PDP Part C: SMART Goals

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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1

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

MGT 164: BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

A Professional Development Plan (PDP) allows us to analyze and reflect on our current
state, clarify where we wish to go, and define specific action steps to take in that
direction. In this course each of you will draft your own Plan.

Why: The process of self-reflection and goal setting in written form helps us build
clarity and intentionality. This helps us to achieve our goals.

How: We will work on this activity progressively through both individual homework
assignments and in-class activities that deepen your individual exploration.

This plan has three parts that form individual assignments:

Part A: Self-Reflection and Analysis — due in Class 3

Part B: Feedback from External Sources — due in Class 5*
Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps — due in Class 8

*Note that you will need to request input from others for Part B. Therefore, I suggest
you send your requests for input in Class 3.

Below find instructions for each part.

Submit each part separately on Canvas under the individual assignments A, B, or C at
the appropriate time.

Reminder that late submissions will lose 10% for each 24 hours they are late.

This process is an exploration into your leadership goals. Look for what is authentically
you and what you care about, as you reflect on who you are and as you set goals for
yourself.

Enjoy the process.

Alison B. Meyer

PDP Part A: Self-Reflection

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Professional Development Plan Part A: Self-Reflection and Analysis
Reflection Essay – Individual Paper Instructions

Due: before Class in Class 3

Objective:
• To assess your current position of where have you been and where are you

going, based on what you know today.
• To increase your self-awareness.

There are two parts to this assignment:

Step 1. Take the online “Big Five” assessment and save a pdf of your feedback report.
Step 2. Write an essay based on the self-reflection questions given below and your Big
5 feedback.

Make sure to include discussion of all three parts, (“who am I?”, Big 5 analysis, and
“Where am I going?”) in your essay to be eligible for full credit.

Step 1. “Big Five” Assessment
Many personality researchers summarize the individual differences in people’s
personality traits with five basic dimensions known as the “Big Five”:

Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality, Open-
Mindedness.

These five are independent of each other, and people’s results are on a continuous,
normal distribution.

Take the free, online assessment (about 15 minutes):
http://www.personalitylab.org/tests/bfi2_self_pol.htm

Afterwards you will receive a report of your feedback.

Step 2. Self-Reflection Essay

Using the questions below as thought-starters, write a 2-3 paragraph summary (300-
500 words) and submit on Canvas. Your essay should discuss each of these three
topics:

1. Who you are, your background and values, and your broad career goals.

PDP Part A: Self-Reflection

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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2. Reflections on your Big 5 feedback – what you already knew vs. any new
information.

3. Identify 2 or 3 professional development goals that are relevant for the next 1-2
years.

This document is for YOU. There is no “right” answer. You are assessing your own
current state. Be thoughtful; you may feel you do not have “the answers” – write from
what is true for you today.

The growth mindset directs we are always able to learn, eg, “I’m not good at this…
yet.” Be bold in your visioning.

Reflection questions:
Who Am I?

• Which people and experiences in your life had the greatest impact on you?
Why?

• What are your most deeply held values? Where did they come from? How do
your values inform your actions?

Big 5
As you review your feedback report, what did you already know about yourself and
what was new information? What else was interesting to you about the feedback? How
might understanding your Big 5 help you professionally?

Ex: “I knew I would score pretty high in extraversion, but I was surprised that my
score was so high (100)! I’m going to make sure that extraversion is valued in the
profession I’m pursuing and look at roles where this is important. For
example…”

Where Am I Going?

• Describe your professional goals broadly.
• Identify your top 2-3 goals for the next 1-2 years.
• Identify the largest obstacle to achieving these goals.

(OPTIONAL: If you are comfortable sharing your Big 5 report, please attach it with your
submission on canvas. It will only be viewable by the instructor and course TA.)

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Professional Development Plan
Part B Feedback from External Sources – “Reflected Best Self” Exercise

Reflection Essay – Individual Paper Instructions

Due: before Class in Class 5
Request Input from Others in Class 3

Objective:
To gain input from others on your strengths so that you can build on them in your
professional development.

