Assignment $-$ Skill Development Contract

Identify a management skill that you want to improve. The skill you seek to develop must be related to the content of this course $($broadly defined$).$ That is$,$ you should not focus on skills such as money management or investing. Nor should you focus on mere knowledge acquisition $($e$.$g$.,$ learning more about marketing, strategy, financial statements, database management, and so on$).$ For example, you could pick: becoming organized, increasing influence, motivating a subordinate, improving communication, providing feedback effectively, mediating a conflict, improving delegation, building teamwork, leading change or other skills discussed in the text.

Try to select a skill for which there is a reasonable likelihood of making $($at least$)$ some progress over the course of the remainder of the semester. Your skill development paper will describe your efforts to improve this skill during the course of the semester. Therefore, select a skill that you will have a reasonable opportunity to improve.

Complete a written contract for the skill you seek to develop. Use the format provided below. Identify the skill that you want to improve. State your goals. Describe, in detail, your plan to improve the skill. Exactly what will you do$?$ How often? Where? When? With whom?

What obstacles or roadblocks might you encounter and how can you overcome them? Describe how you will measure your progress? For example, what will others be able to observe you doing after you change your behavior that they do not observe you doing now? You should carefully consider how you will measure your efforts to change.

You will need to provide evidence to support your conclusion concerning the extent of skill change that occurred during the semester. How will you reward yourself if you make progress? It is very important for your development plan $($written contract$)$ to be detailed and specific. Key elements to your Skill Development Contract:

Specify your development goal. Make sure it is challenging, specific, measurable, and realistic.

If the goal is complicated or long$-$term, specify some interim goals or milestones.

List any informal activities $($coaches$,$ reading$)$ that can help you increase your skills or change your behavior.

List any formal learning resources or tools $($courses$,$ online learning$)$ that can help you learn.

List the steps you will take to change your behavior. Exactly what will you do$?$ How often? Where? When? With whom?

What roadblocks or obstacles are likely?

List alternatives that will help you avoid or overcome these obstacles.

How will you measure $($collect data to document$)$your progress? How can you obtain feedback to see if you are improving?

What are the key target dates or milestones?

How will you reward yourself?

Remember, your plan should show how you are going to collect data to measure your progress over the next few weeks, as well as at the end of the semester, when you present your data and progress in your final paper.