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WGU C203 Becoming an Effective Leader: Complete Guide to MAM1 Task 1 and Task 2
By Dan Palmer, MBA · Academic strategy consultant for working adult learners · LinkedIn
WGU C203, Becoming an Effective Leader, is a leadership course in WGU’s Master of Science in Management and Leadership (MSML). There is no exam. You complete two performance assessments under the course code MAM1: a personal leadership assessment built on three self-assessments, and a paper on toxic leadership and how to prevent it.
This guide is for working supervisors and managers who want to see the whole course at once before diving in. It compares the two tasks, explains what each one really tests, flags the mistakes that cause revisions, and points you to a detailed guide for each task.
C203 at a Glance: MAM1 Task 1 vs. Task 2
| MAM1 Task 1 | MAM1 Task 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Official title | Personal Leadership Assessment and Profile | Organization and Leadership Evaluation |
| What it tests | Your own leadership effectiveness | How leaders’ behaviors affect culture, ethics, and goals |
| Starting point | Three self-assessments: 360° Refined™ Leadership Test, CQ Pro Assessment, and VIA Character Strengths Survey | Three toxic leadership behaviors, using hypothetical or anonymized real examples |
| Theory | One scholarly leadership theory applied to your results | Toxic leadership, prevention, and power and influence |
| Extra deliverable | A personal leadership profile | None |
| Uploads | Paper, assessment results, and leadership profile | Paper only (supporting documents in a separate PDF) |
| Detailed guide | C203 Task 1 guide | C203 Task 2 guide + example paper |
The two tasks are independent. Task 2 does not use your Task 1 assessment results, so you can plan them as two separate papers.
C203 Competencies
The course is organized around four competencies. Task 1 covers the first; Task 2 covers the other three.
| Competency | Title | Assessed in |
|---|---|---|
| 3005.1.1 | Theories of Leadership and Personal Development Style | Task 1 |
| 3005.1.2 | Power and Influence for Organizational Goals | Task 2, Part C |
| 3005.1.3 | Leading Organizational Culture to Achieve Individual and Organizational Goals | Task 2, Parts A and B |
| 3005.1.4 | Leadership Development and Innovation | Task 2, Part B |
MAM1 Task 1: Personal Leadership Assessment and Profile
Task 1 is about you. You complete three self-assessments, write a paper that explains your results through one scholarly leadership theory, and build a personal leadership profile. The C203 Task 1 guide breaks down the rubric in detail. At a high level:
- Complete all three assessments first and download each report. Every analytical section depends on your results.
- Choose your theory after you see your results, from WGU’s list: transformational, transactional, situational, participative, servant, behavioral, or trait.
- Analyze each assessment separately, naming your top and bottom results and explaining how the theory accounts for both, with scholarly support.
- Recommend three action items tied to your results, and explain how the theory supports them.
- Build the leadership profile as its own document. The Task 1 guide lists the components it needs, including your leadership philosophy, strengths, and areas for improvement. It also draws on your CliftonStrengths results, so have those ready.
Where Task 1 goes wrong: writing about leadership in general instead of your actual results, blending the three assessments into one discussion, or leaving out part of the leadership profile.
MAM1 Task 2: Organization and Leadership Evaluation
Task 2’s title suggests a company analysis, but the paper is really about toxic leadership. The C203 Task 2 guide covers every part in detail and includes a free, fictitious APA 7 example paper. The structure:
- Part A: three toxic leadership behaviors, each with a specific example; how each affects leadership effectiveness and culture, with two examples; and how each has ethical consequences, with two more examples.
- Part B: three action items to prevent those behaviors, one prevention example per action item, and how the action items improve motivation, development, or innovation.
- Part C: how positive leadership behaviors help an organization achieve its goals, and how toxic behaviors inhibit them, through the lens of power and influence.
- Parts D and E: APA citations and professional communication.
The suggested length is 6 to 10 pages, and each of Parts A, B, and C needs scholarly support.
Where Task 2 goes wrong: missing the two examples in A1 or A2, writing action items that are intentions instead of systems, or treating Part C as a general essay that never mentions power and influence.
Rules That Apply to Both C203 Tasks
- Microsoft Word only. Write each paper in .doc or .docx. Cloud links such as Google Docs or OneDrive are not accepted, and supporting documents go in a separate PDF.
- Similarity checking. Submissions are scanned by the WGU similarity checker. Review the report before you submit for evaluation.
- Grammarly for Education. Professional communication is assessed through Grammarly, and the overall submission will not pass if that aspect fails.
- Scholarly sources. WGU accepts peer-reviewed journals, editor-reviewed articles or books, and respected industry, government, or educational sources, including anything in the WGU library.
- APA citations. Cite anything you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, with a matching reference list.
A Study Plan for Working Managers
| When | Task | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1, days 1 to 2 | Task 1 | Complete all three self-assessments and download each report |
| Week 1, days 3 to 5 | Task 1 | Choose your theory and draft the analysis for each assessment |
| Week 1, days 6 to 7 | Task 1 | Draft action items, build the leadership profile, check citations, submit |
| Week 2, days 1 to 3 | Task 2 | Choose three distinct toxic behaviors and draft Part A with every example |
| Week 2, days 4 to 5 | Task 2 | Draft Part B, one action item and one prevention example per behavior |
| Week 2, days 6 to 7 | Task 2 | Draft Part C, check APA, run Grammarly for Education, submit |
Adjust the pace to your schedule. The order matters more than the speed.
Save your sources as you go. The Task 2 instructions note that the MSML capstone asks for an annotated bibliography with two to five scholarly sources from each prior course, including C203. Keeping a running list now saves time later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WGU C203?
WGU C203, Becoming an Effective Leader, is a leadership course in the WGU MSML program. It has two performance assessments under the code MAM1: Task 1, a Personal Leadership Assessment and Profile, and Task 2, an Organization and Leadership Evaluation focused on toxic leadership.
Does C203 have an exam?
No. C203 is assessed through two written performance assessments rather than an objective exam.
Do I need my Task 1 results for Task 2?
No. Task 1 uses your self-assessment results, but Task 2 is built on hypothetical or anonymized real-world examples of toxic leadership.
What does MAM1 mean?
MAM1 is the assessment code WGU uses for C203’s performance assessments, so the tasks appear as MAM1 Task 1 and MAM1 Task 2.
Is there a C203 example paper?
The C203 Task 2 guide includes a free, fictitious APA 7 example paper in Word for illustration purposes only. It is not to be submitted for grading.
How do I avoid revisions in C203?
Follow the lettered parts of each task in your headings, count every required item before you submit, support each part with a scholarly source, and review your similarity and Grammarly reports first.
Get Support With WGU C203
If you are leading a team while working through the MSML, Gradevia offers assignment support for both MAM1 tasks. We can help you plan Task 1 around your assessment results, choose Task 2 behaviors that give you enough to say, review drafts against every rubric line, and check citations before you submit. The reflection, examples, and analysis stay yours.
All C203 Guides
- WGU C203 Task 1 (MAM1): Personal Leadership Assessment and Profile Guide
- WGU C203 Task 2 (MAM1): Organization and Leadership Evaluation Guide + Example Paper
- Browse all C203 guides
About This Guide
This guide was reviewed against WGU’s MAM1 task materials in September 2026. Gradevia is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Western Governors University. Assessment names are trademarks of their respective owners. Task details can change between terms, so always confirm against the instructions and rubric in your course.