What: This exercise was created by Laura Morgan Roberts, Gretchen Spreitzer, Jane
Dutton, Robert Quinn, Emily Heaphy, and Brianna Barker to help individuals expand
their understanding of who they are and what they do when they are at their best.

Why: Identifying your strengths can foster excellence in performance.

How: In this exercise, you will request feedback from 10-15 people via email on a time
when you were at your best.

Step 1. Identify Respondents and Email Request for Feedback (Class 3)
Step 2. Write Your Own Best Self Stories
Step 3. Analyze the Common Themes
Step 4. Reflect on Your Takeaways

You do not need to submit the stories (Step #1 and Step #2).

Submit your analysis table (Step #3) and your takeaways (Step #4) as the paper for the
assignment on Canvas by Class 5 before class.

Instructions:

Step 1. Identify Respondents and Email Request for Feedback

***Send your emails in Class 3 or earlier to ensure time for people to respond.***

Who to ask: Ask family members, friends, colleagues, teachers, mentors, bosses.
Specifically focus on people who know you well. Choose a diverse list, eg not just all
friends. Choose between 10-15 people.

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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What to ask: Ask these individuals to provide two stories of times when you were at
your best. Specifically, you’ll want to ask about your strengths, accompanied by
specific examples of moments when you used those strengths in ways that were
meaningful to them or to their organizations. See the Appendix below for more info.

How to ask: See the Appendix below for a sample email and instructions you can send
to your requestors. Make sure to give them a deadline for when you’d like to get their
answers back.

2. Write Your Own Best Self Stories
Think about two times in your life when you were at your best. Allow yourself to think
of stories from all contexts and time periods. For these memories, write the story of
what happened. In the story you could describe the context, the role you played, the
actions you took, the characteristics you displayed, the results, and the reasons behind
your actions.

Sample story:

“I was carpooling with Susan late after a long day of teaching. She was driving and
we had just crossed a busy intersection when there was a giant crash from the left
side of the car. Terrifying. Turns out a young man on a skateboard guessed wrong
about which way we were turning and crashed into us, getting thrown into the road
from the power of the impact. Susan pulled over and we rushed to see if he was ok.
We helped him out of the street, but he refused to let us call an ambulance. As the
driver, Susan was very freaked out that he was hurt, and trying to get the young
man to seek help. I made sure she was ok, then helped her decide what to do. I had
a strong feeling to help her. Later she said it was so powerful how I made her feel
everything was going to be ok. My calm helped her work through the stress of the
situation. I realized it’s one of my values and strengths to be there for people in
tough moments. I’m proud of this strength, and I trust that I can handle emergency
situations calmly.”

3. Analyze the Common Themes
Gather the stories from all the emails you received. Review them and think about each
story and what they teach you or confirm about how others see you.

Look for patterns and themes. List several examples from the stories—theirs and
yours—to illustrate each theme. These will help you write declarative statements about
you at your best, i.e. anchoring “truths” about you. Gather everything in the below

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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table. Include the theme/pattern of the strength, a declarative statement about it, and
examples from the stories you received:

Patterns: Recurring behaviors, contributions, etc., across all of the stories and
analysis. Look for repeated or similar words to guide you if you are having
trouble finding patterns.

Themes: Underlying truths about your values and beliefs and the essence of you
at your best.

NOTE: You may also find stories that seem opposite. If this is the case, it could indicate
adaptability or flexibility as a strength in particular contexts.

NOTE: make sure each pattern/theme has at least 2 examples to support it; otherwise
it may not be a clear strength.

SAMPLE TABLE:

Reflected Best Self Stories
Date: __/__/__

Summary: I received 15 “reflected best self” stories. These came from 2 former bosses, 3 co-
workers and 2 family/friends.
Strength Pattern/Theme Declaration Examples Given
1. Persistence

I believe in working toward
excellence and will work
through any difficulties to
produce the outcomes I seek.

1. Motivated team to stay focused on
excellence

2. Worked side-by-side with Lila until
flooded basement was cleaned

3. Focused on outcomes

2. Empowering I believe in the potential of
others to do great things. I use
my words to support them.

1. Helped teammates believe in their
own potential for greatness.

2. Helped Lila keep her spirits up
during household disaster.

3. 1.

