Gibbs’ Cycle Exam Planning Sheet, with Dr. Sandy’s Instructions Name _______________
· In this class, the Gibbs’ reflective cycle (GC) has 6 stages plus an introduction and summary.
· The GC helps leaders and students to develop their leadership skills and wisdom by reflecting on an issue
· Complete a reflection on an experience utilizing the article (40-50% of cites) you have been given
· Utilize the six GC steps to help you reflect on a situation (4 citations max for the GC cycle)
· Also use your textbook (40-50% of cites) as the second source and one other journal article (10-20% of cites) to support your thoughts and discussion.
· You must submit this sheet, exam booklet, and article at the end of the exam (not for online assignments).
· *Pay attention to the marks provided for each section and plan/write accordingly
Reflect on an experience you did not understand, hurt your feelings, or still think about what went wrong with a leader, follower, colleague, family member, friend, or situation in the sections below.
Introduction and Experience 1 paragraph: 7 sentences max. 2 citations – 3 marks
In your essay, please combine your introduction with your experience in one sentence. Let us know what this essay is about, and the purpose. Briefly explain the Gibbs Cycle (GC) in relationship to why you are using it and provide a citation. With one sentence, let us know what the article is about, and provide a citation.
Example Introduction and Experience
In this essay, I will write about my experience with COVID as a student at UCW. I will utilize the Gibbs Cycle (GC) as per Minnis (2020) and an article on power (Smith, 2015) to help me reflect on a situation to help me develop my skills as a leaders (or you can discuss your leadership understanding). The GC is a tool used by students and leaders to develop one’s critical thinking skills (Minnis, 2020).
Summary Tell us briefly about each step of the cycle. 6 sentences. 1 sentence per step. Provide a cite – 2 mark
· Start the paragraph with a beginning of sentence citation
· End the paragraph with an end of sentence citation
Brief Description between five to 10 sentences maximum, no citations – 2 marks
· What happened, why, when, where. Tell us what happened in the past. If you find yourself exploring what this means to you presently, save that for the evaluation and analysis phase.
Feelings and/or Thoughts Brief explanation about the experience: 3 to 10 sentences max, no cites – 2 marks
· Explain why this hurt you or made you angry, what you felt about your leader/family/friend
· Only relate what you felt or thought in the past. If you find yourself exploring what this means to you currently, you have started to process. Move current thoughts to the evaluation phase.
Evaluation 1.5 to 2 pages long, 3 sources (about 3-7 cites per paragraph) – 15 marks
· Use your readings to help explain these feelings, actions, thoughts, etc
· Explain how this experience is relevant to three key power terms, use the main article, textbook, and one article of your choice.
· Use both personal and/or related examples from text/article
· Ensure the definitions help you to relate what was good and bad about this situation.
· What went well during the experience (what worked)?
· What went badly during the experience (what didn’t work)?
· How did the experience end?
· Was the experience complete (was there a resolution) or incomplete?
· Unpack terms that are related to why the situation was good or bad, check your bias*:
· Define terms using the article as your main sources and cite
· Support your thoughts with ideas/terms from the textbook as your second source/cite
· Use one other article to help bring in ideas not presented in the text/article provided.
· Bias: In relationship to your experience with a leader, situation, follower, friend, family member, etc., explain why you did not understand the situation, why it angered you, or why it hurt you. You can also state why you understood at that time, but it still bothered you.
· What is still unresolved or resolved?
Analysis 1.5 to 2.5 pages long – 15 marks
· What sense can you make of the situation now that you have studied leadership? (cite sources)
· What models can you apply to help you gain clarity (make sure to cite sources)
· Unpack three terms related to the model – define, explain, discuss, cite
· Check your bias: if you felt your boss/mom/friend yelled at you because he was cruel, unfair, or rude, go beyond this now. Why might your boss have acted this way? What situation, limitations, experiences may attribute to this behaviour? What led to your behaviour? For example, in this situation, it will help you to relate your boss/teacher/parent/friend experience to the type of leadership power they have, how this relates to you and your preferred power relationship with that person. Why there is a gap or overlap between this and another power. i.e. you need to discuss three types of power in leadership. Pick the three that fit your situation the best, use the article to choose these three types of power. Define these three types of power from the main article, and then also use examples from the article, and your life. This is a good place to use the textbook and other readings you have used to help support, refute, or explain your thoughts better
· Clearly explain where you have gained clarity because of this process.
