Assignment: Individual Reflection: Creativity, Leadership, and Innovation: A Self-Assessment Dyer, Gregersen, and Christensen, in their essential components of "The Innovator's DNA" make the important point that, while all successful innovators share certain characteristics, those characteristics are not literally written into an innovator's DNA. Instead, it is essential to practice thinking creatively. What innovators achieve is the result of their actions and what they do, not simply who they are. With this in mind, it stands to reason that it is important to periodically assess whether you are on the right track in developing the skills of a leader who successfully fosters creativity in the organization. This self-assessment is not the final verdict on the level or depth of your creativity or your potential success as an innovator, but instead is an important part of understanding the ways you currently lead others and thinking about how you will lead others in the future. Regardless of where you are in the organization, there are leadership characteristics you have or would like to strive towards as you develop professionally. For this Individual Reflection you will identify and describe an innovation leader who has inspired you. This Individual Reflection will allow you to conduct a personal analysis of leadership qualities between you and an innovation leader to help you identify key leadership dimensions that you can develop. Note: For the sake of clarity, be mindful during this Individual Reflection to focus on a leader that you admire who inspires innovation and not a leader who is innovative in terms of leadership style and characteristics. For this Individual Reflection, describe a person who successfully brought together leadership, foresight, creativity, and innovation. This person should be someone with whom you have worked or who has inspired you in your professional career or personal life. (Note: You do not need to identify the individual by name, if he or she is someone you personally know). Be sure to include the following: Part 1: Provide an opening section where you provide your assessment of the characteristics of this innovation leader that you currently do not possess or demonstrate that you would like to develop. Your own characteristics are the baseline in the analysis, and the innovation leader you identified is the model. If you are not currently in a leadership role, envision how you might develop these characteristics in a future position. Be sure to consider the following factors and questions: Explain how this innovation leader supported a creative environment, and how they catalyzed, implemented, and promoted innovation in the organization. Describe the leadership skills he or she used to foster creativity in successful ways. How does the leader engage stakeholders (vendors, executives, board members, employees) in the innovative or creative process? For example, how does the leader conduct a stakeholder a.

1. Assignment: Individual Reflection: Creativity, Leadership, and
Innovation: A Self-Assessment
Dyer, Gregersen, and Christensen, in their essential components
of "The Innovator's DNA" make the important point that, while
all successful innovators share certain characteristics, those
characteristics are not literally written into an innovator's DNA.
Instead, it is essential to practice thinking creatively. What
innovators achieve is the result of their actions and what they
do, not simply who they are.
With this in mind, it stands to reason that it is important to
periodically assess whether you are on the right track in
developing the skills of a leader who successfully fosters
creativity in the organization. This self-assessment is not the
final verdict on the level or depth of your creativity or your
potential success as an innovator, but instead is an important
part of understanding the ways you currently lead others and
thinking about how you will lead others in the future.
Regardless of where you are in the organization, there are
leadership characteristics you have or would like to strive
towards as you develop professionally. For this Individual
Reflection you will identify and describe an innovation leader
who has inspired you. This Individual Reflection will allow you
to conduct a personal analysis of leadership qualities between
you and an innovation leader to help you identify key leadership
dimensions that you can develop.
Note:
For the sake of clarity, be mindful during this Individual
Reflection to
focus on a leader that you admire who inspires innovation
and not a leader who is innovative in terms of leadership style
and characteristics.
For this Individual Reflection, describe a person who
successfully brought together leadership, foresight, creativity,
and innovation. This person should be someone with whom you
have worked or who has inspired you in your professional

2. career or personal life. (Note: You do not need to identify the
individual by name, if he or she is someone you personally
know). Be sure to include the following:
Part 1:
Provide an opening section where you provide your assessment
of the characteristics of this innovation leader that you
currently do not possess or demonstrate that you would like to
develop. Your own characteristics are the baseline in the
analysis, and the innovation leader you identified is the model.
If you are not currently in a leadership role, envision how you
might develop these characteristics in a future position. Be sure
to consider the following factors and questions:
Explain how this innovation leader supported a creative
environment, and how they catalyzed, implemented, and
promoted innovation in the organization.
Describe the leadership skills he or she used to foster creativity
in successful ways.
How does the leader engage stakeholders (vendors, executives,
board members, employees) in the innovative or creative
process? For example, how does the leader conduct a
stakeholder analysis?
Provide an inventory of leadership characteristics exhibited by
this leader using the Leader Characteristic Inventory Handout
document in this week's Resources. (See below)
Part 2:
Provide a self-assessment on the extent to which you have (or
need to cultivate to be successful) the dimensions of leadership
that foster creativity. For each of the following dimensions of
leadership, assess how you currently display (or would display)
the dimensions in your work and professional life. Provide a
brief explanation of your self-assessment for each of the
dimensions listed below. (Refer to "The Innovator's DNA" for
more details about each of these innovator dimensions):
https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201740
_02/MS_WMBA/WMBA_6020/USW1_WMBA_6020_week07.ht
ml?course_uid=USW1.691.201740&service_url=https://class.wa

3. ldenu.edu/webapps/bbgs-deep-links-
BBLEARN/app/wslinks&b2Uri=https%3A%2F%2Fclass.walden
u.edu%2Fwebapps%2Fbbgs-deep-links-BBLEARN
Associating
Questioning
Experimenting
Observing
Networking
Cultivating New Thinking
Comfort with Change
Risk tolerance
Collaboration
Part 3:
Aggregate your findings and provide a summary of the main
lessons you have learned about yourself as a leader (present or
aspiring) and what you may need to work on to achieve your
identified dimensions. How important do you think it is that
leaders possess these dimensions and which do you think are the
most important to your future? Provide your rationale or
examples to justify your answer.
By Day 7
Submit
a paper that addresses the four areas listed above. Include your
Innovation Leader Characteristic Inventory within the body or
your paper or as an Appendix, depending on what makes better
sense for the way you organize your assignment.
Guidance on Assignment Length:
Your Week 7 assignment should be 6–10 pages (3–5 pages if
single spaced), excluding a title page and references.
WMBA 6020:
Fostering a Culture of Innovation
Week 7 Individual Reflection: Creativity, Leadership, and
Innovation: A Self-Assessment

4. Leader Characteristics Inventory
This inventory tool will help you to identify and describe
characteristics of leaders that inspire innovation. You will use
this form for your self-assessment part of the Week 7 Individual
Reflection. Consider the characteristics of leadership that foster
a creative environment and identify them in the left column.
Use the right column to add a brief definition of the
characteristic and an example of how it has been or is being
exhibited by the chosen leader.
Leader Characteristic
(Add characteristics you wish to develop in yourself.)
Description and Example of Characteristic
(In this column, briefly explain the characteristic and provide
an example of how it was or is being exhibited by the chosen
leader.)

5. Type any additional notes here about the Leader Characteristic
Inventory that will help you as you begin your self-assessment.