The Foundations of Leadership

human resource professional. Introduction Human resource professionals provide a unique role in the organization. While they may lead a team,
their true test of leadership comes from their relationships and influence throughout the organization.
They may be called upon to partner in the implementation of organizational strategies. They may be
sought out to coach leaders in ways to handle employee relationships. They may be needed to enforce
and guide human resource policies. In all cases, the strength of the individual leadership skills comes
into play. Many human resource competencies are nonnegotiable, because a lack of them could mean the
difference between business success or failure. No smart business owner with employees will—nor
should—discount the impact of human beings and their contribution, connection, communication, and
emotion when conducting business. This should be where human resources comes in.
Note: You are not required to complete this assessment first; however, it reinforces a solid theoretical
foundation for the remaining course assessments. Therefore, it is recommended you complete this
assessment first. Introduction To assist your understanding of leadership and the unique role of the human resource professional, you
will be writing a paper defining the unique role of leadership, influence, and communication for human
resource professionals. You will explore leadership theories as well as review resources on the unique
role human resource professionals play as leaders in the organization. You will then analyze how you see
these foundations of leadership and human resource leadership in your current or future role as a
human resource professional. A solid understanding of leadership and its unique role as a human resource professional will also serve
as a foundation for upcoming course assessments. Scenario You work in the Human Resource Department and have just been promoted to a supervisor position.
Your role in this new position will be to lead your team as well as be a human resource strategic partner
and resource to leaders and employees in the organization. To be effective in this new position, you
need to learn what it means to be an effective leader. This includes understanding the foundations of
leadership, your choices of leadership style, and the influence skills required in a human
resource position. You have decided to research and decide what models of leadership you will use in
your new position. Leadership Development Challenge This assessment is designed to create foundations for you in the leadership development area by
discussing key elements of leadership, influence, and communication in the human resource profession.

This will also set the stage for your application of these foundations in the upcoming course
assessments. Instructions Write a 3–5 page paper in which you define leadership, influence, and communication unique to the
human resource professional. You will identify two leadership theories that resonate for you as you
envision your leadership style for this new position. There are many ways to research leadership theories. The course text, The Leadership Experience,
compiles a clear overview of current leadership theories in Chapter 1, “What Does It Mean to Be a
Leader?” Using this text allows you to examine a variety of relevant leadership theories from a single
source. Additional resources are also provided to supplement the course text and provide additional
perspectives. This paper should be well organized and cover the following elements.
• Write an introduction that outlines why you are writing this paper.
• Describe unique characteristics of human resource leadership.
o Introduce the unique characteristics of leadership for the human resource professional.
• Explain how leadership theories apply to human resource leadership.
o Select two leadership theories that resonate for you as the foundation for your
leadership style and approach and explain their relevance.
• Explain the importance of influence to human resource leadership.
o Provide examples of how you will use this leadership information in your new role as a
human resource supervisor.
o Discuss not only how you will lead your team but how this will impact your relationships
throughout the organization.
• Write a conclusion that wraps up and summarizes your document. Additional Requirements
• Length: 3–5 typed, double-spaced pages, plus the cover and resources pages.
o The first page should be a cover sheet with your name, the course number, assessment
title, and date. No other information is required on this page.
o The last page should be the reference list.
• Organization: Make sure your assessment writing is well organized, using headings and
subheadings to organize content for the reader.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 points.
• Resources: Use 2–6 references to support your assertions.

• APA formatting: Resources and in-text citations are formatted according to current APA style
and formatting.
• Written communication:
o Use paraphrasing and summarization to represent ideas from external sources to
support your main points and assertions with relevant and credible evidence.
o Use spell-check and other tools to ensure adherence to the rules of grammar, usage,
and mechanics. Review the HR Leadership Development: The Foundations of Leadership Scoring Guide prior to
submitting to ensure you have met the requirements of the assessment. Competencies Measured By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following
course competencies through corresponding scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 1: Apply leadership and management theories and models to inform human
resource leadership practices.
o Explain how leadership theories apply to human resource leadership.
• Competency 3: Analyze ways in which human resource leaders build trust and relationships to
influence stakeholders in the workplace.
o Describe unique characteristics of human resource leadership.
o Explain the importance of influence to human resource leadership.
• Competency 4: Communicate professionally through writing that is organized and supported
and that clearly conveys intended information.
o Adhere to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.
o Use paraphrasing and summarization to represent ideas from external sources.