2.

3.

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Step 4. Your Takeaways
Now that you have analyzed the stories and what they tell you about you, reflect on
these as a whole. Use the questions below to guide your reflection: fill in these
sentences. Write 2-3 sentences per question to share your discoveries and insights.
Help us understand why these discoveries are important to you.

This is your personal reflection and will help with your PDP Part C SMART Goals:

1. What I’ve learned about my strengths and values is that ________________________.
Also, I’ve learned ______________________________________.

2. What surprised me about this feedback is ________________________.

3. What I already knew that this confirmed is __________________________.

4. The circumstances that bring out my best self are _______________________ and
_______________________.

5. When I am at my best, I ____________________. Because of this I _________________.

6. How this will help me professionally is _______________________ (NOTE: consider
your PDP A goals, your intentions from the “Act Like a Leader” article, for example)

7. Other reflections (optional):

Reflected Best Self Exercise Adapted from

“How to Play to Your Strengths”
by Laura Morgan Roberts, Gretchen Spreitzer, Jane Dutton, Robert Quinn, Emily Heaphy, and Brianna
Barker
Harvard Business Review, Managing Yourself January 2005
https://hbr.org/2005/01/how-to-play-to-your-strengths

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Appendix to Part B

Sample email to send to those who will reflect on you. Include in the email the
“additional instructions” at the end that gives them samples of what you’re looking for
from them.

Hi _________,

I hope this message finds you well! I am writing to request your help with a class
assignment. I am taking a course on leadership as part of my program at UC San
Diego. I would be grateful for your help with one of the required exercises for the
course, the Reflected Best Self Exercise. This exercise was created to help individuals
expand their understanding of who they are and what they do when they are at their
best.

I am asking people who know me well to provide me with two stories of when I was at
my best in their eyes. What was my positive contribution in each story? Instructions for
your input and examples of such stories can be found below. To be usable for this
exercise, I would need to receive your response by [_________].

Thank you very much for considering this request! Your feedback will be extremely
valuable to me. I will keep all responses anonymous and will be sure to tell you what I
learn after the exercise.

Thanks!
XXXXX

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS
This will require you to think about your interactions with me and to identify those
times when I was at my best in your eyes. In writing, please be sure to provide details
so I can understand the context, what happened, and what my positive contribution
was. Best-self stories often capture things that people say or do in critical times or
everyday routines that make a difference. These stories are often unacknowledged
publicly. Best-self stories may describe someone’s approach to people, challenges,

PDP Part B: “Reflected Best Self”Exercise

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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tasks, or even a work environment. I have included some examples of what these
stories could look like. Please use this only as a guide.

STORY EXAMPLES
1. From work colleague: You have the ability to get people to work together and give
all they have to a task. For example, I think of the time that we were working on the
Alpha project. We were getting behind and the stress was building. We started to
close down and get very focused on just meeting our deadline. You noticed that we
were not doing our best work and stopped the group to rethink our approach. You
asked whether we wanted to just satisfy the requirements or whether we wanted to
really do good and important work. You reminded us of what we were capable of do-
ing and how each of us could contribute to a better outcome. No one else in that room
would have thought to do that. As a result, we did meet the deadline and created a
result we all feel proud of.

2. From a friend: You have capacity to persist in the face of adversity. For example, I
think of the time that we were helping Lila empty her flooded basement. Her family
lives far away and she was impossibly short-handed. Instead of getting overwhelmed
with her, you became more focused than I have ever seen anyone get. I think you went
24 hours without sleep to help her remove the water. I was amazed that you could
maintain a positive attitude and consistently helpful orientation to Lila under those
conditions.

3. From a boss: You are great at building relationships critical to project success. For
example, I think of the time that: We were working for a clothing company committed
to using organically grown cotton, and to having fair labor practices. You were the
liaison with the various agencies and individuals critical to sourcing the organic cotton,
and to creating the worker-owned sewing cooperatives here and in Central America.
Despite resistance, you crafted and co-created a vision for how the business could
work to meet these radically different goals. You easily navigated cultural differences
and built strong relationships that thrive to this day

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

[email protected]

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Professional Development Plan Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps
Reflection Essay – Individual Paper Instructions

Due: before Class in Class 8

Objective:
What: Here in this assignment you are leveraging the power of making commitments
actively and publicly using the principle of “Consistency.” You will also look at ways to
practice leadership behaviors. Finally, you will reflect on the whole PDP process.

