University Assignment

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Reflective Journal on Leadership: Task Oriented and Relationship Oriented Approaches

Name: Rincy
Student Number: BE1
Word Count: 1460

Introduction

Leadership is the act of guiding, influencing, and supporting other people. During the educational process, such leadership qualities come out naturally when students volunteer to assist their fellow students. The main experience I got in leadership was while teaching my friends in college. A few of the responsibilities I assumed included organizing study classes, explaining concepts to them in simple terms, and encouraging them to be active in the curriculum.

I will evaluate this experience in this journal through the ‘task-oriented’ and ‘relationship-oriented’ leadership styles. In this regard, I will be using the DEAL model (Describe, Examine and Articulate Learning) to analyze my actions, their effects and what I need to focus on in the future.

My Leadership Experience


During my undergraduate study, many of my classmates experienced difficulties studying certain subjects. At that time, I took the initiative of forming small study groups and leading them. My method was to explain the lessons, prepare questions for practice, and lead the discussion. Although I held no titles, all of my classmates considered me a leader, for they realized that I planned everything and included everyone in the decisions to be made. 


The situation was a little bit frustrating for me. Others were hesitant and not confident. I divided the group of pages into easily learnable sections, scheduled the exact timings and prepared short notes for the same. At the same time, I encouraged them to ask questions and provided them with the support and the confidence they needed. My leadership style was a combination of task oriented planning and personal relationships and trust. 

Analysis Using Task Oriented and Relationship Oriented Approaches

Task Oriented Leadership


Task oriented leadership is a way of managing that emphasizes on achieving goals and a well thought out plan. Such activities, according to recent studies (Döring, Pihl-Thingvad & Vogel, 2025), improve efficiency and performance. 

My approaches:

  • Study packs and practice questions. 

  • Set up a goal for each study session. 

  • Assessed the progress of my friends using brief tests. 

These interventions helped them to finish their study goal on time. On the other hand, the strict schedules exerted a lot of pressure on my friends. This was particularly hard for those who valued little flexibility in their studies. 

Relationship Oriented Leadership


Relationship oriented leadership is an approach which emphasizes relationships, trust and emotional support. Studies (Rahaman, 2024) show that such approaches help increase team members’ self confidence and foster an inclusive approach. 

Some of the tactics I followed are below. 

  • Encouraged my reluctant friends to ask questions. 

  • Praised them when they explained the study concepts properly. 

  • Consoled and solved any problem bothering them due to their study load.

  • A few of my friends joined the degree just because of the compulsion from their family. To make them interested in studies, I assigned them some interesting tasks. 


These kinds of interactions enhanced group cohesiveness. When I valued their opinions, those who had no interest in studies started to study with more interest.

Effectiveness of My Approach

By giving equal priority to tasks and personal relationships, I managed to blend efficiency with empathy. As a result, the group members attained excellent academic results, while everyone expressed satisfaction with this means of collaborative learning. 

On the other hand, I often felt that the task focus was too rigid. A little more flexibility should have been given to strengthen the relationship with friends a little. 

Reflection on Impact


My leadership approach has been of immense impact in influencing my friends’ attitudes, performance and confidence. 

Motivation: Recognizing and motivating each other. 

Performance: Learning the lessons through proper planning made things easier when preparing for exams. 

Morale: The communication style eliminated their fears and instilled confidence in them. 

New studies (Fletcher, Thomas, Bedwell-Torres & Braun, 2025) also confirm that those carrying out both leadership styles (Task & Relationship) equally can result in positive changes in attitudes and performances of team members. 

Active listening, acknowledging the participation of others, and setting clear goals are the ingredients that led to this success. 

Combined with the right discipline and empathy, each friend realized that they had a good leader and that they were respected, which proved to be a stepping stone to their success. 

Role of Communication in Leadership

Communication was a major part of my leadership experience. Once, one of my friends asked me to explain the meaning of a passage that he didn't understand. I stopped the class immediately, explained the topic in a different way, and gave examples. It was on this day that I learnt that there is a need to change my style of communication depending on the prevailing circumstances. 

The factors that helped make communication work well are:

  • I picked easy words and examples to keep things clear.

  • I chose to encourage rather than blame.

