Leadership Reflection Journal: Analyzing Leadership Skills at Tesco

This reflective journal analyzes the author's leadership experiences at Tesco, a retail company. It explores the essential role of a leader in guiding and motivating a team to achieve organizational goals. The journal delves into the author's personal leadership style, highlighting areas for improvement, particularly in communication and time management. It discusses the application of Kolb's reflective cycle for continuous learning and development. Furthermore, the journal emphasizes the importance of employability skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, as well as research and ICT skills. The author reflects on how these skills were utilized and developed within the team environment, and how they contributed to effective leadership. The journal concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-reflection as a key component of effective leadership and personal growth.

TASK 2- REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Leadership is an effective process of leading, guiding and directing people of a company so
that employees can execute and perform their task and duties in effective and efficient manner.
Having effective leadership and motivational skills, individual can lead workers to accomplish
business aims and hitting set target of enterprise. The journal addresses the personal viewpoint
and the role of leader in an establishment (Northouse, 2018). This Critical reflection is based and
focused on my own experience of leadership whereby I suggest areas for my own development
and growth. Reflecting on the role and improvement in communication skill and performance
will explain within it, It will also reflect on the abilities that I used and implemented to form a
team. It assists the person reflect from the experiences so that it can be developed in future.
MAIN BODY
Leadership is an ability that a person processes to direct a whole group and lead them for
their work to accomplish the atoms and objectives of the venture. In a place of work, the role of
leader is to administrate the workers and coordinate the work among the administration group
and people performing in the company. I was a leader in an establishment like Tesco which is a
retail sector company of UK. The function that I play is that of dealing with team, encourage or
empower them, lead them and measure whether the group is demonstrating effective execution
ad is capable to meet the organisational goals and targets. For the experience, I have learned that
the most crucial role of leader in a company is assisting the workers to develop efficiency and
execution of the enterprise. The development and progress of the unit lies in the hands of a
leader. It is hence most crucial for a leader in a company to be effective so that the team and
group can be administrated and managed in effective and appropriate form (Hoch and et. al.,
2018). When i was performed or execute my job role as a leader, I learned several things which
assisted me in developing and improving my professional abilities. Along with this a leader is an
individual who is important at all phases of administration. At lower levels, the role of a leader is
to perform the plans laid through the top administrators and at top level, he role of a leader is to
coordinate the actions. A leader is a representative of the establishment or a group. As a leader, I
play role to put forth the queries suffered by the team to the administrators and efficiently solve
them so that the efficiency of the company s not hindered. I attend the meetings conferences on
then behalf of my team and represent them in several functions and events. I have represented
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my group in several events. For the experience, I learned that it is required to represent the unit
in a favourable form so that it enhances the knowledge and information.
Kolb’s reflective cycle
For the effective leadership, Kolb’s theory of reflection is a crucial tool which assists me in
performing the duties of a leader in more amended manner. Kolb’s theory works on two levels.
First, it works on a four phase cycle of learning. Second, it works to tackle four separate learning
forms. This combination generates a concentrate on the interior cognitive activities as the
individual believes that learning engages the acquisition of abstract conceptions applied
flexibility in a variety of situations. The diverging is the first phase of this model which
emphasises the creative and imaginative approach to doing things. It views concrete conditions
from several perspectives and accepts through examination rather than by action. Interested in
individual and tends to be feeling oriented. Such as actions because cooperative teams and
brainstorming. Assimilating, this phase pulls a number of several examinations and thoughts into
an integrated whole. Likes to rationale inductively and generate models and conceptions. This
assists me in designing projects and experiments. Converging, it is highlights the practical
application of thoughts and solving issues and the practical application of thoughts. It prefers
technical problems over interpersonal issues. Accommodating is the final phase which utilises
trial and error rather than idea and reflection (Eva and et. al., 2019). It is effective at accepting to
changing situations, solves problems in an instinctive, trial and error manner, such as detection
learning. It also leans to be at ease with individuals. By following and implementing these
concepts effective learning occurs when an individual undertakes a focus experience followed by
observation of and reflection on that experience that directs to the formation of abstract
conception and generalisations.
Employability and study skills
These are the core skills and traits required in nearly every job. These are the general
abilities that make someone desirable to a company like Tesco. Hiring administrators almost
always look for workers with these competencies. Employability skills consider soft skill,
professional skill and transferable skills etc. Study skills are an array of abilities that tackle the
process of organising and taking in new information, retaining information or dealing with
assessments. They consider mnemonics that aid the retention of lists of information, effective
reading, concentration techniques and effective note taking.
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Research skill
It refers to the ability to search for, locate, extract, organise, evaluate and use or present
information that is reliable to a specific topic. With the help of this skill, I collect data as well as
assist employees in gathering information when they are performing regarding a particular task.
Due to having this ability I make plan, scheduling them and make critical analysis so that the
devised plan can be accomplished in effective manner. To make development in this skill, I will
set a schedule, pose the thesis, draw an outline, visit Wikipedia once, meet a librarian, take
benefit of new technologies and write down etc.
