Module 4: Critical Thinking/Application Prompts
Instructions
Each week, you will be presented with a series of critical thinking prompts and application prompts.
Please copy/paste the prompts into an offline document (Word, for example) and compose your responses offline (be sure to save your work). Then click on the “Submit Assignment” button above, copy/paste your work into the text box (
please be sure to include the prompts prior to your responses), and click “Submit Assignment” at the bottom of the page.
Each question is generally worthy of,
at a minimum, at least 250 words (2-3 well-written paragraphs) in response for the open-ended types of prompts. Be sure to connect with (and informally
cite in-text) the applicable readings/videos from the module’s learning materials.
A note on in-text citing and connecting with the learning materials:
As a graduate student, it’s
very important that you offer perspectives and arguments that are grounded in the literature –
NOT simply personal opinion or anecdotal evidence. I don’t want a works-cited page, but I do want you to clearly cite your sources in-text for the various connections you’ll be making between the learning materials and your application thereof. For example, one might write,
“While I marveled at the uncanny ability of the psychic to tap into my true personality, the Barnum Effect
(Aronson, 2022, p. 117) could have well explained my feelings…”
Be sure to use these informal in-text cites to make your arguments and to support your perspectives.
Excluding the prompts that are simply requiring you to input data, these are all open-ended prompts/questions, each deserving of a well thought out response. Again, that generally means two to three well-constructed paragraphs (about 250 words on average) per prompt.
Important Note For the Module Four Critical Thinking/Application Prompts:
While we are still maintaining our typical instructions and parameters for our critical thinking prompts exercise, this module is unique in that there are a larger number of prompts — all of which are focused on
YOU. This module is addressing “Boyatzis’s Theory of Self-Directed Learning” (now referred to as Intentional Change Theory) — which is composed of five steps (or “discoveries”); see illustration on page 110. As our authors state: “The crux of leadership development that works is
self-directed learning
: intentionally developing or strengthening an aspect of who you are or who you want to be, or both. This requires first getting a strong image of your
ideal self
, as well as an accurate picture of your
real self
— who you are now (109)”. The process is summarized below:
·
The first discovery: My ideal self — Who do I want to be?
·
The second discovery: My real self — Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps?
·
The third discovery: My learning agenda — How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps?
·
The fourth discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thoughts, and feelings to the point of mastery.
·
The fifth discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.
The prompts below require you to do a bit of
self-introspection/self-reflection
, for you want to get a picture of both your
ideal self
and your
real self
, as well as getting started on a possible
learning agenda
. Obviously, the self-directed learning process is ongoing. We are taking the initial steps below — getting a quick read-out on the ideal self and the real self and taking steps toward the creation of a learning agenda — a learning agenda that should be built on throughout one’s career.
There a WIDE VARIETY of ways of moving through the steps in the self-directed learning process. Indeed, after the publication of
Primal Leadership, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee went on to write two books designed to help people through the process: R
esonant Leadership (2005) and
Becoming a Resonant Leader (2008). Note that
Becoming a Resonant Leader was designed to basically be a “workbook” that one actually writes in as they move through a large number of various types of exercises. If you are interested in doing more work in this area, then I highly recommend
Becoming a Resonant Leader. I will also share here that this is the work that I was doing in the 1990’s with Life Design, Inc. Again, the exercises below simply give us a “taste” of what is involved.
Basically, the strategy is this: 1)
What is your ideal self? — You will move through a few exercises that culminate in the creation of a
Personal Vision Statement. 2)
What is your real self? — You will take some steps that will help you come up with a
Personal Balance Sheet. 3)
What are the gaps that may exist between the ideal self and the real self? — Addressing this question will culminate in the creation of seeds of a
Learning Agenda.
***DO make sure that your Personal Vision Statement, your Personal Balance Sheet, and your Learning Edge/Agenda are particularly well thought-out/detailed and well crafted/written (i.e., worthy of at least 250 words).
The following exercise includes the following eleven prompts:
Ideal Self Prompts:
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 1 (My Ideal Life):
Think about where you would be fifteen years from now if you were living your ideal life. What kind of people would be around you? What does your environment look and feel like? What might you be doing during a typical day or week? Don’t worry about the feasibility of creating this kind of ideal life. Just let the image develop, and place yourself in the picture. Try doing some free writing around this version of yourself fifteen years from now.
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 2 (My Values):
Think about the different arenas of your life that are important, such as family, relationships, work, spirituality, physical health. What are your core values in each of those areas? Think about the principles, values, beliefs, that guide you in your work and life — and think about whether they are values that you truly live by or something talk about. If necessary, go to a decent internet site and find a “list of values.” Then, on a sheet of paper or in a “Notes” app etc., make a list of your ten most important personal values. Finally, examine that list of 10, and rank each of your 5 most important values.
1 ___________________________________________________________________
2 ___________________________________________________________________
3 ___________________________________________________________________
4 ___________________________________________________________________
5 ___________________________________________________________________
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 3 (My Fantasy Job):
This is an opportunity to imagine yourself doing the kind of work or jobs that you sometimes fantasize, or wonder, “What would it be like if I were doing X?” Make believe the following three events have occurred:
1. You enter a new machine called a
neurophysiological remaker. After a few minutes inside of the machine, genetic reengineering and virtual neural implants give you the body, knowledge, and capacity to do any job and do it well.
2. You are given the financial resources and certifications (i.e., licenses) based on your new capabilities.
3. For one year, you are free of all personal, social, and financial responsibilities in your current or desired life.
Then, on a sheet of paper or in a “Notes” app etc., list 5 to 10 jobs that you would love to do or try. Consider a wide variety of jobs — in sports, music, medicine, politics, agriculture, religion. Consider working in other countries. Consider jobs you have heard about or seen in the movies or on television.
