How Will You Measure Your Life?
This is by necessity an individual project. Two of the key learning objectives for this course are to 1) learn about individual behavior and 2) learn about interpersonal behavior. One subcomponent of interpersonal behavior is leadership. And yet one of the most difficult people to learn to lead is oneself; what I refer to as “that guy or girl that we see in the mirror every morning.”
As leaders of organizations, we frequently participate in strategic planning wherein, we document the organization’s values, purpose, mission, and strategy. In this project, you will reflect upon and document your personal values. You will think about your purpose and propose a mission. You will develop a life and career strategy based on your own strengths and weaknesses. We will effectively answer for each of ourselves, the question that Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen asked of the HBS class of 2010, “How will you measure your life (Links to an external site.)?”
The good news is that there are no wrong answers because only you can answer these questions for yourself. However, the bad news is that nobody can give you the answers either. Your grade on this project will be based on the level of thought that you put into it. This type of reflection can positively affect the trajectory of your career and your life. You will get out of it, only what you put into it. Carpe Diem!
Essay format with text of 4-5 Pages, Double Spaced, 12 point font.
Rubric:
MGMT 5113
How Will You Measure Your Life
Grading Rubric
Overview
The HWYMYL project is the first and often the most popular assignment in MGMT 5113. It is an assignment that students prepare individually. Students are assigned to apply strategic planning concepts to their careers and personal lives.
The assignment is usually 4-5 pages in length. However, there is not a hard and fast rule on the length of the paper. Rather the focus of the grader should be on how well the student applies the specific concepts presented in the assigned reading and videos.
Students are assigned to:
- Read the HBS article, “How will you measure your life?”
- Document 4-6 core values.
- Write a statement of purpose.
- Write a mission statement.
- Perform a SWOT analysis.
- Based upon the student’s vision (values, purpose & mission) and their SWOT analysis, they should develop a life strategy that includes Objectives, aka SMART Goals.
- Document how they will measure their progress going forward.
The paper includes 4 – 6 core values that are such that the values are likely to never change; i.e. not dependent on technology, the economy etc.
+ / –
The paper includes a statement of purpose that is such that it could potentially last the person their entire life.
+ / –
The paper includes a mission statement such that it can be clearly evaluated whether or not it has been achieved by the date indicated; i.e. has a clear finish line.
+ / –
The paper includes an analysis of the student’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Note that the strengths should meet Marcus Buckingham’s definition in that they are not simply something the person is good at. Strengths are activities that make the person feel stronger.
+ / –
The paper includes specific Objectives that meet with definition of a SMART Goal; i.e. specific, measurable, attainable, results oriented, time-bound.
+ / –
The student has indicated what type of Measurement System that they will use to track their progress toward their Mission
+ / –
There is a particular consistent theme between the different components of the student’s submission; i.e. innovation, adventurousness, conservatism, frugality etc. The particular theme is not as important as the fact that there is a consistency between the different components that indicates a coherent strategy.
+ / –
