leadership development plan essay

Leadership development plan

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist

ivan.andreev@valamis.com

February 2, 2022 · updated April 2, 2024

11 minute read

After reading this guide, you will understand how to improve leadership skills training in your organization, and get actionable tips for building a leadership development plan.

What is leadership development?

Why is leadership development important, leadership development goals.

• Define what type of leaders do you need
• Align an employees career vision with your business needs
• Create a list of leadership development goals and skills
• Identify which methods of development to use
• Measure and analyze the program results

Leadership development is the process of improving leadership skills and competencies through various activities.

In leadership development, staff at all levels are taught the invaluable leadership skills that allow them to properly lead, inspire and guide their teams to success.

This type of development is important to properly cultivate a culture of leadership throughout an organization.

Leadership development training can take on many forms, both on-site, such as internal training and mentorship programs, and off-site, such as training seminars, conferences, online training, or graduate programs.

To effectively action leadership development, an organization should create a leadership development plan.

This plan will lay out the steps that the organization will take, what is expected of staff who undergo this development, and how the development will help both the organization and the staff.

Career development plan template

This template helps employees and bosses plan together for career growth: set goals, assess skills, and make a plan.

Leadership development benefits an organization in a multitude of ways.

1. It drives better business results

Including higher financial performance and more consistent achievement within departments guided by proficient leaders.

2. Skilled leaders are more agile

An organization with empowered leaders can navigate today’s complex business environment and solve problems quickly and effectively.

3. Good leadership drives innovation

A workforce with effective leaders will be inspired to believe in, and work for, a greater vision.

4. Skilled leaders attract and keep employees

Good leadership can inspire higher engagement from their staff and reduce turnover. A great leader will attract talented new employees and will be able to keep the ones that they have, which leads to better work satisfaction.

5. Improves employee engagement

More than half of American workers are disengaged at work. Effective leadership that knows how to increase engagement within teams using purpose and recognition has been shown to increase profitability within an organization.

6. Improves communication inside and outside the organization

Good communication can make or break a company. If the leaders within a company make effective communication a priority, it leads to increases in productivity, better speed of execution of tasks, and a more positive organizational culture.

7. Improves Customer retention

Customers will be more loyal when leaders are effective in engaging employees. Leading by example improves the customer experience.

8. Increases employee loyalty

Inhouse leadership development inspires loyalty from employees, as it shows that there are growth opportunities available for them. It is also cheaper, and requires less time, than finding, hiring and training leaders from outside.

9. Proper leadership development strategy fuels business strategy

A properly developed leadership development strategy is an invaluable tool for driving and achieving the organization’s business strategy. In taking the time to understand what your organization needs from its leaders, you will better understand the business strategy that will work best for you. These two strategies go hand-in-hand, developing one will help in achieving the other.

No matter the industry, every organization can benefit from developing leadership skills from within their organization and prioritizing leadership in their company culture.

For a leadership development program to be effective, there must be clear goals that are set at the beginning of the process. Some, or all, of the following goals can be used as a starting point.

1. Demonstrate personal responsibility

A true leader owns their actions and the consequences of them, whether good or bad.

They are able to look at the outcomes of their decisions, and appreciate the lessons that both success and failure teach.

Employees notice if a manager never takes responsibility for their actions, or worse, pushes the responsibility for their failures onto their subordinates.

2. Practice self-discipline

When making decisions, it can be tempting to make ones that benefit the individual, rather than the team or organization.

A good leader considers all options then chooses the one that is best for the company, rather than themselves. This practice involves shedding bias and developing integrity.

3. Develop active listening skills

Sometimes leading means listening, rather than speaking.

Every member of a team has some valuable input and experience that they can share, and a good leader takes the time to create a space for discussion and actively listen to each person.

4. Expand and diversify knowledge

Leaders need to be well-rounded, with a wide array of skills in different areas of competence.

In taking the time to study fields that may be outside of their direct role, a leader will be better able to handle issues as they arise in a creative and agile fashion.

5. Focus on time management

A leader is not going to be much use to anyone if they are consistently running behind on projects and don’t have enough time to actually lead.

In focusing on proper time management, a leader can make sure that they set a good example and are available for their team.

6. Creating a culture of mentorship

A key role of a leader is to foster leadership in others.

Being able to identify and develop those skills in team members is an important aspect of a leader’s job, and is essential in the development of a leadership culture within an organization.

This involves coaching, giving actionable and constructive feedback , and paying attention to how team members are approaching challenging projects.

7. Improve communication practices

A leader is only as effective as their communication.

Great ideas and active mentorship won’t go far if a leader’s communication style lets them down.

Developing communication skills takes time and effort and includes building rapport with team members, understanding how, and when, to use persuasion, and improving conflict management skills .

8. Practice big-picture thinking

Leaders shouldn’t think small. Problem-solving and effective team management are dependent on a leader who can make decisions that will benefit the team not just immediately, but down the road as well.

Using these goals as a starting point will help an organization dial in on what is important, what changes need to be prioritized, and what kind of training will be most effective in developing the leadership that they would like to see within their organization.

Leadership development plan template

So, how to improve leadership skills within your organization? You should start with a leadership development plan.

