Category: Organizational Leadership

About This Assignment

Prepare

After reviewing the Unit 7 readings, especially the HBR article Strategies for Learning from Failure, share your idea and perception of failure. For every success, there are many failures. Often, the two are interlinked or the opposite side of the same coin. Creating a Resume of Failures is an attempt to balance the record of my successes, as cataloged in my traditional vitae, and to provide some perspective on the nature, in general, of success itself. Reflecting on past accomplishments and failures provides a roadmap for future success, offering a clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t.It allows us to learn from mistakes, refine our strategies, and build upon our strengths, leading to more effective decision-making and goal achievement. This self-awareness cultivates a mindset of continuous improvement and resilience, which is essential for navigating challenges and achieving long-term success.

The Failure Resume is not a list of deficiencies or shortcomings; instead, it is evidence of a leaders ability to overcome challenges, highlighting moments when a person has faced adversity and emerged more knowledgeable and stronger from the experience. Please refer to the for possible categories to include. NOTE: Do not use this format for your failure resume. It is used to give you ideas on areas to include in your resume.

Unit Objectives (Not part of this units essay)

1. Define personal branding and identify its importance in leadership development.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of different personal branding strategies and their impact on self-awareness and leadership abilities.
3. Apply personal branding techniques to analyze your current strengths and areas for improvement in leadership.
4. Develop a personalized leadership development plan.
5. Synthesize your learning and personal experiences to create a comprehensive leadership development plan that includes specific goals, strategies, and action steps based on personal branding techniques.

Directions

1. Failure Resume: Create a document using a resume-style outline with bullet points, explanations, and/or a summary for each incident.
2. Essay: Answer the following questions: (2-3 pages not including the cover page or references page)

• Reflect on your current resume of successes, outlining your personal and professional accomplishments.
• Now consider activities within the same chronological timeframe that you would consider unsuccessful, a failure, or didnt turn out as ideally planned. What did you learn about yourself in those moments?
• Did you transform your obstacles into stepping stones? If so, how?
• When completing this exercise, consider how a failure-resume showcases the following:
• Resilience on Display: your ability to bounce back from a setback, demonstrating flexibility and tenacity to others.
• Agile learning and Adaptability:emphasize the lessons learned from each failure, proving one’s capacity for growth and adaptability in dynamic environments.
• Honesty and Candidness: openly acknowledging failures, exhibiting transparency and authenticity, and having qualities highly valued in leadership and a professional environment.

1. Upload and submit the following:
2. Your essay.
3. Your failure resume.

• Note: This is a separate file from your essay.

Readings

• Eisler, M. (2022, June 16). . Wide Lens Leadership.
• This article will provide valuable insights into the concept of forming and leveraging a personal board of directors for enhancing personal and professional growth
• Edmondson, A. (2011, April). . Harvard Business Review.
• The article discusses practical strategies for individuals to leverage failures as opportunities for growth, helping students develop a resilient mindset and enhance their problem-solving abilities in professional settings.

Media

• GreggU. (2016, August 1). (7). [Video]. YouTube.
• This video provides a concise explanation of leadership branding, helping to understand the importance of establishing a strong and authentic leadership identity to enhance their professional presence and influence.
• Ronin, K. (2024, January 2). . [Video]. YouTube.
• This video includes a comprehensive understanding of current leadership branding strategies and practical activities to enhance their self-awareness and professional branding skills.

Prepare

1. Complete the LinkedIn Learning course
3. .

• Communication expert Sharon Steed explains the principles of empathetic communication and shares specific strategies for improving one’s approach to difficult conversations. Time: 1:24
• Note: To access this course, you will be prompted to sign in with your OU 4 x 4 and password.

1. After completing the LinkedIn Learning course, you will write an essay reflecting on what you have learned.

• See the Instructor Guidelines page for general writing requirements.
• Consider the grading rubric when planning your assignment.

1. Be prepared to discuss your key takeaways during this week’s Live Session and written assignments.

Objectives

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the key components of psychological safety, including trust, openness, and mutual respect, and how these factors contribute to effective communication.
2. Students will apply their knowledge of psychological safety principles to analyze real-life communication scenarios with empathy.
3. Students will critically evaluate the impact of psychological safety on group dynamics and communication effectiveness, examining how to approach difficult conversations.
4. Students will synthesize their understanding of positive communication practices and strategies to develop guidelines developed from understanding empathy.

