ASSESSMENT GUIDE
COMM5710
Managing & Leading People
Term 2, 2023
UNSW Business School 1
Assessment Summary
Assessment task Weighting Due Date*
Assessment 1:
Team Project
20% Week 10: in your seminar time (AEST)
Assessment 2:
Personal Reflection Journal
40% Weeks 3, 5, 7 & 11: Tuesdays 4pm (AEST)
Assessment 3:
Management Briefing
20% Weeks 3 to 9, inclusive.
Assessment 4:
Seminar Participation & Peer Evaluation
20% Participation: noted by seminar leader; peer evaluation
completed in week 10.
* Due dates are set at Australian Eastern Standard (AEST). If you are located in a different time-zone, you can use the
time and date converter.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)
1. Adopt an evidence-based approach to dealing with management challenges. [PLO1]
2. Understand the most common mistakes people make when they become managers and how to avoid them.
[PLO1]
3. Systematically cultivate your effectiveness at managing and leading people. [PLO7]
4. Cultivate your social capital. [PLO7]
5. Understand and apply some fundamental concepts and practices of delegation, performance management,
leading change, as well as rewarding and engaging employees. [PLO1, 3]
6. Critically analyse and deal constructively with the challenges and opportunities of corporate social responsibility,
ethical leadership, diversity, and cultural differences. [PLO2, 5, 6]
7. Proactively manage your resilience and life balance, as well as know how to help others to do so. [PLO7]
8. Actively listen to others and communicate ideas in a succinct and clear manner. [PLO3]
9. Demonstrate academic skills relevant for postgraduate study including verbal and written communication,
presentation skills, teamwork, independent learning, and assume responsibility for your learning process. [PLO3]
UNSW Business School 2
Assessment Details
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Due Date Weighting Format Length/Duration Submission
Late Submissions
The parameters for late submissions are outlined at UNSW Assessment Implementation Procedure. More specifically,
for COMM5710, you will incur penalties for late submission unless you have Special Consideration (see below). Late
submission is 5% per day (including weekends), calculated from the marks allocated to that assessment (not your
grade). This penalty is because missing these deadlines will prevent you keeping up with the remainder of the course.
Extensions & Special Consideration
You are expected to manage your time to meet assessment due dates. If you do require an extension to your
assessment, please make a request as early as possible before the due date via the special consideration portal on
myUNSW (My Student Profile > Special Consideration).
Special consideration is the process for assessing the impact of short-term events beyond your control (exceptional
circumstances), on your performance in a specific assessment task.
What are circumstances beyond my control?
Available here is a list of circumstances that may be beyond your control. These are exceptional circumstances or
situations that may:
 Prevent you from completing a course requirement,
 Keep you from attending an assessment,
 Stop you from submitting an assessment,
 Significantly affect your assessment performance.
You can find more detail and the application form on the Special Consideration site, or in the UNSW Special
Consideration Application and Assessment Information for Students.
UNSW Business School 3
Assessment 1: Team Project
Week 10 during your seminar time
20%
Presentation (in person, not recorded)
10 mins
Presentation handouts/slides to be submitted on Moodle at the time of the seminar
Overview
This project represents a great opportunity to build your social capital by approaching, having a high-quality
interaction with, and learning from someone you consider to be a highly effective leader. The person you interview
could be drawn from the business, government, university, religious, or non-profit arenas. You will also support your
team members learn from a leader that they admire. Thus, your learning in this assessment also includes: receiving
peer feedback regarding how you conducted your interview; discuss with your team members what you learned from
the person you interviewed; observe a team member conducting their interview; and synthesizing themes from the 4-5
interviews your team members conducted (1 each). Your team will develop a presentation regarding what you
collectively learn about managing and leading people. This assessment will enable you to apply course concepts to
address contemporary challenges for managing and leading people.
Process
A. Teams allocation by seminar leader: Week 2. You will be randomly assigned to a team of 4-5 members whom
you will work with to complete your team project. This is a team project because, throughout your career, you will
routinely work in teams with other people to achieve your shared objective(s). Often you will have little discretion
over the membership of such teams. This is a skills development opportunity.
B. Team contract: submit as PRJ-2 in Week 5. A seminar activity will be to complete the ‘Team Contract’. The
contract will be submitted as a Personal Reflection Journal #2 (PRJ-2). As a team your interviews will focus on
three issues from the course (broad ‘topics’ or more specific ‘course concepts’).