It is the roadmap of how your organization is going to nurture leadership skills in employees of all levels. It should cover goals that align with both strategic business needs and interpersonal, or more human, needs.

It should address the needs of leaders of all levels within the organization, both current leaders and those you wish to train for future leadership positions.

An example of a good leadership development plan is one that has followed the following steps:

1. Define what type of leaders do you need

First of all, you need to understand what type of leaders you need, what set of skills are most essential for your business, and will be valuable in the future.

To do so, it’s better to take a step back and review your key business objectives, if you don’t have a clear list, then it is time to make it.

• Create a list of skills that you are expecting to see in a good leader that fits your company. It should be aligned with your business.
• If you have a different department that requires improvements in leadership, create a separate profile for them.
• Assess where your leadership is. Create a leadership assessment for your employees. Using a variety of methods, including anonymous, email, and face-to-face feedback, your organization can develop a clear idea of where the leadership currently is.
• Also, it might be good to have a list of employees who demonstrate an interest in management roles and are talented enough to take leadership roles.
• Maybe you need a leader with a specific Management style . In such cases would be good to check them and prepare some questions for an interview.

2. Align an employees career vision with your business needs

Talk to the employees who will participate in this leadership development and try to align their career vision and path with your ideas and business path.

Having the same direction in development will affect final results dramatically.

• Of course, a culture of leadership is easier to develop with engaged employees who view the organization in a positive light. So, sometimes it will be better not to focus on people who are going to leave the company.
• One-on-one meetings will be the most beneficial tool for discovering what your employee’s career vision is. Make the time to meet with employees on a regular basis to ensure that the two paths are in accordance.
• Be willing to listen to your employee’s ideas about what is needed both in leadership development and business strategy. You might get unexpected insight into your organization and ideas for the future.

3. Create a list of leadership development goals and skills

As discussed above, leadership development goals are an important part of this strategy. Without clear goals, it will be hard to understand what to do and how effective your plan is.

The required qualities and skills of your organization’s leadership will determine the relevant leadership development goals.

• These goals must be achievable, measurable, and should correlate with the key business objectives.
• Take a look at leadership skills , it might help you.
• Create a list of goals and skills required for each individual or role.
• Rank their importance so people will focus on the most valuable or important goals for them.
• Define a clear timeline for each goal, it will motivate people to act.
• Be clear about what success for each goal looks like. The clearer this list is, the more successful employees will be in reaching their goals.
• Look within your organization for examples of success. It is better to show, rather than tell.

How to conduct a skills gap analysis and what to do next

Start building your foundation for strategic workforce development.

4. Identify which methods of development to use and create a development plan

There are many different methods that can be used for leadership development:

• mentorship programs,
• formal training,
• volunteering,
• task forces,
• working groups and committees,
• changing the way the responsibility is taken,
• and others.

You can read more about ideas on how to develop leadership skills in this employee development article.

Some companies will develop these methods in house, while others bring in a third party company who specializes in this type of development, it’s up to you what to choose.

• We recommend creating a separate leadership development plan for each role or individual. It will make it more personal and role oriented, and as a result, it will be much more engaging and relevant.
• Focus on those methods that fit you, some of them are expensive, while others require experience.
• Think about the realization stage .

5. Measure and analyze the program results

As mentioned the development plan must be measurable, otherwise, it will be impossible to quantify its success.

By using measurable goals, concrete criteria, feedback from employees, and data, your organization will be able to measure the success of the program and make adjustments where necessary. Get more ideas from the Reviewing & Monitoring Results chapter of this employee development article.

• Set timeframes and review results frequently.
• Communicate with employees, their feedback will be really important.
• Come back to the plan and adjust it if necessary.

Using these steps, your organization can create a leadership development plan template to follow. In doing so, a culture of leadership and positive development will be established, and beneficial results will follow.

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Personal Leadership Development Plan

Personal leadership development plan: essay introduction, my strengths and weaknesses as a managerial leader and the basis for your assessment, options for improving my skills in the next three month, sustainable improvement process (next 30 days, 60 days, and 180 days), detail plans on how you will evaluate your improvement efforts and adjust as needed, personal leadership development plan: essay summary.

Managerial leaders drive an organization with the kind of decision they make; the quality of decision creates a competitive advantage to a firm. Leaders have the role of implementing strategies, entrepreneurial and mandated with the role of creating a winning team. This paper is a self-evaluation of my leadership traits and weaknesses.

One character of a leader is decisiveness. A saying goes “better make a wrong decision than not decide at all”. I am a person who is decisiveness and I do not hesitate, however, I realize that it is not always that I am right so I consult before I make a decision. I have good listening skills as well as communication skills. This attribute assists me in listening to people’s points of view but I still am aware that the final decision comes from me. This character also boosts my team roles. I am creative and innovative. When faced with a problem I do not sit back and observe things go wrong I rise to the occasion and look for a solution. I have undergone through formal and informal education where I have gained attributes that help me understand various issues and developments in society. I have a college degree and am almost to finish my Masters’s education where I will come out a professional in my field.

What weaknesses or areas do I need to improve upon?

Human beings are not perfect they have weaknesses. One of my weaknesses that can affect my leadership is being a perfectionist. I find myself dictating how I want things done. This character makes me gauge other people’s performance levels not recognizing that different people have different capabilities. I sometimes find myself pushing other people to perform beyond their limits.

