Task 1.
Harris Hall has sent you a guidance pack titled ‘Preparation for Application and Interviews’, which includes some tasks for you to complete. This will provide the foundations for the applications you will make. You are required to produce a file of information. In section 1 you must:
• analyse the knowledge and skills in leadership and strategic management which are required to support the creation and achievement of organisational vision and strategy
• assess the contribution that factors other than skills and knowledge in leadership and strategic management make to the achievement of organisational vision and strategy
• review theories of leadership and management and assess the implications for your personal development.
Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you should also add a further section which:
• provides a justified ranking of the leadership and management knowledge and skills required to successfully create and achieve organisational strategy.
To gain a distinction grade you must produce an additional section which:
• evaluates the leadership and management knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of organisational operations versus the creation and achievement of organisational strategy.
LO1 AC 1.1, 1.2, 3.1,
1M1, 1D1
Task 2
The second part of the file enables you to manage the development of your own personal knowledge and skills in leadership and strategic management. This will support achievement of personal and organisational vision and strategy. This audit must be done in the context of an organisation where you are employed, where you work in a voluntary capacity, where you wish to gain employment or where you are studying. You must:
• carry out an audit of your own personal leadership and management knowledge and skills. The knowledge and skills identified must facilitate the creation and achievement of organisational vision.
• set objectives to meet your personal development needs in the context of strategic organisational needs
• prepare a personal development plan to develop own leadership and management skills to support the creation of organisational vision and strategy
Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade:
• justify how objectives and the plan selected for personal development support achievement of organisational vision and strategy.
To gain a distinction grade you must:
• carry out appropriate personal development activities to develop knowledge and skills identified in the audit,
LO3 AC 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
3M1, 3D1
Task 3
Harris Hall has sent you an email about an interesting post which is advertised in Management Today and you have decided to apply. As part of the application the organisation wants you to send a CV and a paper on ‘Developing and Communicating Organisational Vision’. The SHR Department in the organisation will use this information in the shortlisting of applicants, who will then be invited to interview.
Prepare a paper which:
• analyses the factors which impact on the creation of organisational vision
• assesses the different approaches to developing vision
• evaluates the key factors which impact on the communication of vision to external stakeholders.
Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must write additional section in the paper which:
• evaluates the key factors needed to gain the commitment of internal stakeholders when communicating vision
LO 2 AC 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
2M1
Task 4
Congratulations you have been shortlisted for the post and been invited to interview. You are required to prepare a presentation which:
• assesses the benefits of review and explains when this tool can be used in the achievement of personal and organisational strategy.
You are required to produce a paper which:
• evaluates the sources of information needed to review progress with achieving personal development plans.
LO 4 4.1, 4.2
Task 5
In the guidance pack Preparation for Application and Interviews’, Harris Hall have asked you to review progress to date with your personal development plan. You understand the importance of review in supporting individual and organisational progress.
• Produce a report which reviews your progress against the outcomes stated in your personal development plan.
4D1
Guidelines for assessors
The assignments submitted by learners must achieve the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by the assessment criteria for the unit. To achieve a merit or distinction grade, the learners must demonstrate that they have achieved all the criteria set for these grades. Where work for the pass standard is marginal, assessors can take account of any extension work completed by the learners. The suggested evidence listed below is how learners can demonstrate that they have met the required standards.
Task
number LOs and AC Suggested evidence
PASS Suggested additional evidence MERIT Suggested additional evidence DISTINCTION
1. LO1:
AC 1.1, 1.2,
LO3 3.1,
1M1,1D1 The learner must produce a clear and detailed analysis of the knowledge and skills in leadership and strategic management which are needed to support the creation and achievement of organisational vision and strategy. The assessment of other factors that support achievement of organisational vision and strategy should consider each factor in turn and lead to judgements. The learner must produce a detailed review of a range of leadership and management theories linking them to their own personal development and making judgements on the relevance. The learner must determine the ranking approach that will be used. This must be applied to the knowledge and skills required to successfully create and achieve organisation strategy. The judgements made must be explained and justified. The learner should produce a balanced evaluation of the leadership and management knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of organisational operations versus the creation and achievement of organisational strategy. The learner should consider arguments for and against and judge the evidence from the different perspectives. This should lead to valid conclusions.
2 LO3 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
3M1,3D1 The audit of learner’s own personal leadership and management knowledge and skills should be objective and factual. It is not sufficient to base this purely on personal reflection. The audit needs to be related to the analysis produced for AC 1.1. The objectives set must be presented clearly, directly related to the personal audit and organisational strategic needs. The objectives should be SMART.
The personal development plan should be in a clear format with stated specific objectives, timescales and monitoring points. The plan must be detailed and might include a range of activities such as formal learning or training, as well as informal learning. The learner must give a comprehensive explanation of the reasons why the plan and the stated objectives support achievement of organisational vision and strategy. There should be evidence of the personal development activities undertaken. This may take the form of a log and include witness statements, agendas of meetings, programmes of training events etc. The evidence must link to the knowledge and skills identified in the audit.
3 LO2 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
2M1
The different factors impacting on the creation of vision should be examined in detail. The assessment of the different approaches should be clearly presented and lead to judgements. In the analysis and assessment reference to actual examples from organisations would assist the learner in supporting the points which are made. The evaluation of key factors impacting on the communication of the vision to external stakeholders should clarify who the external stakeholders might be and how the message might be differentiated. The evaluation should consider the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and lead to judgements. The evaluation of the key factors needed to gain the commitment of internal stakeholders when communicating the vision must consider the points from different perspectives. The learner should provide reasoned judgements.
4 LO4 AC 4.1, 4.2
The presentation and paper must be appropriate for the selected audience and the scenario provided. The assessment should be objective and lead to judgements. This should be accompanied by a full explanation of when the tool of review can be used to support achievement of personal and organisational strategy. The learner may wish to refer to examples of review used in different organisations to support individual and organisational progress.
The evaluation of the sources of information needed to review progress when achieving personal development plans must explain why they are relevant and what benefits they bring. This should lead to valid conclusions and judgements.
5 LO4
4D1 The report should accurately identify and explain the progress made in achieving the objectives set in the personal development plan. The review must be honest, factual and based on the activities which have been completed, identifying where objectives have been met and where any shortfalls exist.
