Module: Developing Skills for Business Leadership

Learning Outcomes:

1.    Manage developing skills more effectively at work or in another professional context.

2.    Manage interpersonal relationships at work more effectively.

3.    Make sound and justifiable decisions and solve problems more effectively.

4.    Lead and influence others more effectively.

5.    Interpret financial information and manage financial resources.

6.    Demonstrate enhanced IT proficiency.

7.    Demonstrate an essential people management skill-set.

8.    Demonstrate competence in postgraduate study skills.

Assessment brief/activity

You are required to produce a portfolio that:

1.    introduces you and provides background information through a CV and a three minute presentation using appropriate technology

2.    demonstrates that you have acquired five skills, by providing skills acquisition statements and a learning log

3.    provides evidence of plans for continuing personal and professional development (CPPD) and an account of your ability to critically reflect upon your learning

Details of each section of the task

1.    Introduction and background information

This is achieved by completing:

a.    A CV which could be used in applying for a post in HR

b.    Four slides that could be used to introduce you, assuming you are being interviewed for a post in HR.

c.     Evidence of development and effectiveness in five skills. The five skills specifically identified here are: Management of interpersonal relationships, decision-making and problem-solving, leading and influencing, interpreting financial information and managing finance and demonstrating people management skills. Each of the five skills should identify development activities over a period of time (which may go beyond the start time of your CIPD programme). Each skill should be presented as an individual statement and cross-referenced with the learning log (see below).

d.    A separate learning log should identify a range of activities that have been undertaken during the time of the CIPD programme. This log should be based upon activities other than the formal CIPD programme. It may include supplementary study, extra-curricular activities, CIPD national local branch activities, workplace activities and personal life and hobbies. These activities are useful in supporting your claim to effectiveness in each of the five skills identified.

2.    Forward planning (CPPD) and self-reflection

a.    The CPPD should identify future plans and these may be based upon skills gaps, plans to specialise, skills requiring on-going development as integral to delivering HR, personal development and work-life balance.

b.    A separate personal reflection statement should be based on critical analysis of your performance in producing the portfolio. Your portfolio should be cogent, articulate and focused, yet draw on as many sources of worthwhile and authoritative evidence that you can find. All such sources should be properly identified and referenced.

All submissions should be added in the Harvard Referencing Format.