Why: According to the science of influence, people align with their clear commitments.
For a reminder on the principle of consistency, refer to the reading, “Harnessing the
Science of Persuasion.”

There are 3 parts to this assignment. Turn in all 3 on Canvas.

Step 1. SMART Goals Tables
Step 2. Leadership Behaviors Action Plan
Step 3. Reflect on Your Takeaways from the PDP Process

Instructions:

Step 1: SMART Goals Tables

How: Write out 2 of your 1-2 year goals in the “SMART” table format described below.
If you are having difficulty, email us for help.

Remember in Part A you defined goals for yourself for the next 1-2 years. Now take
each of those goals—or new ones as they have come to you in the course of our
work—and put them into the “SMART” goal format in this table (see Appendix below
for sample tables:

Goal:
Specific &
Significant

Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Bound

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Specific & Significant
Your goal should be clear and specific, so you know what you are working toward and
you can ground it in the real world. When goals are action-focused and specific, they
are more likely to be achieved. The “w” questions can guide you in crafting clear and
specific goals:

• What do I want to accomplish?
• Why is this goal important to me?
• By when?
• With whom or for whom will I be doing it?
• Which resources will I need?

Measurable
When your goals are measurable, you can track your progress and know when you’ve
accomplished it. When goals are not measurable, it can be tricky to know if you are
making progress.

For example, if your goal is “to be a better public speaker” what does that look like
and how will you know you’ve achieved it? Questions that can help you create
measures are:

• How will I know when I’ve achieved it?
• How much? How often?
• What will I be able to SEE or FEEL?

Achievable
Effectively written goals are ambitious and stretch you. They are not so impossible that
you feel defeated before you start. Challenge yourself to stretch a bit out of your
comfort zone with this goal.

An achievable goal will can answer questions such as:

• How can I accomplish this goal?
• How realistic is this goal based on the constraints I am aware of?

Relevant
How does this goal relate to your larger goal? How important is this goal to you? Here
are some thought-starter questions for clarifying the relevance of your goal:

• Is this goal aligned with my values?

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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• Is this the right time to pursue this?
• Why am I the right person for this?
• Is it applicable in my current or future environment?

Time-Bound
When you give a time frame, this energizes your focus.

Some questions to consider – not all will apply to your situation.

• What will you do, by when?
• What can I do now?
• What can I do while still in school?
• What can I do once I am working?
• What can I do a year from now?

To find out more about writing SMART goals, this website can help:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm

Step 2. Leadership Behaviors Action Plan

With your SMART Goals, you’ve clarified the what your goal is, why it’s important and
some actions you need to take.

To support these goals, what are some of the leadership behaviors/Skills you want to
develop? Think back to class lessons such as the “Act Like a Leader” article, social
styles, networking, decision-making and the leadership stories from cases and leaders
we studied.

Examples of behaviors/skills: negotiations, networking, managing my emotions, asking
for what I want, building trust with people, communicating my ideas, communicating
my value, teaming, etc.

Remember that leadership development is biased toward action (“Knock your
responsibilities out of the park”). Action means you will need to practice things that
you are not good at yet, or that are outside of your comfort zone. What are 2-3
behaviors you could take action steps to practice and build?

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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Instructions:
Using the table as a guide, identify how you can practice the leadership behaviors you
want to work on.

What do I want to be
able to DO more
skillfully?

What BEHAVIORS/
SKILLS do I need to
meet this objective?

How will I PRACTICE
what I am working on?

What MILESTONES do
I plan for this
objective?

(example) Networking Getting over my
shyness and discomfort
talking to people I
don’t know

Choose 2 events per
month. Plan in advance
some questions to ask
as conversation-
starters. Look at the
invitee list in advance
and reach out to
people before the
event to meet at event.

Add 3 contacts who
can help with my
strategic network per
month for the next 6
months.

