This assignment requires a four-page response and measures your mastery of ULOs 2.2, 3.4, 4.3, and 4.4.

This assignment will be completed in two parts:

Part 1: Gap Identification

For this assignment, you will continue with your prior work from Units III and IV. Revisit your literature review from Unit IV and your feedback from your instructor and identify gaps in the literature for each theory discussed.

Part 2: Workplace Leadership

For the second part of your assignment, you will consider leadership within your own organization and identify ways to improve it. For this second part, please use your own place of employment. If you are not currently employed, use a previous employer or volunteer organization. Write a response that outlines the following:

How are groups and teams established? Explain how they are effective?
Discuss three issues that lead to team ineffectiveness and what a leader may do to address each issue. Discuss a theory or theories that may inform a leader’s behavior when addressing the team issues and explain why.
What are the benefits of goal setting, and how does your organization support employee goals?
What leadership does your organization embody? How could it be more effective?
How does your organization help build trust among employees? Is it effective? Why, or why not?

Format:

Your completed assignment (both parts 1 and 2) must be a minimum of four pages in length. Apply headings and subheadings. You are required to use at least five peer-reviewed sources, one in which must be from the CSU Online Library. Adhere to APA Style when constructing this assignment, including in-text citations and references for all sources that are used. Please note that no abstract is needed.

(feedback: you met each requirement of the assignment rubric. Of particular strength was your discussion of real-world application and the validity review of the literature. Constructively, a few issues with citations and APA format – see notes in margins. Quality of Discussion and Writing Mechanics

20 possible points (20%)

Level 5

Clear and appropriate. Provides strong evidence of critical thinking. Makes use of excellent transitions. Paragraphs contain strong topic sentences. Writing is clear and concise. Sentence structure and grammar are excellent. Correct use of punctuation. No spelling errors.

Criterion Feedback

periods on headers to be removed

Content

45 possible points (45%)

Level 5

All prompted material is articulated in a clear, concise, and thorough format. Motivational theories are clearly and concisely explained and there is an established connection with leadership theories. The material clearly elaborates on how the connection can inform real-world solutions and how research can enhance leadership and leader decisions. A brief explanation is provided on how credible sources were selected and how each source is valuable to the study of leadership.

APA Style

15 possible points (15%)

Level 4

APA guidelines are mostly followed correctly. Reference entries and in-text citations follow APA formatting guidelines fairly well and are usually correct. All in-text citations are referenced and vice versa. Level I and II headings are applied but do not follow APA. A source cited and/or referenced may be misattributed or misaligned to the material.\

Criterion Feedback

Watch italics in reference list and citations as need to add a couple plus add year on others.)

Resources

The following resource(s) may help you with this assignment.

By submitting this assignment, I verify that I am submitting an original work in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy in the CSU Student Handbook.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step 1: Start With a Clear APA-Compliant Structure

Before writing content, format your paper correctly:

Title page (APA 7th edition)
No abstract
Level 1 headings without periods
Double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman

Tutor tip: Correct formatting early prevents unnecessary point deductions later.

Step 2: Organize the Paper Into Two Major Sections

Use Level 1 headings for each part:

Part 1: Gap Identification in Leadership and Motivation Theories
Part 2: Workplace Leadership Analysis

This directly mirrors the rubric and improves clarity.

Step 3: Writing Part 1 – Gap Identification

For each theory discussed in your Unit IV literature review:

Briefly restate the theory (1–2 sentences)
Summarize what the literature explains well
Identify a gap, such as:
- Limited research in specific industries or populations
- Lack of longitudinal or empirical data
- Inconsistent findings across studies
Explain why the gap matters for leadership practice or decision-making

Tutor tip: Gaps are not flaws—they are opportunities for future research and improved leadership application.

Step 4: Writing Part 2 – Workplace Leadership

Use Level 2 headings to organize each required element.

Groups and Team Formation

Explain how teams are formed in your organization
Identify what makes them effective (communication, leadership, shared goals)

Causes of Team Ineffectiveness

Choose three issues, such as:

Poor communication
Role ambiguity
Lack of trust

For each issue:

Describe the problem
Explain how a leader can address it
Connect it to a specific leadership or motivational theory (e.g., Transformational Leadership, Goal-Setting Theory)

Step 5: Goal Setting and Leadership Style

Discuss:

Benefits of goal setting (motivation, accountability, performance)
How your organization supports or limits goal achievement
The leadership style your organization primarily demonstrates
How leadership effectiveness could be strengthened using research

Be explicit in linking theory to practice—this was a noted strength in your feedback.

Step 6: Trust and Organizational Culture

Analyze:

How trust is built (or not built)
Leadership behaviors that influence trust
Whether current efforts are effective and why

Support your evaluation with research-based evidence rather than opinion alone.

Step 7: Strengthen APA Style Based on Feedback

Before submitting:

Remove periods from all headings
Ensure italics are used correctly in the reference list
Confirm all in-text citations include author(s) and year
Match every citation to a reference entry

Tutor tip: Use the CSU Writing Center or APA checklist for a final review.

Peer-Reviewed and Academic Resource Links

CSU Online Library Research Guide:
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu
Leadership Theory Overview (peer-reviewed):
https://journals.sagepub.com
Motivation and Goal-Setting Theory:
https://www.apa.org
Organizational Trust and Leadership:
https://www.sciencedirect.com
APA 7th Edition Style Guide:
https://apastyle.apa.org

If you’d like, I can:

Help you rewrite Part 1 gap statements
Fix APA headings and citations
Review the paper against the ULO criteria
Edit specifically for APA Level I & II headings

Identifying Leadership Theory Gaps and Strengthening Workplace Team Effectiveness