C. Conduct research – interviews leaders: prior week 10. Each team member will interview one leader each.
Have one other team member present at the interview; this enables shared knowledge development and so the
interviewer can obtain feedback on their skills. Each interview will be between 30-60mins. While it is preferable to
conduct your interview face-to-face, if you can only meet your preferred leader online, that is also acceptable. In
the interview: (i) build a high-quality connection between you and the leader; (ii) ask the leader to share their
insights on each of the three realms of managing and leading people that your team has selected; and (iii) share
with the leader the key take-aways you obtained from the interview.
D. Prepare seminar presentation: prior week 10. For each of the three issues of managing and leading people
selected, identify a challenge and apply course concepts to effectively address the challenge.
4
Assessment 2: Personal Reflection Journal (PRJ)
PRJ 1: week 3, Tuesday 13th June 4pm
PRJ 2: week 5, Tuesday 27th June, 4pm
PRJ 3: week 7, Tuesday 11th July, 4pm
PRJ 4: week 11, Tuesday 8th August, 4pm
Total 40% (10% x4)
PRJ templates (on Moodle)
Varied, see PRJ templates
Turnitin on Moodle
Overview
Your Personal Reflection Journal consists of four parts. These are due across the term, and worth 10% each (total of
40%). Each journal part has a series of questions designed to assess your understanding of how the course content
applies to your own leadership development. You will be asked to provide specific examples of your learning from
across this course as well as your future plans.
Process
Download the PRJ templates from Moodle. Bring PRJs to seminars so insights can be incorporated across the
course.
UNSW Business School 5
Assessment 3: Management Briefing
Week 3 to 9 during seminar; date confirmed by seminar leader in week 2.
20%
Presentation (in person, not recorded)
3 mins
Presentation during seminar. Briefing notes (slide and/or handouts) due on Moodle link at the start of the
seminar.
Overview
Course topics come alive when you connect them to real-life issues. Preparing and delivering a compelling
management briefing presentation is your chance to develop and demonstrate your ability to draw clear connections
between course concepts and recent organisational events that were not handled well. At the beginning of each
seminar between weeks 3 to 9 inclusive, students will present their chosen current event and demonstrate how the
course concepts can be applied to improve the situation.
Task
1. Choose an event within the last year that has been reported in the news, business press, or a recent documentary
(i.e., www.afr.com, http://www.smh.com.au/business, http://www.abc.net.au/news/business/,
https://www.forbes.com).
2. Analyse why the problematic incident likely occurred (e.g., an instance of failing to learn, ineffective coaching,
disengagement, resistance to organizational change etc).
3. Apply course 1-2 concepts from the readings in the week you deliver your briefing to illuminate how the incident
can be handled more effectively.
Process:
1. Signup for a Management Briefing in week 1. There will be a maximum of 4 management briefings per week and
you can choose any week for which there remains a vacant slot.
2. Present to your peers at the beginning of the seminar in your selected week. Transform yourself into the person
others want to follow by reading the article ‘Learning Charisma’ (Antonakis, Fenley, & Liechti, 2012).
3. Submit your presentation material (i.e., slide) at the start of your tutorial onto Moodle.
Reference
Antonakis, J., Fenley, M. and Liechti, S., 2012. Learning charisma. Transform yourself into the person others want to
follow. Harvard Business Review, 90(6), pp.127-30.
UNSW Business School 6
Assessment 4: Seminar Participation & Peer Evaluation
Noted by seminar leader; peer evaluation completed in week 10.
20%
Participate in seminars and the team project
NA
A link on Moodle will be provided to complete your ratings of team project members on their participation.
Overview
Learning how to manage and lead people involves deep engagement with your peers. For the context of MGMT5710,
participation includes being fully prepared for, being 100% present, and proactively participating in class discussion.
This means completing the weekly readings and completing pre-seminar activities, so that you can meaningfully
engage in seminars and project teamwork. Please note that participation is NOT about getting it right, instead it is
contributing to everyone's learning journey.
Process
 Part 1 (10%): Evaluated by your seminar leader (notes taken across the term).
 Part 2 (10%): Evaluated by your peers.
