Developing Leadership and Management Assessment

Developing Leadership and Management

I

Assessment Brief

Details

Word count/Length: 3000 words, +/- 10%

Learning Outcomes: 1. Critically evaluate the definition, roles and

responsibilities of leadership and

management in modern contexts.

2. Assess alternative theoretical approaches

to leadership and management and their

relevance within contemporary organisations.

3. Discuss different methods of leadership

and management development and how to

implement and evaluate interventions

effectively.

Submission Date 12 May, 2025

Description of the assessment The assessment comprises a case study placed within a practical context. The case study information

will form the basis for the tasks that are required to be completed as part of the assignment. The

assignment will be presented in a report format worthy of a professional in a working context.

Attributes and Skills The table below highlights attributes and skills which will be required and/or developed through the

module and its assessment. Also included is a link to Develop@Derby where you can gain support with

regard to these.

Skills Links to useful resources

☐ Critical thinking https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/critical-reading

☐ Communication https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/writing-at-university

☐ Self-direction & planning https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/preparing-for-study

☐ Resilience https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/academic-wellbeing

☐ Adaptability https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/skills

☐ Leadership & future thinking https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/your-future

Assessment Content This assignment will enable you to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes for this module.

Assignment case study scenario

Background and context

You have recently graduated from university and have accepted a role at Forest Friends (FF), a

conservation, non-profit making charity, which is registered in the United Kingdom. You were eager to

accept the role as preserving the environment is very important to you, particularly forests and trees

because they are unique ‘carbon sinks’ which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, along with

oceans and other natural environments.

The role

You have accepted a position on the graduate scheme, which FF offers by using a government grant

designed to boost economic activity of university graduates in the UK. The scheme is named ‘rising stars’

and its purpose is to identify talented graduates who will be developed to become project leaders and

senior fundraisers, or to be appointed to the Board of Trustees (essentially directors) who undertake a

leadership role and steer the charity’s strategy.

Early Days

You have received an initial induction which acquaints you with how FF is run, objectives, staff handbook

highlights, contractual obligations, team building and an outline of the ‘Rising Stars’ scheme. You also

visited some of the heritage sites that FF protects, where you were advised on matters of health and

safety and had the opportunity to experience the work that the charity does.

Your first task

Now you have completed induction activities, you are given instructions for your first assignment by your

line manager. Your task is to research the nature of leadership at the charity and how the ‘Rising Stars’

scheme can develop future leaders.

You are specifically asked to create a graduate handbook to help ‘Rising Stars’ understand the nature of

leadership within FF. This handbook should include the following:

1. An assessment of different definitions and approaches of leadership and a proposal of which

definition best suits a charity such as FF and why that is.

- Forest Friends (FF) is a non-profit modern company. For understanding the most suitable

type of leadership, it is important to justify critically what are the main challenges for a

contemporary non profit organization:

a. Adapt to a vuca environment. The Nonprofits of 2025

b. Attend the global goals of sustainability (Agenda 2030) THE 17 GOALS |

Sustainable Development

c. Be an agile organization Agile Organizations | McKinsey & Company

d. Demonstrate sensibility to care the planet and the people, not only the

profit (Triple Bottom Line Framework) The Triple Bottom Line: What It Is &

Why It’s Important

2. Analysis of different methods that could be adopted to develop graduates towards management

and leadership roles within a charity.

- Justify critically the main steps of the journey of graduates into FF, according to the

nature of the organization (non profit).

- Explore S/W of formal and informal methods.

- Design the main steps of this journey for recent graduates. Here it is interesting to assess

and justify the two professional career paths that they can adopt: 1) as a project leaders

and/or senior fundraisers, 2) members of the Board of Trustees. An analysis of the job

description and specification for each one is advisable.

3. A specific leadership development plan which will be the template for the ‘Rising Stars’ scheme.

- Create an operational plan with: smart goals, actions, resources, deadlines and kpis for

both type of careers.

- Identify different paths of leadership development according the “map of talent” How to

talent map with ease [examples] - The Predictive Index

4. Explanation of the specific skills and competencies graduates will develop on the scheme and

how progress against these will be evaluated.

- Identify the main skills for each type of growth into the company.

Outputs to include in the Handbook required:

- Onboarding plan

- Professional Career Plan for young graduates.

- Development Leadership Program for this Talent.

Assessment Rubric The assignment will be marked against criteria within a marking rubric. For reference purposes the rubric

is available from page 7 onwards.

Formative Feedback Assignment planning for the coursework will be covered in the 1 hour lecture and seminar session. This

will include the provision of a planning document for you to develop to help you structure your work.

You will have the option to show your seminar leader your planning document for formative feedback

during the seminar in the following weeks.