Reflection Assessment

Reflection Assessment

Introduction

Leadership and decision-making skills go hand in hand. They display individual skills that help in influencing one’s behaviors, characters, and actions as well. Charles Manz introduced the term self-leadership in 1983. In his study, he defined self-leadership as an aspect of self-influence in leading oneself. It focuses on self-development and doing what is right through individual decision-making skills to survive the world. Through self-leadership, one can identify o they are, what they do, and what they want. AS a result, they can, therefore, make decisions that would influence their emotions, character, behavior, and lifestyle. Studies state that all human beings are self-leaders, but few have practical self-leadership skills. It changes the ability of one to make right or wrong decisions

Self-Assessment

Based on the self-assessment result, self-leadership skills play a significant role in my overall day to day life. Through the assessment, I gained a high prospect in self-confidence, efficacy, and influence, even to other parties around me. Western (2019) states that self-leadership influences individual choices and character, and in incidences that one can positively influence their role, they bear the right skills to lead in any societal set-up. Self-leadership evaluates an individual’s intent towards doing what is right without being influenced by external parties. Self-assessment plays a crucial role in making well-informed decisions concerning an individual’s path and doing what is right (Neck et al. 2010). It acts as a test that evaluates one’s performance in terms of personality, interests, work, and life values and goals. Self-assessment encompasses different autonomies, and individuals must take into account all aspects to get accurate answers..

Analysis and reflection

Self-leadership circumnavigates around managing one’s thoughts, actions, and decisions. Therefore, it is influenced by oneself, which highly relies on self-assessment activities that help in evaluating individual strengths and weaknesses. Through the assessment and reflection activities, some of my advantages include:

• Self-awareness’s leadership cannot when one does not understand their emotions, drives, and character. Therefore, having been able to understand my inner personality, I can know what triggers different emotions in me.
• Empathy: It is the ability to understand the personality and emotional makeup of other people that are around us. In this way, one can live peacefully with those close to us by creating secure connections to others’ feelings and reactions.
• Accountability: Through the assessment, liability was a critical trait that helped in evaluating the ability to take responsibility for my actions and character. It helps to eliminate ego-centric attitudes and characteristics, therefore, giving room for growth, positive thoughts, and emotions as well.
• Self-honesty: It involves being truthful to one-self even when no-one is watching. Self-honesty integrates acts of integrity and motivation without seeking out for judgments or society approvals.
• Self-discipline; Through the assessment, self-discipline was an essential personal managing mental and emotional growth as an individual (Western 2019). Self-discipline does not have to rely on incentives on punishments to accomplished but rather individual self-drive.
• Self-compassion: Healthy personal development encompasses self-love and being able to accept change without self-criticizing our actions or bringing our inner self down. Self-compassion plays a significant role in ensuring that as individuals, I get to learn about myself by understanding that all people are different, thus cultivating self-acceptance.

Weaknesses

• Stagnancy: On most occasions, stagnancy is influenced by past results and failure, which sometimes becomes hard to overcome in future projects.
• Lack of trust: Fear of failure and unsatisfactory progress sometimes results in a lack of self-trust, which hinders growth. Not believing in ones-self blocks the conviction on making the right choices.
• Being judgmental: Self-leadership requires one to have an open mind to all situations and the people that one interacts with. It blocks the thoughts of productivity, success, and determination.

Difference From the Research Evidence

Theories on leadership and research integrate all aspects of leadership, which puts together on how others perceive an excellent leader. However, self-leadership narrows down to individual traits and characteristics which vary from one person to another and may not be experienced by all persons in leadership positions (Neck et al. 2010). Some of the strengths tend to be weaknesses in line with the theories of leadership and vice versa. Therefore, it all narrows down to how one expresses their self-leadership skills.

Strategies and Recommendations

• Building on one’s purpose

One must get to identify their use and build on it to avoid being intimidated. One vital question that one may ask themselves would be, why do you exist?

• Personal reflection

Personal reflection helps one identify their potential growth, thus revealing one’s strengths and weaknesses. A personal reflection gives a 360-degree view of what one’s actions and what their lives encompass. It would be possible for one to reflect on past experiences and use the feedback in managing their futures.

• Listen more

The power of listening builds on communication skills development, self-reflection, and growth by building confidence and being assertive (Western 2019). When people listen more before taking any action, they can reflect on the impacts and consequences of their efforts, thus building on one’s strengths.