Now, choose the three jobs in your list that most interest you or seem the most exciting or rewarding. Describe each of them below, including what you will most enjoy or look forward to about each.
1:
2:
3:
TAKE NOTE: sometimes people describe a fantasy job as one they really wish for and want to do. Other times, the job represents some interesting or exciting activities or conditions. In other words, sometimes it is not the job that is the fantasy but some aspect of it or condition under which the job is done. As you read your descriptions of the jobs you would most like to do or try, do you notice themes or patterns? How are these jobs similar? Are there activities (such as being outdoors) that are part of each? Are there conditions of work (such as working with a team) that are part of each? Are there consequences such as being famous) that are part of each? If yes, share those themes or patterns.
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 4 (My Legacy):
What do you want your legacy in life to be? In other words, what will remain or continue as a result of your having lived and worked all these years?
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 5 (My Personal Vision):
A personal vision is the deepest expression of what we want in life. It is a description of our preferred future, not a prediction of what will be. In this sense, your personal vision should describe what you want out of life and work and what kind of person you want to be. Instead of a forecast of what you think might be likely in the future, your personal vision is a description of the future you dream about. Consider your responses to the exercises/prompts above. This will help you to identify the most important elements of your personal vision. What are the overall themes you observe? It is now time to pull together all of these reflections, thoughts, and ideas into a coherent statement of your desired future. To write your personal vision: choose a year in the future at least five years out and no more than 15 that has symbolic meaning to you. Imagine yourself, and your life, at that time. Write a vivid description of all aspects of your life in the present tense. In other words, write your vision as if it is that particular date in the future.
Real Self Prompts:
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 6 (The “Logan Test”):
See page 129 of
Primal Leadership — and take the Logan Test (to see if you are a “boiling frog”): consider the following questions about how you typically act these days, and contrast it with the person you were in the past. Do you awake each morning excited about the day, not wanting to sleep anymore than absolutely necessary? Do you laugh as much as you want did? Are you having as much fun in your personal life as you have in the past? Are you having as much fun at work? If you’re finding that work, relationships, and life in general don’t make you feel energized and hopeful about the future, that’s a good indication that you have probably lost touch with your real self and could use some insight into the person you have become.
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 7 (Strengths I See in Myself):
Strengths can be elements that you were born with, or things you have learned. They are extremely valuable or useful abilities, assets or qualities. What are your strengths? Summarize what you consider to be your most important personal and leadership strengths. These elements are likely to be things that you enjoy about yourself and others like about you. They are positive energizers for you.
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 8 (Strengths Others See in Me):
List a few strengths you believe other people see in you. These are the things people tell you you’re good at.
Strengths at home:
Strengths at work:
Strengths as a leader:
Strengths in relationships:
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 9 (Activities and Situations I Tend to Avoid):
List a few activities and situations you stay away from:
At home:
At work:
As a leader:
In relationships:
What patterns do you notice in the things you avoid?
Are there things you avoid in one area of your life (home, work, as a leader, in close relationships), but are able to face and engage with in other areas?
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 10 (Personal Balance Sheet):
Like assessing the value of a business, a balance sheet is a way to summarize your personal assets and liabilities. Using the assessments and reflection you have done by completing the exercises/prompts above and now using the prompts that follow below under “My Assets” and “My Liabilities,” you can now create your Personal Balance Sheet.
My Assets
My Distinctive Strengths:
Share below things I know I do well and strengths that others see in me:
My Potential Strengths: Share below things I could do better or more often if I focused, or things I do well in some situations and could begin to apply more broadly:
My Enduring Dispositions That Support Me:
Share below traits, habits, behaviors that I do not want to change that help me to be successful:
My Liabilities
My Weaknesses:
Share below things I know I don’t do well and I want to do better:
Weaknesses I Want to Change
: Share below things I know I don’t do well and I want to change:
My Enduring Dispositions That Sometimes Get in My Way: Share below traits, habits, behaviors that I do not want to change and that sometimes caused me to be less effective:
My Learning Edge
Critical Thinking/Application Prompt 11 (My Learning Edge/Agenda):
You are now ready to begin crafting you Learning Agenda. This is the real starting point of self-directed learning: taking stock of the parts of yourself that you relish and want to preserve, versus those you would like to change or adapt to your new circumstances. “Your leadership strengths — what you want to preserve — lie at the intersection of where your real self matches your ideal. Where reality fails to meet your ideal for yourself as a leader, of course, represent your ‘gaps.’ Piecing together this image of who you are and who you would like to be is a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You start at finding the edges, the most obvious pieces, then fill in more pieces, a section at a time. While at first you may not be able to make sense of the image, eventually, when just enough pieces have fallen into place, you see the whole picture clearly (Goleman et al 134).”
To begin the process of articulating your learning goals, it helps to review all that you have learned and done so far as a result of reading
Primal Leadership and doing the exercises above. Find a quiet place to sit, and go back through and review the exercises. Start by reading your Personal Vision, and then look at your Personal Balance Sheet. Read some of your notes about your past, your present, and your future. Then address the following questions/prompts.
· What stands out about how your current strengths will help you move toward your Personal Vision?
· Are there gaps between who you are now and who you want to be in the future or how you want to live your life? What are they?
· What major changes might you need to make if you are to achieve your vision/address the gaps?
· Identify two to five themes related to what you would like to do, be, or achieve. Be specific.
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