Completion of the course-long personal leadership project solidifies foundation KSAs in order to:
•Evaluate decision making in relation to historic and current issues in public safety through case studies and simulation
•Explain the relationship between successful leadership, organizational development, and technology and the way these factors affect decision making
•Discuss the importance of ethics, globalization, systems thinking, proactive leadership, and leader-follower relationships to successful leadership in public safety
•Identify and discuss the major leadership theories and concepts applicable to public safety
•Explain the importance of leadership in organizational processes and change
•Cite examples of successful leadership styles and techniques in progressive public administration
•Complete case study reviews and an operational simulation based on major public safety issues
•Identify future public safety challenges and potential solutions
•Synthesize your learning experience in your major discipline to apply the knowledge and skills to practical individual and organizational challenges
Assessment Sequence
The project is made up of sequential steps that constitute the required actions of the portfolio development. The process assessment utilizes a recommended portfolio document structure.
1. Gather—the gathering of course and outside leadership materials and resources.
2. Research—narrowing the focus of academic and anecdotal leadership topics to professional homeland security or public safety leadership topics.
3. Organize—establish an information-handling process in order to coordinate resources, sources, and gathered data. Monitor for policy topic research completeness through use of an information-handling and organization process.
4. Analyze and evaluate—compare, contrast, and judge resource material to develop cogent documentation.
5. Assess—assimilate personal leadership history report results with cogent documentation, demonstrating the nexus between personal leadership history and data with academic and anecdotal resources. This step may also include assessing past leadership opportunities for lessons learned.
6. Apply—based on steps 1-5, determine personal leadership styles and traits and how the determination can be applied in a professional homeland security or public safety setting. This step will also include personal leadership strengths and challenges for future development.
7. Create a personal leadership development plan for your future in public safety.
Presentation and discussion of academic and anecdotal resource materials
•Deconstruction of current homeland security or public safety leadership
•Identification of acceptable and effective professional homeland security or public safety leadership principles
•Collation of data from personal leadership self-assessment assignments
•Comparison and contrast of self-assessment data, to include applicability, with best practices and identified leadership principles
•Presentation and discussion of future personal leadership development and opportunity
The completed personal leadership portfolio correlates with professional homeland security and public safety leadership best practices, resulting in a tangible product that can become a base for future leadership development.