UNSW Business School 7
Marking Rubrics
Assessment 1: Team project
Criteria % Fail
0% to 49%
Pass
50% to 64%
Credit
65% to 74%
Distinction
75% to 84%
High Distinction
85% to 100%
What are the lessons from
interviews?
Examples from interviews included
as evidence.
35% No evidence or repeats
evidence with no self-
analysis or does not use the
interview information.
Some relevant evidence, but
analysis lacks links across
interviews.
Solid evidence providing
some comparison of
interviewee perspectives.
Analysis across interviews is
logically related; some
assumptions made.
Insightful and detailed
evidence with a variety of
perspectives compared.
Analysis is linked across the
interviews; any assumptions
made are explicit.
Evidence balances strengths
and weaknesses with insight.
Analysis is linked across the
interviews. Analysis
demonstrates breadth and
depth of understanding.
Course concepts
Application of course concepts
provided accurately and with
comprehensive analysis
35% Does not apply the course
concepts, or application is
inaccurate.
Applies the course concepts
but may include minor errors
or omissions.
Accurately applies the
course concepts to the
interviews.
Accurately applies the
course concepts to the
interviews, showing breadth
or depth of analysis.
Accurately applies the course
concepts to the interviews
demonstrating breadth and
depth of analysis.
Communication: visuals (use of
images, keywords, diagrams,
reference list is shown)
10% Visual aids are non-existent
and/or have an unclear
message.
Visual aids provide some
information, either too much
or too little.
Clear visual aids summarise
the core message
succinctly, with references.
Clear visual aids summarise
the core message succinctly
and with professionalism.
References provided
throughout the presentation,
and a list at the end.
Clear visual aids summarise
the core message succinctly
and with professionalism and
creativity. References provided
throughout the presentation,
and a list at the end.
Communication: presentation
(voice, eye contact and other non-
verbals, dress)
20% Unclear communication
which distracts from
arguments.
Weaknesses in non-verbal
communication and spoken
language are significant
barriers that distract the
audience.
Generally clear
communication so main
arguments articulated,
though may be reading from
a script.
Reasonable use of non-
verbal communication, but
possibly without
expressiveness.
Generally, expresses
complex ideas into well-
reasoned arguments, though
may be reading from a
script.
Some effective use of non-
verbal communication, but
some room for improvement
(e.g., some behaviours may
distract from the message).
Consistently and skilfully
represents complex ideas
into well-reasoned
arguments. Any script
reading is not obvious.
Good use of use of non-
verbal communication;
speakers are comfortable
and the presentation is
engaging.
Consistently and eloquently
represents complex ideas into
well-reasoned arguments.
Excellent use of non-verbal
communication; speaker
appears confident and
maintains the audience’s
attention.
Team Project Member Contribution Accountability: All team members are accountable for actively contributing to each phase of developing and delivering the final presentation. If you are concerned about
someone not fairly contributing, first use this opportunity as a coachable moment. If that is unsuccessful, discuss the matter with your seminar leader. We will work with you and your team members to
facilitate a solution and may (or may not) commence a remediation process resulting in mark variations between team members.
8
Assessment 2: Personal Reflection Journal
Criteria % Fail
0% to 49%
Pass
50% to 64%
Credit
65% to 74%
Distinction
75% to 84%
High Distinction
85% to 100%
Self-reflection &
behaviours /
experiments
50% Non-specific or unclear
examples.
Behaviour / experiments are
not relevant, clear, and/or not
linked to leadership capability.
Examples from personal
reflection or professional
practice.
Behaviours / experiments are
vague and/or unclearly linked
to leadership capability.
Examples from personal
reflection or professional
practice. Examples are relevant
to the question asked.
Behaviours / experiments lack
detail and are somewhat linked
to leadership capability. Lack
of depth of understanding.
Specific examples from
personal reflection or
professional practice.
Examples are relevant to the
question asked.
Behaviours / experiments
demonstrate some degree of
insight, self-reflection, and
independent thought. Linked to
leadership capability. Is
realistic and achievable.
Specific examples from
personal reflection or
professional practice.
Examples are relevant to the
question asked and future
leadership scenarios.
Examples demonstrate insight
and understanding of how the
experiment will lead to learning
and a clear direction for
improvement. Clearly and
explicitly linked to leadership
capability.
Course concepts 50% Makes no attempt to address
course concepts
Makes minimal effort to
address course concepts (e.g.,
"Copy and Paste").
