Self-Assessment Discussion Paper

Assignment 1: Self-Assessment, Leading Individual Change Due: Sunday, Midnight of Week 2 (15% of total course grade) Background Our course is organized around three core themes: (1) leading change in oneself, (2) leading change in teams, and (3) leading change in enterprise situations. Each of these will have an assignment that provides you with an opportunity to apply what you have been learning. This first assignment will help you assess and accelerate your own change journey. It may shed light on how you can get unstuck in your career. Even if youre not feeling stuck, it will help you better understand the forces that may have held you back, and the forces that have propelled you forward. The exercises you will complete in this assignment will also serve as a frame of reference that will support your work in the upcoming assignments. By understanding the forces that impact your own change initiatives, you will be better equipped to coach and support others who are asked to embark on change journeys, and to lead change by truly putting people first. Instructions Complete a professional change journey analysis that addresses the following: (1) Your Professional Change/Growth Identify an area of professional change that is meaningful for you. This change should be related to your career in HR or your aspirations to begin a career in HR, and should be focused on your growth as a leader and manager. Its fine to connect this to getting promoted and making more money, but assume these are the natural outcomes of a positive and fulfilling change, and not an end in themselves. a. Briefly summarize your career path to date. b. How would you characterize this journey? Has your progression been steady and predictable? Have you risen through the ranks faster than you expected? Have you experienced a career setback? Do you feel stuck or stalled where you are? c. What do you want to happen in your career? What makes this future state your change vision appealing? Again, dont default to a more money, better title response. Explain how your vision aligns with your passions and your aptitudes. Tip: Take note of Jacks video in Week 2 discussing how to find your Area of Destiny. d. What is needed to make this change happen? Focus on the steps you will take and the outcomes they will lead to. Some of these may involve helping others see how great you are, but concentrate on what you need to change, not what others need to change. Include timelines (even if theyre rough estimates) to provide additional context. Tip: Consider the 6 Action Steps presented in Chapter 12 of The Real Life MBA. e. Finally, what happens if the change doesnt occur, or if it doesnt occur within the timeframe youd prefer?

Use these 2templates in your assignment:

 
Leading Change in HR and in Teams
Over the next three weeks, we will focus on leading change in teams. While the principles of change management applied to teams are fundamentally the same as those that apply to organizational change, it is helpful to look at team-level change first both to help apply what you have been learning in your other courses and as a proving ground before moving on to the big stuff.
3. Setting the Stage for Change
4. What’s In It For Me?
5. Making It Stick