Another area that I think is a weakness is an extreme peacemaker and keeper; sometimes may find it not worth confronting someone on a certain issue he or she has done to me; this can make my communication skills be hampered. To keep the peace of mind that I always look forward to having; I ensure that I intervene in issues when I am wanted to; this can result in a late intervention.

Having undergone through the course successfully; I have decided to start a program that will improve my skills in the next three months, I will engage in activities and take some side courses with the main aim of improving my skills. The following are the activities that I will undertake:

Develop informal and formal groups

Within the three months, I will mobilize my classmates and we make informal groups to address different issues in the communities. The activities include cleaning the city, planting trees, educating the youth, and visiting old people’s homes. In the groups, I will ensure that I take some leadership roles and have my peers evaluate my skills; I will also allow the teams to criticize my skills as well as the strengths that I have. This approach will assist me to know the areas that I need to improve as well as know those areas that I have a strong point that needs to be reinforced.

Short management courses

Within the three months, I will look into any management program taking place somewhere with the guidance of a professional and enroll in the program; I will ensure I listen to what the scholars have to advise on certain issues and aim at improving the areas portrayed. When in the programs, I will take note of the advice to improve my specific weaknesses given by the facilitators.

Use of information technology

Currently, there are several computer videos through you-tube and other applications; I will search for documentaries and videos that advise on how to improve one’s self more so in my area of weakness. I will also use media articles to learn the stand of the management in the current trends; the articles will update me with the trend in the market and probably the skills that are required for proper leadership.

To ensure that I remain relevant and effective in my leadership, I will ensure that I continuously improve my skills through learning, and attending educative seminars; the materials I will be learning will be those that can improve my skills and make me a better leader. Occasionally, there are seminars operated by scholars in leadership, I will make a point of attending them and learning a thing or two. I will ensure that I attend these training and seminars at least once a month.

In the modern computer world, there has been the invention of computers; they offer chances for virtual teams that can be of great use especially getting information on leadership and updating myself on what is happening in the business arena. I will enroll in the teams and become an active member; from the study; I have come to realize that leadership skills can only be grown when a person practices the art; every time there is a chance to lead, I will be volunteering and ensuring that I get a chance to learn something new. Leadership can be improved further through enrolling in a management course; I will enroll in the courses to ensure that my skills have been sharpened further.

Occasionally, I will be appraising myself and look into the areas that I need improvement; in the current leadership set up, leaders do not wait to fail before they perform appraisals on their skills. There are certain questions that leaders should always embrace when they want to evaluate their skills. As people who influence others, they should ask themselves how and where they do influence by actually knowing their level of influence. The next question is how they should improve on people’s skills that would enable them to have the ability to solve problems. The question should be how you are with others and do you have a healthy relationship. Another question that I will be asking myself is whether I have a positive outlook and attitude because a negative attitude will affect the leadership potentiality of an individual and therefore the question should be whether you see possibilities or obstacles. The above are among the questions that I will be using to evaluate my skills.

Another important evaluation of strength and weakness is the ability of a leader to see evidence in him as able to have growth in personal or self-discipline. Certain questions that can be asked include the ability to manage time well and achieve worthwhile goals. The other way to evaluate your strength or weakness as a leader in your ability to have proven records of your past exemplary performance in your field. A leader should also be able to predict future success while backdating on the previous achievements, able to accept the status quo, and at the same time have the ability to spot a problem in an organization. A leader should be able to have a large pictured mindset that would enable him to think in a wider perspective. I will be using this approach from time to time to ensure that my skills are growing.

If the self-evaluation, I have realized I have strong leadership potential that I need to develop. My decisiveness and courage are the strongest strengths that I have. To improve my strengths further, I will be reading leadership articles published in periodicals and dailies. To get a wider perspective and develop better management skills, I will use the internet to access international news, articles, and participate in virtual teams.

In later days, I am looking forward to being an article writer in local and international Media like the internet, newspapers, magazines, and journals, when I write them, I will seek to get feedback from my leaders that I will constantly review and see whether I can improve my skills. When I strengthen my leadership skills, I believe every day will be a day of renewed strength.

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5 Steps to Creating a Successful Leadership Development Plan

• 27 Nov 2019

Leadership development is a key initiative for many businesses. Organizations not only try to recruit candidates with leadership potential but cultivate their current employees’ leadership skills.

In a survey by global research and advisory firm Gartner , 60 percent of human resources executives said they’ll focus on cultivating leader and manager effectiveness for their company in 2023. In doing so, they intend to nurture the professional development of potential leaders by developing specific leadership qualities, such as authenticity, empathy, and adaptiveness—representing a new kind of “human” leadership.

Additionally, a report by the World Economic Forum projects leadership and social influence to be among the fastest-growing workplace skills through 2022, which ties into a burgeoning trend for all workers to become lifelong learners to address emerging skills gaps.

For motivated professionals who want to advance their careers and assume leadership positions, creating a leadership development plan is vital to staying ahead of the curve and rising to the demands of the job market. According to Harvard Business School Professor Ethan Bernstein, the path to effective leadership is more fluid now than in the past.