  • For the medium, I chose one-on-one discussions to break down the complex topics.

  • Sometimes, communication didn't work out as well as I thought it would. For example, when I sent long notes in group messages, it just confused my friends. I found that keeping explanations short and having one-on-one conversations work better.

Recent studies by Marshall in 2024 and OGS Learning Solutions in 2025 show that communication is the key leadership quality when it comes to building trust, partnerships, and teamwork. I learned this from my own experience.

Communication is not just about relaying information but also relationship and trust building. 

Personal Growth and Future Application


This experience has added more perspectives to my understanding of leadership. 

Below is my DEAL model evaluation:

Describe: I organized classes and taught my classmates. 

Examine: I placed equal importance on both task oriented and relationship oriented goals, although, too much discipline was not necessary. 


Articulate Learning: I learned that empathy, leadership flexibility, and clear communication are critical to good leadership. 


Studies (Clayton & Ash, 2009; University of Puget Sound, 2024) prove the fact that the DEAL model is an excellent model of introspection in education. 


Key Lessons: 


  • Empathy promotes better motivation than the code of conduct. 

  • Sometimes granting a short break during study time may help in alleviating stress

  • Communication helps to clear misconceptions and build confidence. 


Factors I will pay attention to in the future: 


  • Always listen carefully to what the other person has to say (Active listening). 

  • Have the contributions of other people acknowledged openly. 

  • Explain concepts according to a person’s learning style. 


In future, whether it is in my studies or at my work place, I am going to follow a leadership style where everything will be done correctly, yet personal relationships will be valued.

Leadership in Education and Peer Teaching

My experience was not an exception to the general assumptions and observations about leadership in education. The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024/25 (UNESCO, 2024) highlights that educational leadership plays a crucial role in enhancing learning quality and states that collaboration and inclusivity form the most vital aspects of leadership. 

Similarly, studies on teacher leadership (Abrahamsen & Helstad, 2025) show that leading fellow colleagues and peers can help in increasing knowledge and in building collective knowledge and skills. This is consistent with my informal leadership as a ‘peer teacher’. In this regard, accordingly, I have exhibited informal teacher leadership in the role of a ‘peer teacher’. 

Conclusion

This introspection on my leadership experience brings out the balance between task oriented and relationship leadership approaches.  While the accuracy of actions brought about academic excellence, the warm interpersonal relationship boosted the morale and interest of my friends. Communication is the most significant factor for building trust, and relationships. 

The analysis using the DEAL model helped me identify my shortcomings and learn lessons for growth. In short, this experience has expanded my knowledge of leadership and equipped me with the right attitude and behaviors that I will use in the future. I want to be a leader who values human relationships as much as achievements, with a sense of efficiency, but also empathy. 

References

Abrahamsen, H. N., & Helstad, K. (2025). Teacher leadership: Leading professional learning among peers. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 69(3), 636–650. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2024.2323652

Clayton, P. H., & Ash, S. L. (2009). DEAL: Describe, Examine, and Articulate Learning. University of Puget Sound. Retrieved February 19, 2026, from https://www.pugetsound.edu/deal-describe-examine-and-articulate-learning

Döring, M., Pihl-Thingvad, S., & Vogel, R. (2025). Time to rediscover task-oriented leadership? A multi-source, time-lagged study on leadership and well-being in public service jobs. Public Management Review, 27(6), 1675–1700. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2024.2411631

Fletcher, K. A., Thomas, S. E., Bedwell-Torres, W. L., & Braun, M. T. (2025). Perceived task- and relationship-oriented leader behavior on followers’ team-oriented attitudes. Psychological Studies, 70, 253–269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-025-00825-6

Marshall, M. (2024, December 17). Communication: The most important skill of 2024. AIIR Consulting. Retrieved February 19, 2026, from https://www.aiirconsulting.com/insights/communication-the-most-important-skill-of-2024

Rahaman, H. M. S. (2024). Relation- and task-oriented roles as antecedents of ethical leadership: Examining synergistic effects. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 20(4), 272–287. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.11891

UNESCO. (2024). 2024/5 Global Education Monitoring Report: Leadership in education – Lead for learning. UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54676/MGBQ7259

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