Directions

1. Complete the LinkedIn Learning course on “Empathy” linked above.
2. Connect the certificate of completion from this week’s assigned LinkedIn Learning courses to your LinkedIn profile.
3. Take a screenshot of your LinkedIn profile showing the connected certification.
4. Write at least a 2-page/500-word response considering the following:

• Reflect on what you have learned.
• Consider the definition of empathy and examine how to be empathetic at work.
• After completing the learning exercises, in which ways can you practice positive communication?
• Identify your communication styles. Are there ways you need to improve; if so, what and how?
• Examine how to approach difficult conversations. Is it effective? If so, explain how.
• Identify an issue you have encountered or are otherwise familiar with in your workplace when communicating with colleagues.
• Explain how you will use the information in this LinkedIn Learning course to solve the issue.
• Reflect on how you will use the information in this course to be more successful in your workplace or profession.
• Include APA-formatted citations and references.

1. Upload the following:
2. Your essay
3. Your certificate of completion from LinkedIn Learning

• Note: This is a separate file from your essay.

Guidelines

Assessment

Please refer to the attached rubric to understand how you will be graded.

Academic Integrity

• Copying or reusing previous work submitted in another course is not permitted.
• Open-book research for the assignment is permitted and encouraged.

Rubric

Weekly LinkedIn Assignment Rubric

Weekly LinkedIn Assignment Rubric

CriteriaRatingsPtsThis criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Content Development

35 to >32.0 pts

Advanced

Uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to illustrate understanding of the topic(s) covered in the assignment. All questions in the assignment directions were answered, and most responses were in depth and connected strongly to the material in the unit.

32 to >28.0 pts

Proficient

Uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to explore ideas within the topic(s) covered in the assignment. Most questions in the assignment directions were answered, and several responses were in depth and connected to the material in the unit.

28 to >21.0 pts

Needs Improvement

Uses appropriate and relevant content to develop and explore ideas within the topic(s) covered in the assignment. Answers a few questions in the assignment directions, and the responses show some connection to the material in the unit.

21 to >0 pts

Poor

Uses appropriate and relevant content to develop simple ideas about the topic(s) covered in the assignment. Few, if any, questions in the assignment directions were answered, and the responses demonstrated little, if any, connection to the material in the unit.

35 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Sources and Evidence

5 to >4.5 pts

Advanced

Demonstrates skillful use of high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas and justify rationales in the assignment. Most sources were cited and referenced correctly.

4.5 to >4.0 pts

Proficient

Demonstrates consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas and justify rationales in the assignment. Several sources were cited and referenced correctly.

4 to >2.9 pts

Needs Improvement

Demonstrates an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas and justify rationales in the assignment. A few sources were cited and referenced correctly.

2.9 to >0 pts

Poor

Demonstrates an attempt to use sources to support ideas and justify rationales in the assignment. Few, if any, sources were cited or referenced correctly.

5 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Writing Style and Quality

5 to >4.3 pts

Advanced

The assignment had no errors in grammar, mechanics, usage, spelling, or APA style.

4.3 to >3.7 pts

Proficient

The assignment had a few errors in grammar, mechanics, usage, spelling, or APA style.

3.7 to >3.0 pts

Needs Improvement

The assignment had several errors in grammar, mechanics, usage, spelling, or APA style.

3 to >0 pts

Poor

The assignment had many errors in grammar, mechanics, usage, spelling, or APA style.

5 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Certificate of Completion

5 pts

Advanced

The student uploaded a certificate of completion for the LinkedIn Learning course.

3 pts

Proficient

The student completed the but did not load the certificate of completion for the LinkedIn Learning course.

0 pts

Needs Improvement

The student did not complete the LinkedIn Learning course and did not load the certificate of completion.

5 pts

Total Points: 50

Readings

• Newman, L. (2023, January 17).
• The Decision Lab.
• This article details the key elements of high-performing teams.
• Gallo, A. (2015, February 15).
• Healthcare Leaders Media. Harvard Business Review.
• This article provides a definition and context to the concept of psychological safety and its benefits.
• Loignon, A. & Wormington, S. (2024, January 10).
• . Center for Creative Leadership.
• In this article, you will learn how to build camaraderie in teams and a safe working environment.
• Blomstrom, D. (2020, February 18) (25).
• . LinkedIn.
• This article explains the correlation between empathy and emotional safety in teams.

Media

• BluePoint Leadership Development. (2021, August 10).
• . [Video]. YouTube.
• This video discusses tools to communicate the vision, mission, and direction of your organization as a leader.
• The Clear Thinker. (2021, November 14).
• . [Video]. YouTube.
• In this video, you will learn methods on how to successfully communicate as a leader.