“Once upon a time, you would enter a leadership development program in a company that might put you on a 20-year track to becoming an executive,” Bernstein says. “Many of us can’t even fathom that today. But that should be freeing in that it gives us license to develop ourselves and create our own individualized leadership development plans.”

As you plot your career trajectory and consider how you can maximize your professional influence and impact, here are five steps to creating a successful leadership development plan.

How to Design Your Leadership Development Plan

1. assess where you are professionally.

Mapping your leadership development starts with understanding yourself and where you stand professionally. Taking stock of your strengths, weaknesses, and workplace tendencies can help identify areas for improvement and anticipate pitfalls that could arise on your journey to becoming a more capable leader.

“In the process of identifying how what you’ve done before may or may not make you successful going forward, you raise your awareness about how what you already know will contribute to, or undermine, your capacity to successfully lead others in the future,” Bernstein says.

Completing an assessment can be a valuable way to reflect on your motivational drivers and limitations and gain a more holistic view of your personal leadership style . Pairing self-reflection with a 360-degree assessment enables you to solicit feedback from colleagues and peers, which can provide greater insight into how others experience you. In turn, you can build and leverage a keener sense of emotional intelligence throughout your leadership development journey.

Related: 4 Tips for Developing Your Personal Leadership Style

2. Set an Attainable Goal

Goal setting is an essential component of any leadership development plan.

“Just like anything else: If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably not going to get there,” Bernstein says. “It sounds overly simplistic, but that summarizes why goals are important."

Bernstein teaches the PACE model, an acronym for:

• Pick a leadership goal
• Apprise others in your inner circle of the goal
• Collect specific ideas on how to improve
• Elicit feedback on how you’re doing

PACE is employed by learners to select leadership development goals and chart a course of action for achieving them. The first step in the process, Pick, is centered on identifying and prioritizing a goal you can strive toward to boost your professional effectiveness. When setting this goal, take an agile approach and consider both the short and long term.

“You can’t lose sight of where you’re trying to go over the span of a decade—or even a career—which is why making long-term goals is important,” Bernstein says. “But we can’t, as human beings, make progress if we make the milestones so grand and far away that they seem unachievable. A little bit of progress each day keeps the frustration at bay.”

As you define and establish your key goal, consider how you’ll measure progress along the way to ensure you stay on track.

3. Engage in Leadership Training

Leadership training can benefit you no matter your career stage. Beyond the opportunity to gain and practice the technical skills needed to empower employees and influence others , you’re exposed to faculty and peers you can lean on for support and learn and grow from. It can also equip you for future leadership roles.

According to Bernstein, honing your leadership abilities in a classroom setting is advantageous because it provides a low-risk environment for reevaluating and fine-tuning goals when you encounter setbacks.

“It’s helpful to have a group of people—we call it your ‘inner circle’—who’ve heard and embraced your leadership goals, and whose conversations helped inform how you would go about achieving them,” Bernstein says. “In moments of challenge and relapse, you can go back to them for encouragement and courage. You can revise your goals in a safe environment because you have a level of openness and vulnerability with those people built into the course.”

4. Interact with Your Network

A professional network is one of the most valuable resources in any leader’s arsenal, so make it a point to grow yours . Throughout your leadership development journey, connecting with like-minded peers can have a positive impact by providing opportunities to employ the knowledge you’ve gained and receive feedback on your progress.

These kinds of interactions are core tenets of the online course Leadership Principles , in which learners practice delivering feedback through video exercises that allow them to evaluate their effectiveness in various business scenarios.

“Ensure your leadership development includes some interaction with other learners and also with the people who are benefitting and suffering from your current capabilities as a leader,” Bernstein says. “We try to teach people to be good protégés, as well as good leaders. It’s an ongoing process. That interaction is important in making things that seem very theoretical ultimately become very practical.”

5. Hone Your Soft Skills

Effective leadership requires a unique blend of characteristics and skills .

“There are skills you need as a leader that you don’t necessarily develop in any other context, at least in a focused way,” Bernstein says. “These include communication; career planning; knowing how to create and evaluate authentic change in a person, including yourself; and negotiating career transitions. These are things you typically won’t do many times in your career, but they will be very important to continuing your leadership trajectory.”

As you chart your leadership development plan, consider how you can bolster essential soft skills like actively listening , practicing empathy , and creating value in a negotiation to ensure you’re prepared to tackle any organizational challenges that come your way.

Developing Your Leadership Skills

Striving to become a strong, capable leader is a commitment you can make at any stage of your career —although doing so sooner means you can reap the benefits longer. By assessing where you are professionally and thinking deeply about where you want to go, you can design a leadership development plan that enables you to channel your passions and build the skills needed to be more impactful in your role.

Do you want to enhance your leadership skills? Download our free leadership e-book and explore our online course Leadership Principles to discover how you can become a more effective leader and unleash the potential in yourself and others.

This post was updated on December 21, 2022. It was originally published on November 27, 2019.

About the Author

Personal Leadership Development Plan

Introduction, personal analysis, leadership qualities, leadership skills assessment.

