Word Count : 3500 words

Learning Outcomes :

  1. Critically evaluate ethical and inclusive approaches to leadership and diversity in  professional practice
  2. Critically reflect on the qualities and skills necessary for effective leadership in cross cultural contexts from a personal professional development perspective
  3. Understand the principles for leading and developing people
  4. Understand leadership and development strategy
  5. Understand equality, diversity and inclusion at a strategic level
  6. Know how to develop strategic priorities for equality, diversity and inclusion

Assignment :

Part A: Developing a strategy to lead equality, diversity and inclusion 

Task 1 

Create a presentation (10 key slides plus additional slides with supporting notes) for the manager in the case study on leading in the context of equality, diversity and inclusion in the organisation. The presentation must include the  following: 

  1. a) A critical evaluation of the issues the organisation is currently facing and how they might be resolved. b) Critical discussion of why equality, diversity and inclusion is important to the organisation, the individual and the team as an enabler of performance.
  2. c) Explain and analyse how a strategy for equality, diversity and inclusion strategy could be implemented for cultural change in the organisation.
  3. d) Critically evaluate and discuss how the leadership style impacts upon equality, diversity and inclusion in the

It is expected that appropriate models, academic sources and good practice theory will be applied and be academically rigorous  to support your work.  

(1,500 words, 40% of marks) 

Task 2  

Your case study organisation has recently undertaken a brief staff survey to be more informed on how they are  leading and developing people within the organisation. Draft a set of briefing notes in response to the survey  findings to present to the organisation to guide their future strategy. Include this information on additional slides  in standard text.  

The survey has revealed the following: 

65% look forward to going to work in the morning;  

80% feel valued and supported by their work colleagues, 55% by their line manager, but only 20% by senior  managers;  

60% are satisfied with their physical work environment;  

21% are satisfied with their pay and benefits, but no-one says they are ‘very satisfied’ 

55% are happy with their work life balance;  

33% are satisfied with their training and development opportunities;  

83% say their workload has increased in the past year;  

70% are satisfied with their promotion opportunities;  

90% say that they ‘sometimes feel stressed’ when they are at work;  

74% say they ‘feel safe’ at work;  

88% are happy with the business’s equality and diversity practices;  

28% are ‘listened to when they are at work’;  

36% are happy with their job security;  

27% say they feel their efforts at work are properly recognised;  

54% are actively seeking alternative employment. 

The set of briefing notes must: 

a) Identify which THREE of the key findings from the survey, the manager and senior team should prioritise  for immediate attention and strategic action. Provide a critical rationale for your answer, explaining why  these THREE findings are important in leading and developing people in the organisation.

  1. b) Use your answers in part 2a to choose and critically evaluate ONE strategic initiative, which should be developed and embedded into the organisation to improve one of the findings identified in part 2a.
  2. c) Include a draft email. The company is keen to send an email to all staff headed, ‘You Said, We Listened’, summarising the company’s leadership and management perceptions of the staff survey findings and setting out what practical steps it is intending to take. Prepare the draft, ‘You Said, We Listened’, e-mail that should be sent. 

(1,500 words, 40% of marks)

Part B: Personal and Professional Account  

Task 3 

Write a reflective personal and professional account 

Create a journal entry reflecting on any ONE of the professional areas from the CMI Code of Conduct and Practice,  www.managers.org.uk/code ensuring you also elaborate further on how you would apply it to your own current or  future professional career (include this information on additional slides using standard text).  (500 words, 10% of marks)  

Overall presentation and application (applies to both parts A and B) 

Ability to communicate arguments in clear and appropriate PowerPoint slides that are well-structured, illustrative  where necessary with evidence of a professional writing style and appropriate sources accurately referenced  throughout and correctly listed at the end.

(10% of marks)