WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
WGU D072
Fundamentals for Success in Business
Task 2: Emotional Intelligence, Supportive Communication & Leadership Analysis
Document type 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar / adaptation template
Assessment Performance Assessment - Task 2
Primary focus Emotional intelligence, supportive communication, leadership style, team performance
and morale
Source basis User-provided D072 Task 2 material; corroborating 2026 D072 student work; WGU public
course information
ACADEMIC USE NOTE
This document is an original model for study and adaptation. It is not an official WGU answer key, and no outside
document can guarantee an evaluator result. The scenario application below uses only facts consistently supported
by the user-provided Task 2 material and recent 2026 D072 student work: one team member repeatedly misses
deadlines, coworkers become frustrated, team members do not feel heard or understood, and the conflict harms
teamwork, morale, and performance. Exact employee names, project names, and deliverable dates were not
publicly verified and are therefore not invented here.
TASK 2 ALIGNMENT OVERVIEW
How this model is organized
The current 2026 materials reviewed for D072 Task 2 consistently organize the work around four leadership
competencies: emotional intelligence, supportive communication, leadership style, and the balance between people-
centered and task-oriented leadership. This exemplar keeps the rubric-style labels visible so each requirement can be
checked directly.
Section Primary requirement Model approach
A Two EI principles Describe two emotional intelligence principles and apply them to the chosen team-
conflict scenario.
A1 Importance of EI Explain why strong EI skills help a leader manage teams effectively.
B Supportive communication Describe how supportive communication would be used to address the workplace
conflict.
C1 Leadership style Describe one leadership style appropriate to the scenario.
C2 Apply leadership style Explain how that leadership style could resolve the workplace conflict.
D1 Leadership approach and outcomes Describe how the selected leadership approach could affect team performance and
WGU D072 - Task 2 | 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar
Page
, Section Primary requirement Model approach
morale.
D2 People- vs. task-centered approach Explain why the selected approach is the better fit for the chosen scenario.
Scenario frame used in this exemplar
The scenario core can be stated more precisely than in the first edition of this exemplar. The user-provided Task 2
material and recent 2026 D072 student submissions consistently describe one team member who repeatedly misses
project deadlines while the rest of the team becomes frustrated. The conflict leaves team members feeling unheard or
misunderstood and begins to undermine trust, morale, collaboration, and project performance. These are the scenario
facts used throughout this revision. Exact employee names, project names, individual deadline dates, and the underlying
cause of the missed deadlines are not verified, so the analysis does not invent them.
Writing principle
Define each concept briefly, then spend most of the response applying the concept to observable team behavior,
communication, accountability, morale, and performance. Avoid repeating textbook definitions without connecting
them to the scenario.
MODEL RESPONSE - EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
A. Emotional Intelligence Principles
A. Two EI principles: self-awareness and empathy
Two emotional intelligence (EI) principles that fit this conflict are self-awareness and empathy. Self-awareness helps the
leader recognize personal reactions to the repeated missed deadlines before those reactions shape the response. Empathy
helps the leader understand both the employee who is struggling to meet deadlines and the coworkers whose work and
morale are being affected. These principles fit the scenario because the leader must address a real performance problem
without allowing frustration or assumptions about motive to make the conflict worse.
Self-awareness is important because the leader may feel frustrated after seeing the same team member miss deadlines
more than once. If the leader notices impatience or an urge to blame that employee, the leader can regulate the response
before speaking. Instead of saying that the employee is dragging the team down, the leader can focus on the verified
behavior: deadlines have been missed repeatedly, coworkers are frustrated, and the pattern is affecting the team's ability
to work together. This keeps the discussion centered on behavior and impact rather than personal judgment.
Empathy would be used to understand both sides of the conflict. The leader should ask the employee who is missing
deadlines what is preventing timely completion rather than assuming the reason. The cause can be clarified only through
discussion; the available scenario evidence does not establish whether the problem is workload, skill, communication, or
something personal. Empathy also applies to the frustrated coworkers. Their concerns are legitimate because repeated
delays can disrupt their own work and create resentment. Listening to both sides helps the leader identify the cause
while showing that no one is being dismissed.
Using these two EI principles together creates a more balanced leadership response. Self-awareness keeps the leader
intentional and professional; empathy helps the leader gather information and understand the human impact. Neither
principle removes accountability. Instead, they help the leader address accountability without humiliation,
defensiveness, or unnecessary escalation.
A1. Why strong EI skills matter for effective team leadership
Strong EI skills are important because team performance depends on more than technical competence. Leaders regularly
interpret frustration, uncertainty, disagreement, and stress. A leader who can recognize those emotions and regulate a
response is more likely to keep conflict focused on the work rather than allowing the discussion to become personal.