Step 3. Your Takeaways

This is the time to reflect on the complete Professional Development Plan process: self-
reflection, strengths, and goals. Write a short reflection (100-250 words) addressing the
following 3 questions:

What: How was the process of self-reflecting on your background, strengths, and 1-2
year goals?
So What: What are your biggest takeaways from the process?
Now What: Where do you go from here?

If it is helpful, you may want to share in your reflection an inspirational quote that guides
you, or a picture to close your reflection.

“Ambition is not a dirty word.” – Reese Witherspoon

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

[email protected]

14

Appendix to Part C

Sample SMART Goals – from three different students:

SAMPLE 1:
Goal Get a summer internship in biotech
Specific &
Significant

I am looking to get a summer internship at a name-brand biotech
company in the local, SoCal area. This is so that I can get industry
exposure and networking opportunities to help me in my medical
school application. The internship goal is for one that gives me
opportunities for upward mobility, communication with upper
management, and publicity.

Measurable I will (see “Achievable”) put at least 1 hour per day into research and
applications, until I receive an offer.

Achievable I will achieve this goal by applying through as many academic
programs as I can find, calling company recruiters, and applying to
hospital volunteer positions.

Relevant My long-term goal is to get into medical school. This internship will
increase my knowledge in the field and support my application.

Time-
Bound

I am ready to start the internship in June, but, the ideal would be to
have a position set in stone by early May.

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

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SAMPLE 2:
Goal Finish my CPA eligibility requirements
Specific &
Significant

My goal is to complete my courses for CPA eligibility within the next
year. This is important to me because the effort I put into these courses
will help me be better prepared for the CPA exam. In addition, the
material I study will correlate to the type of work I will be doing, so it’s
important that I take this learning experience as an opportunity to grow
in the field.

Measurable I will know I’ve achieved my goal when I finish all my accounting
courses and feel prepared for the CPA exam.

Achievable This goal is obtainable because I have about 6-8 accounting courses
left to take, and I plan on completing these within the next year. I have
a spreadsheet with the specific courses I need to take, so I can check
them off as I complete them.

Relevant This goal is relevant to my future career plan of getting my CPA
licensure and working full-time at a Big 4 firm for a couple of years. My
studies will also contribute to my overall growth and expertise in the
field that I can apply when I start getting work experience.

Time-
bound

1. In my time at school, I will study with purpose in my classes and
thoroughly learn the accounting principles that are the
foundation of my job.

2. Outside of school, I will research extension and master’s
programs I could apply to for my additional courses. I want to
see what the most beneficial investment for me will be.

3. I will apply to accounting internships so that I can gain hands-on
experience and see more tangibly of what the accounting job
entails.

PDP Part C: SMART Goals and Next Steps

MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership — Fall 2020
© Alison B. Meyer

[email protected]

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SAMPLE 3:

Goal: UX Designer job by graduation

Specific &
Significant

My goal is to be hired for a full-time UX Designer job outside of
Southern California before I graduate 1.5 years from now. Why it’s
important is because I want to pursue a career that I believe I will enjoy.
Also, I want to be financially independent and no longer need my
parents’ generous financial support.

Measurable
I will know I’ve achieved my goal when I get an offer from a company
where I am excited about the company and the role.

Achievable

This goal is definitely realistic; however, I will need to keep myself
accountable to complete all the steps necessary to reach my goal. I can
accomplish my goal by setting time increments of tasks I need to
complete (shown in time-bound) and always keep an eye out for new
jobs that open up. Additionally, I need to keep myself motivated. What
I’ve learned from the internship search this year is that I start losing
motivation when I don’t see results, so my steps can help keep me track.

Relevant
This goal is worthwhile because it is relevant to my current career
ambitions of becoming Designer of Services and Experiences in a top
design firm or in the design department of a top company.

Time-bound

Steps for now:
– School: Take relevant Design and Cognitive Science courses.
– School: Do projects that will translate well in my portfolio.
– Internship: Work very hard in my summer internship and let them

know I am interested in a full-time offer.
– Job-hunting: Apply for jobs over the summer and during the year,

go to career fairs, prepare for interviews until I receive an offer.