Individual decision making

Individual and group decision making varies widely, as various factors are considered in both scenarios. The group decision-making process is a function of all parties involved, and therefore, their input and implications have to be considered during the process. On the other hand, individual decision making reviews on personal befits and the influence that the decision would have towards the party.

Differences

Individual decision making does not solely focus on people’s emotions or influence but rather particular situations and personal instincts. Therefore, there is no moral commitment aligned attached to it as the impacts and consequences will only affect a single party. Individual decision making could be rational, as one may not be able to collect all the necessary information to make a decision. Group decision making, on the other hand, is a collective process, and all parties are free to contribute information gathered that would affect the situation discussed (Ambrus et al., 2009). However, in individual decision making one does not get to escape responsibilities and impact whether positive or negative. Therefore, their own decision making is aligned with the accountability of performance.

During a group decision-making exercise, guidelines and policies are usually outline before teams get to interact. Therefore, the policy guidelines outlined on the do’s and don’ts and what one is free to partake. On the other hand, the individual decision-making process is one man’s show, and therefore, policy and guidelines do not have to apply in the process.

Analysis and reflection: Challenges in Individual Decision-making Process

• Poor implementation

Often, an individual tends to make an individual decision but fail to comply with it. Lack of policies and guidelines usually affect the decision-making process as individuals feel they are not answerable to any third party or liable for punishment depending on the decision they make.

• Uncertainly

The group decision-making process usually gives room for discussion before the team ascertains to making the decision a final commitment. However, in individual decision making one does not know whether it is the right or wrong decision to make (Ambrus et al., .2009). The consequences and impacts accrued later would be a detriment if it was the best decision to make with the circumstances at hand.

• Reconciliation

The self-assessment process is significant during the individual decision-making process. The self-assessment process would help in ascertaining the outcomes from the decision made. Further, individuals’ skills and self-discipline also play a significant role in reconciling the difference in group and individual decision making (Ambrus et al., .2009). There are circumstances whereby, after close evaluation and assessment, an individual decision-making process is significant. However, in other cases, especially whereby the outcome would affect the group of people, group decision making is needed in keeping the interest of the team open.

Individual V Team Decision-Making Process

Studies show that the group decision-making process is complex and is time-consuming. As earlier stated, group decision making involves having input from all parties (Ambrus et al. 2009). Therefore, debates may occur, and group members may disagree before the final decision is made. Unlike individual decision making, which only relies on one party, group decision making requires the input for all parties, which could take a long time.

On the other hand, Ambrus et al. (2009) state that the group decision-making process is more effective than the individual decision-making process due to the ability to gain inputs from different parties. Different individuals have different talents, and therefore a collection of their skills and personalities would help in the decision-making process. Different people in the team may use their skills or past experiences in ensuring that the decision made thereof is practical and easy to implement.

Strategies and Recommendations

• Learning from experience

While making a new decision, individuals should gain from experience and let the possibilities of past experiences act as a guideline to the decision-making processes. Every decision made should be unique and not arrived due to the influence of a third party but rather the value of experiences.

• Give options

Despite being an individual process, individuals need to be open to possibilities and opportunities before they arrive at a final decision. The decision-making process should be elaborate and open to different ideas and other external thoughts. One may use a self-assessment test while making decisions.

• Understanding of context

It is essential that, before arriving at a final decision to a situation, the framework to the matter being addressed should be elaborate. Individuals may choose to explore the different backgrounds to get reliable information and judgment about a job.

Conclusion

Self-leadership and decision-making processes are necessary aspects that have to carefully evaluated to arrive at the right decisions. It is, therefore, important that individuals should learn their strengths and weakness and use their skills in determining what is best for them. In most cases, being able to make the right judgmental, and avoiding third-party influences helps to build on one’s skills and ability to do what is right.

References

Ambrus, A., Greiner, B., & Pathak, P. (2009). Group versus individual decision-making: Is there a shift. Institute for Advanced Study, School of Social Science Economics Working Paper, 91.

Neck, C. P., Manz, C. C., Van Belle, D. A., Mash, K., Coogan, M. D., Brettler, M. Z., … & Sparks, B. (2010). Mastering self-leadership: Empowering yourself for personal excellence. Pearson.

Western, S. (2019). Leadership: A critical text. SAGE Publications Limited.