Demonstrates a basic
understanding of the course
concepts. The connection
between course concepts and
PRJ questions is clear.
Demonstrates thorough
knowledge & understanding of
course concepts. Connects
relevant course concepts to
PRJ questions.
Demonstrates thorough
knowledge & understanding of
course concepts. Connects
relevant course concepts to
PRJ questions using clear and
logical explanations.
9
Assessment 3: Management Briefing
Criteria % Fail
0% to 49%
Pass
50% to 64%
Credit
65% to 74%
Distinction
75% to 84%
High Distinction
85% to 100%
News briefing incident provided with
a way to be handled more
effectively
40% Does not use the news
briefing information.
Some relevant use of news
briefing information, but
analysis lacks links to
handling the incident more
effectively.
Relevant news briefing
information with some
illumination on how the
incident can be handled
more effectively.
Relevant news briefing
information illuminating how
the incident can be handled
more effectively.
Relevant news briefing
information illuminating how
the incident can be handled
more effectively. Any
assumptions made are
explicit.
Course concepts
40% Does not apply the course
concepts, or application is
inaccurate.
Applies the course concepts
but may include minor errors
or omissions.
Accurately applies the
course concepts to the
interviews.
Accurately and insightfully
applies the course concepts
to news briefing.
Accurately and insightfully
applies the course concepts to
the news briefing
demonstrating breadth and
depth of analysis.
Communication: presentation 20% Unclear communication
which distracts from
arguments.
Generally clear
communication so main
arguments articulated,
though may be reading from
a script.
Generally, expresses
complex ideas into well-
reasoned arguments.
Consistently and skilfully
represents complex ideas
into well-reasoned
arguments.
Consistently represents
complex ideas into clear, well-
reasoned arguments.
Charismatic in delivery.
10
Assessment 4: Participation
Criteria % Fail
0% to 49%
Pass
50% to 64%
Credit
65% to 74%
Distinction
75% to 84%
High Distinction
85% to 100%
Preparation for class
discussion and activities
30% Little demonstrated
understanding of weekly
course content.
Some demonstrated
understanding of weekly
course content.
Consistent high-level
understanding of weekly course
content
Sporadically connects course
content to appropriate learning
activities (i.e., inconsistent
between weeks or only
demonstrating partial
knowledge of weekly content
Consistent high-level understanding
of weekly course content.
Ability to connect appropriate course
content to relevant learning activities
Consistent high-level
understanding of weekly
course content.
Ability to connect appropriate
course content to relevant
learning activities
Demonstrates applicability of
course content to professional
practice
Integration of course
content applicable to
professional practice
30% Contribution is not
evident in class
discussions
When prompted, sometimes
responds and contributes to
high- quality discussions
during learning activities.
Contributions demonstrate a
basic understanding of course
content and applicability to
professional practice, though
this is not consistent
Responds and contributes to
high-quality discussions during
learning activities.
Contributions demonstrate a
basic or ad-hoc understanding
of course content and some
evidence of applicability to
professional practice
Regularly models the initiation of
high-quality discussions during
learning activities.
Contributions demonstrate an
understanding of course content that
mostly connects to professional
practice.
Regularly models the initiation
of high-quality discussions
during learning activities.
Contributions demonstrate a
synthesis of course content
and its application to
professional practice.
Contribution to the
quality and development
of the class as a learning
community
40% Rarely engages the
learning community.
Poor adherence to Code-
of-Conduct values
(respect, inclusion, and
integrity) and
behaviours.
Inconsistency contributes to
the learning community.
Sometimes builds on other
students’ ideas
Some adherences to Code-of-
Conduct values (respect,
inclusion, and integrity) and
behaviours
Contributes to the learning
community.
Attempts to elicit responses and
reflections from others.
Mainly demonstrates Code-of-
Conduct values (respect,
inclusion, and integrity) and
behaviours
Actively engages the learning
community by encouraging other
students to respond and reflect.
Discussion builds on other students’
ideas and attempts to elicit
responses and reflections.
Demonstrates Code-of-Conduct
values (respect, inclusion, and
integrity) and behaviours
Advances the learning
community by actively
engaging others to respond
and reflect.
Discussion regularly and
consistently builds on and
integrates multiple views from
other students to take learning
deeper.
Models Code-of-Conduct
values (respect, inclusion, and
integrity) and behaviours.