Assessment 3: Strategic plan, Leadership and innovation

Learning Outcomes

LO2 Analyse a range of leadership approaches and their impact on innovation

LO3 Analyse the leadership practices that empower and engage followers

LO4 Evaluate the leadership practices that foster trust and psychological safety in teams 

Assessment Tasks

Your proposal should include discussion of culture and context which foster innovation and the leadership strategies which influence their development.

Your argument should support your choice of leadership strategy/ies and, if relevant, compare the outcomes of different strategies.

The explanation should be supported by reference to relevant principles, frameworks and recommendations in the literature as well as other principles covered in the subject.

The following issues should be addressed in your assignment

• a. Present your business plan following the guidelines provided to you by your lecturer. You should include an executive summary, introduction to the organisation, key leadership strategies and styles and their relationship to culture and the ways they are related to each other. Be specific in your discussion and include examples where possible.
• b. In an additional section, following the ‘Executive summary’ and before the ‘Company overview’, briefly explain key principles and processes applied.
• c. Cite and include references to all sources of theory and market or industry information.
• If it is a larger organisation, you may choose to focus on one department or section. You may have experience in, or with, the organisation or identify it through research.

Using this information you will plan and include how to monitor strategic goals using Goal Attainment Scaling.

Submission Instructions

You will submit the proposal via the Turnitin link in Studyhub.

Brief Summary of Assessment Requirements

This assessment requires the student to develop a business proposal that critically analyses leadership approaches and their impact on innovation, engagement, trust, and psychological safety within an organisational context. The proposal must be academically grounded and aligned with the following Learning Outcomes:

• LO2: Analyse a range of leadership approaches and their impact on innovation

• LO3: Analyse leadership practices that empower and engage followers

• LO4: Evaluate leadership practices that foster trust and psychological safety in teams

Key Pointers to Be Covered in the Assessment

• Discussion of organisational culture and context that foster innovation

• Justification of selected leadership strategy or strategies, including comparison where relevant

• Application of leadership theories, frameworks, and academic literature

• Structured business plan format, including:

  • Executive Summary

  • Key principles and processes (placed after the Executive Summary)

  • Company/department overview

  • Leadership styles and strategies linked to culture and innovation

• Use of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) to monitor strategic goals

• Proper academic referencing and citation

• Focus on either a whole organisation or a specific department/unit

• Submission via Turnitin following institutional guidelines

Academic Mentor’s Step-by-Step Approach to the Assessment

Step 1: Clarifying Learning Outcomes and Assessment Expectations

The Academic Mentor began by clearly explaining the learning outcomes (LO2, LO3, LO4) and mapping them directly to the assessment tasks. The student was guided to understand that the proposal must go beyond description and demonstrate critical analysis and evaluation, particularly in relation to leadership effectiveness, innovation, and team dynamics.

Step 2: Selecting the Organisational Context

The mentor guided the student to either:

• Choose an organisation they had experience with, or

• Select one through secondary research

For larger organisations, the mentor recommended focusing on one department or team to ensure depth rather than breadth. This helped the student create realistic, evidence-based examples aligned with leadership practice.

Step 3: Structuring the Business Proposal

The mentor provided guidance on structuring the proposal in line with lecturer instructions:

• Executive Summary: A concise overview of the organisation, leadership challenge, chosen strategies, and intended outcomes.

• Key Principles and Processes Section: Placed immediately after the executive summary, explaining leadership principles, innovation processes, and engagement mechanisms.

• Company/Department Overview: Contextual background linking organisational culture to leadership practices.

• Leadership Strategies and Styles: Detailed discussion of leadership approaches (e.g., transformational, servant, participative leadership) and how they influence innovation, empowerment, trust, and psychological safety.

This ensured logical flow and academic coherence.

Step 4: Applying Leadership Theories and Frameworks

The mentor supported the student in integrating relevant leadership frameworks, such as:

• Transformational leadership theory

• Psychological safety (Edmondson)

• Innovation-supportive culture models

• Employee engagement theories

The student was guided to critically compare leadership strategies, explaining why certain approaches were more suitable for fostering innovation and engagement within the chosen context.

Step 5: Linking Leadership to Culture, Innovation, and Engagement

Special emphasis was placed on clearly demonstrating:

• How leadership behaviour shapes organisational culture

• How trust and psychological safety enable innovation

• How empowerment leads to follower engagement

The mentor encouraged the use of practical examples to strengthen the argument and demonstrate applied understanding.

Step 6: Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) Application

The mentor introduced Goal Attainment Scaling as a tool to monitor leadership-driven strategic goals. The student was guided to:

• Define clear leadership and innovation-related goals

• Set measurable success indicators

• Explain how progress would be monitored and evaluated

This strengthened the proposal’s practical and managerial relevance.

Step 7: Academic Referencing and Submission Preparation

The mentor ensured the student:

• Correctly cited leadership theories and industry sources

• Followed academic referencing standards

• Reviewed the proposal for originality before Turnitin submission

This reduced plagiarism risk and improved academic credibility.

Final Outcome and Learning Objectives Achieved

Outcome Achieved

The final submission presented a well-structured, research-informed business proposal that clearly demonstrated how leadership strategies influence innovation, employee engagement, trust, and psychological safety within an organisational context.

Learning Objectives Covered

• LO2: Achieved through comparative analysis of leadership approaches and their innovation outcomes

• LO3: Addressed by examining empowerment, engagement, and follower motivation practices

• LO4: Met by evaluating leadership behaviours that promote trust and psychological safety

• Strategic Monitoring Skills: Demonstrated through effective use of Goal Attainment Scaling

• Academic and Professional Skills: Enhanced through structured argumentation, referencing, and applied leadership analysis

Need Help Using This Assignment Solution the Right Way?

You’re welcome to download the available sample solution to understand the structure, approach, and academic expectations of your assignment. This file is designed to support your learning, clarify concepts, and guide you on how a high-quality answer should be presented.

Important plagiarism notice:
The sample solution is provided for reference only. Submitting it as your own work may result in plagiarism penalties under university academic integrity policies. Always use the sample to learn, not to copy.

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