Communication skills
During the time of performing in Tesco as the role of a leader, I make development in my
differ skills like communication, research, ICTs, teamwork, problem solving, time and self
management skills etc. When I was performing in the team in term of lead and direct the entire
group, due to having effective verbal and written communication, I was able to deliver and share
required information to teammates so that people of the group can perform their work in
effective manner (Northouse, 2019). But sometimes, I faced several issues related to written
communication cause of lack of vocabulary. So face issues in sharing any written information
due to put an appropriate words. But I will make development within it by learning words
through online and many more. Verbal communication is the utilise of sounds and words to
communicate to views of an individual, especially in contrast to using signs or mannerisms.
Sometime during presentation and meeting I feel nervous and hesitate. So to make development
in this skill, I will speak with confidence and be a good listener.
Teamwork
Along with this, my team work skill also assists me in accomplishing and performing the
assigned work of employees in more developed manner. Due to have this ability, I formed an
effective team by selecting and assorting knowledgeable and talented employees within the firm.
Apart from this, before building the team, I also analysed the past and previous execution of
teammates so that I can determine that they are able to perform this particular task or not either
require any kind of training. The utilisation of team work skill assist me making good relation
with employees because when people of the group are not able to perform any task then I
provide them an effective support to them. To dealt a team, firstly, hire the right people for roles,
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get to know each member of the team, play to individual strengths, set up ground rules, agree or
support on a team mission, promote sharing, steer he conversation and map aim and timeframe.
ICT skill
ICT (information and communication technology) also enable in manage, analyse and
transmit large amount of information and data. Due to having good and effective information
about ICT systems, I able to store and manage the require information and save time in working
environment and make data more productive. With the help of this ability, I administrate work
related information of the group and secure it. In this dynamic world, there are several
technologies related to information security and data storage take place. I do not more
information about the communication and information related technologies, so make
improvement in it (Schoemaker, Heaton and Teece, 2018). I update with the new technologies
regarding communication and information so that I can make development in my ICTs ability.
Problem solving skill
Effective problem solving skills also assist me in resolving the issues of teamwork when
they are facing issues during performing in team regarding particular work. When people face
issues, I use my ability by offering effective solution and asking them where they suffer problem
in work. This skill also assists me making effective employee relation as due to open
communication in term of resolving issues so that people can discuss their all kind of problem
which affects them in performing in team. This also encourage team member because when they
share their views and complexities openly and get effective solution, they empower and execute
their work effectively. But sometimes I face issues to solve critical and complex problem of
employees which influence my problem solving ability in unfavourable manner. So, to make
development in, I will solve case studies of complex cases and situation and many more.
Time and self management skills
This skill also an effective skill which assist me in performing the role of Tesco in
appropriate manner (Daniëls, Hondeghem and Dochy, 2019). With the help of this skill, I
manage the work so that people of the company can perform their work in more developed and
timely. By using effective time management tools, I categories work in small sections and then
prioritise them so that the work and duties can be performed on time. This help in managing
work, employees as well as me also because with the assistance of it, I do and execute my duties
in systematic, managerial and on time. Self management is the capability to prioritise aims,
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determine what must be done, and be accountable to complete the required activities.
Comprehensive self management considers four realms like physical, mental, social and
spiritual. To dealt time management skill, I can delegate tasks, prioritise task, create a schedule,
set up deadlines, overcome procrastination, deal with stress wisely, avoid multitasking and statrt
early etc.
CONCLUSION
This has been summarised from the defined information that as I have defined that self
reflection is the key to effective leadership and in reference to develop the leadership skill and
ability, it is crucial to be self aware of the strengths and weaknesses of self skills so that they can
be developed by taking effective actions. A leader’s ability to reflect on their immediate work
environment and specially themselves will lead to impact people of company regarding positive
directions which will benefit them and their establishment.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Northouse, P.G., 2018. Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Western, S., 2019. Leadership: A critical text. SAGE Publications Limited.
Hoch, J.E. and et. al., 2018. Do ethical, authentic, and servant leadership explain variance above
and beyond transformational leadership? A meta-analysis. Journal of Management, 44(2),
pp.501-529.
Northouse, P.G., 2019. Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice. SAGE Publications,
Incorporated.
Schoemaker, P.J., Heaton, S. and Teece, D., 2018. Innovation, dynamic capabilities, and
leadership. California Management Review, 61(1), pp.15-42.
Daniëls, E., Hondeghem, A. and Dochy, F., 2019. A review on leadership and leadership
development in educational settings. Educational research review, 27, pp.110-125.
Eva, N. and et. al., 2019. Servant leadership: A systematic review and call for future
research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), pp.111-132.
Dumlao, R.P. and Pinatacan, J.R., 2019. From Practice to Writing: Using Reflective Journal
Instruction in Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Development. International Journal
of Instruction, 12(4), pp.459-478.
Zulfikar, T. and Mujiburrahman, 2018. Understanding own teaching: becoming reflective
teachers through reflective journals. Reflective Practice, 19(1), pp.1-13.
Apsari, Y., 2018. Reflective Reading Journal In Teaching Writing. Indonesian EFL
Journal, 4(2), pp.39-47.
Djudin, T., 2020. Writing Reflective Journal and Corrective Feedback: The Endeavors to
Increase Students’ Physics Achievement of Dynamic Fluids. JIPF (Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan
Fisika), 5(3), pp.141-150.
Online
Kolb’s theory of reflection. 2020. [Online]. Available Through: < https://cetl.uconn.edu/kolbs-
theory-of-reflection/#>.
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