WGU D072 - Task 2 | 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar
Page
WGU D072
Fundamentals for Success in Business
Task 2: Emotional Intelligence, Supportive Communication & Leadership Analysis
Document type 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar / adaptation template
Assessment Performance Assessment - Task 2
Primary focus Emotional intelligence, supportive communication, leadership style, team performance
and morale
Source basis User-provided D072 Task 2 material; corroborating 2026 D072 student work; WGU public
course information
ACADEMIC USE NOTE
This document is an original model for study and adaptation. It is not an official WGU answer key, and no outside
document can guarantee an evaluator result. The scenario application below uses only facts consistently supported
by the user-provided Task 2 material and recent 2026 D072 student work: one team member repeatedly misses
deadlines, coworkers become frustrated, team members do not feel heard or understood, and the conflict harms
teamwork, morale, and performance. Exact employee names, project names, and deliverable dates were not
publicly verified and are therefore not invented here.
TASK 2 ALIGNMENT OVERVIEW
How this model is organized
The current 2026 materials reviewed for D072 Task 2 consistently organize the work around four leadership
competencies: emotional intelligence, supportive communication, leadership style, and the balance between people-
centered and task-oriented leadership. This exemplar keeps the rubric-style labels visible so each requirement can be
checked directly.
Section Primary requirement Model approach
A Two EI principles Describe two emotional intelligence principles and apply them to the chosen team-
conflict scenario.
A1 Importance of EI Explain why strong EI skills help a leader manage teams effectively.
B Supportive communication Describe how supportive communication would be used to address the workplace
conflict.
C1 Leadership style Describe one leadership style appropriate to the scenario.
C2 Apply leadership style Explain how that leadership style could resolve the workplace conflict.
D1 Leadership approach and outcomes Describe how the selected leadership approach could affect team performance and
WGU D072 - Task 2 | 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar
Page
, Section Primary requirement Model approach
morale.
D2 People- vs. task-centered approach Explain why the selected approach is the better fit for the chosen scenario.
Scenario frame used in this exemplar
The scenario core can be stated more precisely than in the first edition of this exemplar. The user-provided Task 2
material and recent 2026 D072 student submissions consistently describe one team member who repeatedly misses
project deadlines while the rest of the team becomes frustrated. The conflict leaves team members feeling unheard or
misunderstood and begins to undermine trust, morale, collaboration, and project performance. These are the scenario
facts used throughout this revision. Exact employee names, project names, individual deadline dates, and the underlying
cause of the missed deadlines are not verified, so the analysis does not invent them.
Writing principle
Define each concept briefly, then spend most of the response applying the concept to observable team behavior,
communication, accountability, morale, and performance. Avoid repeating textbook definitions without connecting
them to the scenario.
MODEL RESPONSE - EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
A. Emotional Intelligence Principles
A. Two EI principles: self-awareness and empathy
Two emotional intelligence (EI) principles that fit this conflict are self-awareness and empathy. Self-awareness helps the
leader recognize personal reactions to the repeated missed deadlines before those reactions shape the response. Empathy
helps the leader understand both the employee who is struggling to meet deadlines and the coworkers whose work and
morale are being affected. These principles fit the scenario because the leader must address a real performance problem
without allowing frustration or assumptions about motive to make the conflict worse.
Self-awareness is important because the leader may feel frustrated after seeing the same team member miss deadlines
more than once. If the leader notices impatience or an urge to blame that employee, the leader can regulate the response
before speaking. Instead of saying that the employee is dragging the team down, the leader can focus on the verified
behavior: deadlines have been missed repeatedly, coworkers are frustrated, and the pattern is affecting the team's ability
to work together. This keeps the discussion centered on behavior and impact rather than personal judgment.
Empathy would be used to understand both sides of the conflict. The leader should ask the employee who is missing
deadlines what is preventing timely completion rather than assuming the reason. The cause can be clarified only through
discussion; the available scenario evidence does not establish whether the problem is workload, skill, communication, or
something personal. Empathy also applies to the frustrated coworkers. Their concerns are legitimate because repeated
delays can disrupt their own work and create resentment. Listening to both sides helps the leader identify the cause
while showing that no one is being dismissed.
Using these two EI principles together creates a more balanced leadership response. Self-awareness keeps the leader
intentional and professional; empathy helps the leader gather information and understand the human impact. Neither
principle removes accountability. Instead, they help the leader address accountability without humiliation,
defensiveness, or unnecessary escalation.
A1. Why strong EI skills matter for effective team leadership
Strong EI skills are important because team performance depends on more than technical competence. Leaders regularly
interpret frustration, uncertainty, disagreement, and stress. A leader who can recognize those emotions and regulate a
response is more likely to keep conflict focused on the work rather than allowing the discussion to become personal.
WGU D072 - Task 2 | 2026 scenario-specific reference exemplar
Page