Leadership is a unique field of knowledge providing people with a chance to attain complex goals, organize groups, and ensure people’s better performance. Today, the rise of business and the emergence of multiple companies stimulated the growth of rivalry, which also increased the relevance and significance of leadership. Under these conditions, it is vital to focus on cultivating specific skills in individuals to improve their ability to manage others and enhance performance. The pivotal aim of this personal development plan (PDP) is to outline leadership skills and competencies vital for a strong leader, analyze weaknesses and strengths, and offer ways for future leadership development helping to eliminate the existing drawbacks. The PDP includes an introduction, analysis, list of core leadership qualities, assessment, objectives, methods to achieve them, evaluation, and conclusion. The plan will lead to a better understanding of my current skills and consideration of things that should be done to become a better leader. Moreover, it can be used by future leaders to realize the core aspects and their significance.

Prior to speaking about leadership and how to improve it as the part of PDP, it is vital to analyze my personal traits. I am working in a private sector company which I joined after graduation from the university. The top management encouraged me to become a member of specific leadership courses to become a strong and skilled leader who can promote positive change within a company. For this reason, the creation of the PDP is vital for me as it will help to outline the way for me and other specialists. I also view this suggestion as a perfect way to become better and create the basis for my future career. The trait theory of leadership views personal peculiarities as vital aspects, for this reason, their correct understanding by a person is fundamental for future success. Using SWOT analysis, it is possible to outline my characteristics:

• Strengths : Flexibility, responsibility, self-confidence, knowledge, creativity.
• Weaknesses : decision-making, communication, time management.
• Opportunities : further develop my skills and competencies; create the framework for other employees to evolve.
• Threats : subjectivity, inability to attain current objectives.

This analysis outlines the areas that should be improved and establishes the basis for the discussion and the PDP.

Most existing leadership theories state that specific values, skills, and competencies are directly correlated with an individual’s ability to manage people. For instance, Collyer (2016) is sure that leaders with better communication skills are more successful in organizing teams and boosting their performance. It becomes possible due to their ability to explain tasks and motivate specialists to attain them (Daft, 2015; Walker, 2018). Under these conditions, most researchers outline a set of core leadership qualities that should be present in any leader for him/her to succeed. These include creativity, communication, decision-making, knowledge, and readiness to learn (Dugan, 2017). It means that the cultivation of these elements can help a person to become a better manager and achieve the existing goals. These fundamental qualities should also be assessed and evaluated to understand their current state and what should be done to improve them. For this reason, it is vital to include the five discussed elements in PDP to ensure that other specialists and I can focus on them to attain success.

Communication has always been one of the most important elements of any leadership theory. According to Griffin et al. (2018), the ability to share knowledge with employees, explain tasks, and discuss problems can help to attain the desired outcome and lead to the improvement of the atmosphere within a collective and better goal achievement. For this reason, this aspect should be given the top priority and given much attention. I realize the fact that at the moment, my communication skills should be improved. I possess a basic understanding of how to speak with individuals and explain tasks; however, in complex contexts, I might feel extra pressure and become unable to express my vision correctly. Additionally, communication is a potent inclusion and diversity tool, meaning that leaders in global companies should be ready to collaborate with representatives of different cultures. For this reason, I am sure that my communication skills should be improved to work with people with different backgrounds, cultures, and religions. It will lead to the elimination of multiple barriers limiting chances for successful cooperation.

Creativity is also among the most frequently mentioned traits vital for a leader. Today, it is closely linked to innovativeness, which presupposes technologies and unusual solutions to resolve a complex task and acquire a competitive advantage. Modern leaders should be ready to look for unconventional approaches to excel rivals and attract new clients (Gochhayat et al., 2017). My creativity is high, and I always look for the recent alterations in technologies and how they can be used to attain better performance. I am sure that using unusual ways, it is possible to maximize output and minimize input, which is essential for modern enterprises. I correctly realize that the business world is fast-changing, meaning that firms always try to implement new growth and development strategies. For leaders, it is vital to support these incentives, which is possible only if creativity is one of the basic traits that is given top priority. Its cultivation is essential for leaders, especially in the modern digitalized environment.

A leader cannot manage people without an in-depth understanding of the relevant sphere, market, or field of science where an organization operates. For this reason, knowledge and the ability to use it in different situations is another critical quality mentioned by multiple investigators. According to Johnson (2018), extensive knowledge is necessary for any leader as it provides him/her with authority, respect from team members, and improved decision-making abilities. I always try to acquire new information related to the sphere where I work as I realize it is fundamental for future success. I think I possess up-to-date information and data; however, it is also vital to keep working on improving it. I also believe that any PDP should emphasize the critical importance of knowledge for any leader as the central factor influencing his/her ability to create the basis for future successes and transform the work of companies to attain better outcomes. For this reason, it becomes critical to work on this aspect and be open to new information.

The next quality is closely linked to the previous one as it presupposes the readiness to engage in a continuous improvement process and learning. Lussier and Achua (2015) are sure that even potent leaders who disregard the importance of studying will fail as they will be limited in their abilities to manage others and make correct decisions. As for me, I always try to acquire new data, including methods, strategies, and approaches to work with others, organize the functioning of collectives, and create the basis for their future evolution. I realize that good leaders should not stop their personal and professional growth, as it is a key to future successes. Under these conditions, no leader can say that he/she does not need learning as he/she possesses all information required for effective decision-making. At the same time, this fact serves as the stimulus for future development and the achievement of new goals. For this reason, readiness to learn and engage in the constant self-improvement process is vital for all workers of the company as it will help them to succeed and become new top managers or leaders.