· Make sure to include at least 3 sources (and about 3 to 7 cites per paragraph. Remembering paragraphs should be about 5 to 10 sentences long, and sentences should be around 15 to 30 words long at least, will help you to cite).
· Using three key terms, provides you with three paragraphs. In each paragraph: define one term, discuss the same term and how it relates to your life and the situation, give an example, and then relate to the next term. Repeat for all three terms. i.e. you must show you can define the term somewhere in this essay (25%), provide an experience from your life (25%), relate to other terms (25%) for all three terms. Pick definitions that demonstrate you know what you are talking about.
· All facts and figures, stages in a cycle require page or paragraph numbers require an APA cite
In the Analysis Section
Reconsider the things that went well and badly and write why you think they went badly (causes of action). Reconsider the things that went well and badly and write what you think this lead to (consequences of action). Think about what could have been done to avoid these negative consequences.
Think about how this positive action could have been further improved.
Think about your contribution to the experience and say how useful it was and why it was useful (did a previous experience help you? Can you compare it to a previous experience?).
If you were unable to contribute to the experience state why.
Think about other people present during the experience and try to assess whether their reactions were similar or different to yours. Try to say why they were the same or different.
Conclusion ¾ of a page – 5 marks
· What else could you have done to make this better?
· What would you do now, or could you do now that you are learning to be a leader?
· How would you prefer your leader, follower, family, or friend treated you if you had the chance and power to have a conscious discussion to work together better?
· Make sure to check your bias here, understand your own shadow side and Sophia (good/angelic side), how this interacts with the other person’s shadow side and Sophia
· How could the situation improve or change with the knowledge you now have?
· Reconsider the experience and answer any of the following questions that you think are relevant:
· What should or could I have done differently?
· What stopped me from doing this?
· What did I learn about myself during the experience (positive and/or negative)?
· What did I learn about my current knowledge or level of practice (strengths and weaknesses)?
· Did the experience achieve any of my learning goals or meet any of my required competencies?
· this part sums up what you learnt from the experience
· try to be specific about what you learnt or realised about yourself, give specific details (avoid making
· general statements like “I didn’t have the adequate knowledge”)
· Unpack and check your bias, make sure to include at least 2 sources (3 cites)
Action Plan ¾ of a page – 5 marks
· Based on your readings and in-class discussions, how will you develop your leadership skills so that you can be a better leader in the future, learn from this experience, and develop as a leader?
· Answer any of the following questions that you think are relevant to making a plan:
· What do I need to do in order to be better prepared to face this experience in future?
· Even if the experience was positive and I did well, in which areas can I improve?
· What are the priority areas that need to be developed?
· What specific steps do I need to take in order to achieve these improvements?
· Make sure you support these thoughts by:
· Knowing who you are as a leader and person
· Providing a discussion and support from your textbook, the article for this assignment, and other sources on the steps that can help you understand, improve, and develop skills. Cite your work!
· For marks, you are required to provide concrete examples with citations. If you are going to work on your speaking or listening skills, tell us how. For instance, you may want to go to Toastmasters, or practice listening to understand rather than listening to be heard. What steps will you take at Toastmasters, or while listening, etc that will help you to develop?
· Try to be specific about what you plan to do (e.g. state specific training you may need to undergo, books you will need to read, or other resources you may need to help you develop your power so you can become proficient in your leadership skills)
· Provide citations for these steps.
· For example, if Minnis (2010) states that you can learn to be more likeable through meditation. Then tell us this, with a cite, and tell us what you will meditate on, how long, when. Etc.
· Provide real life examples as if explaining to a friend, but also using APA.