Assignment
The module is assessed through an individual 2500-word report (10% tolerance, i.e., 2250-2750 words) split into two sections of equal weighting.
In Part A: You are asked to critically evaluate your own leadership skills, strength, and areas for improvement. In this context you are expected to draw on key learnings, activities (minimum 2 + DISC), and readings of the module and highlight their impact on your own leadership development. Finally, you will be expected to identify any (mis)alignment between your current leadership skills and your future career aspirations in the sports industry.
NOTE** I have attached the report for this part to write about
In Part B: You are asked to design a leadership development program for a sport organisation (or: Sport Club, Sport Federation) of your choosing. You are required to outline and justify key considerations in terms of need for the program, delivery format (i.e., in-person, online, hybrid), delivery language (i.e., English, native language, mix), timeline, target audience, participant selection, and measurement of impact.
NOTE** This program is designed for a Saudi Women’s Football, focusing on youth female players aged 15–21. While women’s football in Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing, leadership development remains underdeveloped.
APA7 Referencing of appropriate academic sources is expected to support your writing in both sections of the report.
Reference list (and appendix1) don’t count towards the word limit.
1You are encouraged to include “evidence” of completed activities you refer to in Part A of the assignment in the Appendix.
As for your DISC report, please only include the summary page and not the entire report in the appendix.
*Key Readings:
- Gurdjian, P., Halbeisen, T., & Lane, K. (2014). Why leadership-development programs fail. McKinsey quarterly, 1(1), 121-126.
- Westfall, C. (2019). Leadership Development is a $366 Industry: Here’s Why Most Programs Don’t Work. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2019/06/20/leadership development-why-most-programs-dont-work/
– Masen, L., McKeen, M., Mueller, J., Leberman, S. (2026 – aop). The Importance of Self-Awareness and Critical Reflection for Leadership and Followership Development. In J. Mueller, J. Wells, and S. Leberman (Eds.), Handbook of Sport Leadership.
– Edward Elgar. – de Schepper, J., Sotiriadou, P., & Hill, B. (2021). The role of critical reflection as an employability skill in sport management. European Sport Management Quarterly, 21(2), 280-301.
– Saah, K., & Svensson, P. G. (2025). Leader (ship) Development in Sport for Development. Journal of Sport Management, 1(aop), 1-13.
– Black, A. M., & Earnest, G. W. (2009). Measuring the outcomes of leadership development programs. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 16(2), 184–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051809339193
– Hieker, C., & Pringle, J. (2021). Chapter 3: Leadership Development – A $366 Billion Business (pp. 35 – 45). In C. Hieker & J. Pringle (Eds.), The Future of Leadership Development – Disruptions and the Impact of Megatrends. Palgrave Macmillian.
Keytext
Northouse, P. G. (2023). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (6th Edition). Sage Publications.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (4th Edition). Sage Publications.
Hieker, C., & Pringle, J. (2021). The Future of Leadership Development – Disruptions and the Impact of Megatrends. Palgrave Macmillian.