Finally, improved decision-making is another core quality of strong and successful leaders. Harrison (2014) states that all top managers should be ready to make hard decisions and bear responsibility for them, otherwise, their reputation and effectiveness will fail. I think that my decision-making skills demand improvement as the part of overall leadership. The fact is that this quality is closely linked to two previously mentioned ones. It means that readiness to learn leads to better knowledge, which, in its turn, results in improved decision-making (Sugiyama et al., 2016). Leaders who have relevant and up-to-date information about the current state of the company, its needs, and plans can select the most applicable and effective strategies and guarantee their effectiveness. (Littlejohn et al., 2016). Under these conditions, I am sure that decision-making should be improved through constant learning and the acquisition of new experiences that can help in various situations as they will improve the speed of selecting available options and the effectiveness of their choice.

Regarding the information mentioned above, it is possible to conduct a leadership skills assessment vital for improving my personal competencies and the company’s work to achieve key business objectives. Interviews with other leaders and feedback show that decision-making, communication, and new strategies are the top skills that should be given priority and developed to boost the work of firms and organizations (Maxwell, 2019). Knowledge is also vital as it affects effectiveness and competencies; however, the cultivation of previous factors is impossible without the appropriate alterations in awareness. For this reason, for the company and me, the work on these aspects and attempts to improve them is vital as it ensures better cooperation, collaboration, planning, and goal-achievement (Mikkelson et al., 2019). I am sure that for me and other future leaders, it is fundamental to focus on these areas as the core issues affecting the performance of organizations, their results, and personal growth. That is why PDP should also focus on these qualities as an attempt to attain significant improvement.

The proposed personal development plan presupposes the following objectives:

• To continue the development of skills and qualities related to the leadership sphere
• To focus on communication as the primary leadership tool to align better cooperation within a collective
• To focus on decision-making strategies and methods to ensure better outcomes and choice of strategies

The following objectives are formulated regarding several factors. First, they consider my own weaknesses and areas that should be enhanced. As stated previously, communication and decision-making are problematic areas that should be improved. Second, assessment and examples of other leaders show the critical importance of these elements, which means they should be given top priority as central success factors. Finally, working on these elements, other future leaders of the company will acquire the chance to engage in personal and professional evolution and contribute to the development of the company. Under these conditions, it is vital to establish these objectives and outline methods to achieve them.

The further development of leadership skills and qualities presupposes several aspects. First, it is vital to continue working on competencies, expand knowledge, and acquire new information linked to the sphere. It will help to get better outcomes in real-life conditions and improve communication with colleagues or employees. Second, online courses can be selected as the appropriate method for attaining success and improving skills. Finally, working in the company, it is possible to cooperate with experienced leaders and follow their examples or ask for guidance to acquire additional knowledge and ensure better results (Ruben & Gigliotti, 2016). It will help to focus on the selected objective and guarantee that there is a basis for future improvement. I think this objective is essential for personal development as it means the continuity of learning and the ability to preserve relevant knowledge and skills, vital for effective delegating, communication, and sharing.

Choice of communication as a vital aspect of leaders’ development is explained by its critical role in the work of organizations. As stated previously, it plays a central role in the companies and human interaction. For this reason, several methods to improve communication skills can be selected. For me, specific courses and self-learning are two possible methods to attain the desired objective. The everyday interactions within a unit presuppose multiple interactions with people to promote desired results (Butchibabu et al., 2016). For this reason, by performing traditional functions and applying knowledge acquired during self-learning activities, I will have a chance to master my skills in this area, which is vital for a future leader and his/her ability to manage people and create the basis for the rise of organizations. Moreover, it will help to acquire new information vital for professional development as communication is a potent data collection tool, meaning that its cultivation can improve outcomes in other spheres, which is a desired result of the proposed PDP.

Finally, the last objective, which is decision-making strategies, also presupposes several aspects. McClellan (2021) is sure that this skill involves a wide range of other capabilities, such as planning, strategic thinking, data analysis, critical thinking, and extensive knowledge. For this reason, focusing on this competency, it is possible to attain improvement in other spheres vital for a powerful leader. For me, working on decision-making is essential as I find it my weakest point that should be enhanced. At the same time, for other would-be leaders, this ability is vital for their functioning and future successes as it ensures that they will be effective in managing teams and creating the basis for future evolution. However, this goal demands much resources and effort, meaning that it is also difficult to achieve. In such a way, all these objectives are critical for the PLDP, and there is a need for the appropriate methods of their cultivation and evaluation of outcomes. It will help to trace the progress and implement the required changes.

The outlined objectives demand specific methods and actions to be performed to attain the desired progress. Speaking about the sphere of leadership, several effective measures can help me or other individuals to acquire the desired information and work on skills and competencies. I believe that the most effective ones include coaching, self-learning, specific courses or programs for would-be leaders, self-learning, and analysis of knowledge and work of more experienced leaders through observation. These methods are available to every specialist, and their effectiveness cannot be doubted as they provide an outstanding opportunity to work on areas that demand improvement. Additionally, every objective outlined above can be achieved using one of the methods mentioned above, which means that I can select among various options. I believe that the existence of several measures leads to higher effectiveness of a PLDP and can help to achieve better outcomes as every approach meets the personal peculiarities of a person and his/her demands.

