhancing leadership skills. I observed that the team
members within the organization practices shared leadership and management with authenticity
and awareness. I learned to write a leadership reflection that will be helpful for me in the future
in order to become an effective leader. This also helped in understanding my behavior, talents,
strengths, and weaknesses that would help me in responding effectively in different leadership
situations. It also helps in gaining trust and confidence that would help in becoming a good
leader in the future (Klaus & Fernando, 2016).
It helped me to gain adequate knowledge about the traits and characteristics of leadership that is
required for successful leadership. While working within the organization, I learned to
communicate with other co-workers regarding organizational activities. It helped in enhancing
my communication as well as coaching skills that are important to monitor the business
operations both on motivational as well as technical aspects. I also learned that in order to
become a good or effective leader, it is important for me to facilitate conversations around
strategy and ideas rather than giving commands. I understood different ways of how to
collaborate with the team members to achieve organizational objectives. While working with the
senior leader, I gained knowledge that as a leader, how to make effective decisions for the
betterment of the organization along with the organizational employees.
The paper demonstrated an understanding of reflection that helps a leader to acquire leadership
skills and qualities. It has been observed that reflection is helpful for a leader to identify its
strengths and weaknesses and focus upon the areas that need improvement. It also discussed the
class activities based on leadership development that helps an individual to become an effective
leader. Various leadership activities that have been organized help enhance communication
skills, active listening skills, and improving performance. The activities give equal opportunities
to every individual to express their opinions and thoughts regarding the importance of leadership.
The paper also provided an example based on the experience of working in an organization that

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helped in gaining relevant information about the significance of leadership. It can be seen that
the skill building events that have been held within the organization help in identifying
weaknesses, strengths, talents, and behavior in order to effectively respond to different situations.

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