Learning Styles

1.0 Introduction:

A recognized challenge of the 21st century is how leaders' and followers are able to achieve 'a shared meaning' and or focus (Smircich & Morgan 1982. This in essence holds the key to leadership, the followers and organizational success. The attainment of 'shared meaning,' would depend on leaders' awareness of how it can affect followers' perception and indirectly emotion including, understanding of their personality and learning styles. Amabile, T. & Kramer, S (2007) addressing leaders' states:

'it may stun you'.' If you are a manager, to learn what power you hold'. 'Your behavior as a manager dramatically shapes your employees' inner work lives'. ' But the key levers in your hands for driving motivation and performance may not be the ones you'd suspect.'

According to Smircich & Morgan 1982 it is important for leaders' to view the collaboration with followers as 'a social process defined through interactions' and as 'a process defining reality in' a manner making meaning 'to the led......'

On the other hand, followers' also has responsibility to understand what inform their perception and emotion including their personality and learning styles. Lao Tse comments that 'he who knows much about others is learned', 'but he who understands himself is more intelligent.' In order for followers to be seen as collaborative it is essential for there to be an informed relationship with its leaders'.

2.0

Using the Kolb & Kolb (2005) learning styles, the analysis below evaluate my learning style. It also explained how my learning style impacts how I have approached my submissions over week3-6; and finally how, based on my approaches to the last 4 weeks submissions, creates meaning to me as a learner.

2.1 My preferred learning style:

* Personal level: Accommodating: Active experimentation (AE) or 'doing' and Concrete Experience or 'feeling'; and/or

* Professional Level: Assimilating: Reflexive 'Observation (RO)' or 'watching and abstract conceptualization or 'thinking'

2.1.1 That is, my learning styles continuum is represented by:

'According to Kolb, it is the combination of how we process and perceive that indicates our learning styles'; and 'recognized that there could be even more overlap between these styles as well as changes from one style preference to another with experience.'

* Personal level: I 'process' through 'doing' or 'active experimentation' AND I 'perceive' through 'feeling' or 'concrete experience';

* Professional level: I 'process' through 'watching' or 'active experimentation' and I 'perceive' through 'thinking' or 'abstract conceptualization'.

2.2 Explaining how my learning style impacts approaches to FIVE major elements of weeks 3-6 submissions;

Processing: 'Perception'

'Doing/ Watching' or 'Active Experimentation' 'Feeling' or Concrete Experience 'Thinking' or 'abstract conceptualization'

Professional Level Referencing - learning through doing: this is evident in the turnitin reports Capable of Evaluating and Exploring the rationale of theories: as evident in weeks 3 and 5 submissions

Critical writing-learning through doing-as evident in week 3 tutor feedback

Adaptation to the Online learning process

Failure to comply with deadlines on weekly discussion, as in week 3