I am planning to achieve the first objective by completing the leadership development courses and using coaching. I believe these two measures are effective in attaining the outlined goal and cultivating my skills and qualities linked to the leadership sphere. First, specific courses will help to promote additional leadership knowledge, acquire new visions, and outline directions for the development of my company and would-be leaders belonging to the collective. Second, coaching is known as one of the effective strategies for personal and professional growth as it presupposes discussing critical issues and sharing data and experience with a skilled specialist (Owen, 2015). Under these conditions, I believe that these two measures are fundamental for achieving the first formulated objective. The company’s collective can also benefit from the same measures as they are practical and applicable enough to be used by various individuals and contribute to the improvement of outcomes or the organization’s work. That is why I view these two methods as relevant ones regarding the outlined goals.

The second objective, which is the development of communication as a primary leadership tool, also demands several actions. First, similar to the previous goal, training courses or special programs should be attended as it is a perfect chance to develop skills in this area and acquire an improved understanding of various techniques, strategies, and their applicability to different situations. However, I believe that working on communication also demands self-learning as one of the effective measures to achieve outlined goals. It provides individuals with a chance to master skills acquired during courses and everyday interactions by themselves and work on the most problematic areas in their communication (Floris et al., 2020). Furthermore, communication can be trained in the collective, and I plan to interact with the team of employees to share my vision of PLDP and engage them in conversation and information exchange. It will provide a chance to improve the functioning of the company as all specialists will have an opportunity to work on their communication and promote positive change.

Finally, the third objective, or working on decision-making, also demands several measures to achieve the desired goal. I think that the development of this skill requires assistance and supervision from a more experienced colleague or specialist. That is why online classes or virtual classrooms are one of the first methods to enhance this area. I want to enroll in this program and encourage other team members to follow this example as it is critically important for the functioning of the collective, its effectiveness, and its ability to solve complex programs (West & Turner, 2020). Today, there is a wide array of various online courses available for persons, which means that other would-be leaders and I can benefit from multiple options. Another measure to work on the objective is the observation of how more experienced leaders or top managers work to understand their decision-making patterns, analyze them, and make a conclusion about how my own skills can be improved (Volz-Peacock et al., 2016). This will help to become a more effective leader and also set the basis for new achievements.

The proposed personal development plan critically depends on multiple factors, and it is vital to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methods by using several measures. First, I believe that an assessment survey is a potent tool helping to analyze the current strong and weak areas of an individual and outline directions for future development (Ausmus, 2021). However, it can be subjective, meaning that there is a need for additional control and check. For this reason, results can be shared with more experienced leaders or superiors to acquire their vision or progress and recommendations on what actions to perform. The survey can also be distributed among team members to get an improved understanding of the collective’s progress and its ability to meet current goals. Another evaluation tool presupposes self-control and ensuring that I visited all online classes and courses selected as the method for working on my leadership skills. I believe that these evaluation methods suffice the PLDP and can help to monitor success.

As stated previously, the survey is a potent measure of success that can be used to determine progress. First, it contributes to the critical evaluation of existing skills and competencies, which is vital for choosing a new direction for development. For this reason, I can assess my personal traits and qualities using this tool. Second, a survey among team members can also be conducted. It will show the level of progress and their understanding of what role leadership plays in the collective and how it can be cultivated by using the methods proposed above (Saunders et al., 2015). Results of the survey will show the current developmental stage and will help to trace any alterations and implement the desired corrections. I believe that this tool is vital for monitoring the achievement of goals and personal development regarding the desired outcomes. Furthermore, survey results can serve as the basis for new projects aimed at improving my and other employees’ leadership qualities.

Another evaluation tool is a discussion with supervisors and superiors to get their vision and recommendations regarding personal and professional development. As noted by Northouse (2020), individuals with more significant experience can assess other employees and review their knowledge and competencies to create the basis for further improvement and growth. I assume that face-to-face communication aimed at detecting problematic areas or analyzing the current progress is a potent success measure as it will help to avoid the subjectivity of personal judgments and outline real progress (Rickards, 2015). Moreover, the approach can be applied both at the individual and team levels. It means that superiors can also evaluate the state of the collective affected by my leadership qualities to conclude whether I succeed and what additional actions or steps might be needed to improve the situation and introduce the demanded change. In such a way, providing superiors with reports of your progress and acquisition of their recommendations is a potent tool that should be considered.

Altogether, the proposed PLDP focuses on specific goals and methods that can help to achieve them and improve leadership qualities. They can be presented in the following way:

The proposed action plan can guarantee the achievement of outlined goals and contribute to improving my and team leadership skills. The methods include specific courses, self-learning, practice, teamwork, and consultations with experienced specialists. The methods of control are surveys and discussions with superiors. I am planning to engage in continuous improvement of my skills and arrange constant meetings with other team members to ensure progress and boost the company’s performance. I think this plan is a good start for my future career.

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Leadership Development Plan

Everyone needs leadership in their lives since it boosts their self-esteem, provides them with a greater sense of identity, and allows them to manage others better. This article aims to analyse my type of leadership and its effectiveness in critical categories. This self-analysis paper will help me plan things more effectively and discover my weaknesses and turn them into strengths so that I can use my leadership in the most effective way possible. Various instances from my own life will be used to support the themes in the paper.

Part A: Self-analysis

My leadership strengths.

I would define myself as a servant-oriented, authentic, and inclusive leader. The Servant Leadership Theory informs this leadership style, and it allows me to draw on the skills and expertise of others around me. When it comes to making choices and resolving issues, I lean toward this kind of leadership more than others. Since everyone in the group has something practical to give, and some may have knowledge that will aid my decision-making, I do this. To make a choice, I utilise all of the knowledge I have gathered, knowing that I am the group’s leader. As a result, I define the objectives, lead the debates, and make the ultimate choice. However, I also recognise that my employees may provide vital insight into an issue or procedure, so I often contact them. As a consequence, I’m certain that working with others will provide me with creative feedback and new ideas that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I want to cultivate a climate where individuals may openly disagree with one other. My leadership style has several advantages. By recognising and acknowledging prejudice and discrimination, I am able to counteract them (Heyler and Martin, 2018). We all have our own internal biases, and as a leader, I make sure I’m aware of any of these biases my employees may have. While admitting these flaws might be difficult, leaders can then take action to improve their own performance.

In order to be an effective manager, I must continually assess how my team members’ personal biases affect their work-related choices and behaviours. In my daily life, I make an effort to treat others fairly and with respect by following these procedures. However, if the team collaborates more, the voices of those who aren’t heard will be heard more clearly. When there are more individuals in the room, there are more possibilities to overcome prejudice. When I have a diverse staff, this is particularly true. Leaders must ensure that they pay attention to these voices, regardless of their position in the organisation, take into account their life experiences and appreciate their viewpoints as much as any other (Flynn, Smither and Walker, 2015). I pay closer attention to their viewpoints when discussing diversity initiatives with my coworkers. As an inclusive and servant leader, I want my multicultural team to know that I will be there for them whenever they need it. There are many individuals who claim to be allies but refuse to do the job when it’s tough to do so. I exploit their position in the firm as well as their privilege to help facilitate good change. This covers both verbal and nonverbal expressions. Because of this, my leadership style guarantees that the team’s morale is at an all-time high. An effective servant-leader cares about their employees. People flourish and are strongly driven to put their best efforts forward in these types of environments.

As a result, team members are more likely to remain committed to the business. Collaborative decision-making also boosts staff engagement with the approach. As under democratic leadership, valuing the perspectives of all team members is essential to a successful team. Taking decisions in a group setting is made easier under the guidance of servant leaders. Everyone brings their own unique experiences and thoughts to the table. The front-line workers often have a better grasp of the situation than those in higher positions of authority. Moreover, my leadership philosophy also has a significant impact on the growth of organisations. I don’t follow the typical leadership model of micromanaging and telling people what to do; instead, I believe in giving people responsibility and encouraging them to do their best work. As a servant leader, you set the example for your subordinates and encourage them to do the same. Inspiring people to work together leads to greater achievements than the sum of their individual efforts. My servant leadership philosophy also emphasises the value of cooperation and relationship-building. Everyone on the team has a variety of responsibilities that are assigned based on their individual skills and abilities rather than on their official position or title. Especially in times of change, organisations benefit from an infectious enthusiasm that comes from allowing each member to play a substantial part.

Furthermore, my leadership style contributes to the overall growth of my employees. I don’t try to impose my personal objectives on those who work for me. As a manager, I like to spend the time and effort to assist my subordinates in recognising their strengths and flaws while also helping them realise their potential and larger purpose. Then, I assist my coworkers in achieving a healthy balance between their physical and mental well-being. Forgiveness is a virtue that I strive to cultivate in myself and others. I am patient and empathic because I try to see things from the other person’s point of view. As most people look for these attributes in a leader, my leadership fosters great loyalty and inspiration, which aids firms in growing and retaining their human capital. My leadership style is grounded on social and ethical issues while also promoting the growth of value-based governance as a Servant, Authentic, and Inclusive leader. As a result, servant leadership is a style of democratic leadership that involves involving and empowering staff to take action.

Even if the philosophy of inclusive and servant leadership seems to be the most ideal, it is evident that finding actual servant leaders would be tough. Many individuals would be unable to achieve if they had to give up their own self-glory in order to do so since many leaders crave acclaim and rewards for their accomplishments. Being successful and being rewarded for good work is in everyone’s nature, whether done by oneself or by one’s subordinates. Hence, one of the disadvantages of servant leadership is that honest servants are hard to come by (Verdorfer, 2016). Additionally, my leadership style is time-consuming to implement. The approach is based on fostering a feeling of camaraderie among coworkers and a sense of shared purpose in the workplace. To do this in a short period is impossible. There must be time for servant and inclusive leaders to connect with their employees and learn what inspires them. They must also understand the company’s requirements and the employees’ needs in order to build a productive workplace. Trying to implement servant leadership with the hopes of increasing employee turnover is sure to fail, and the company will have to start from scratch.

Notably, not every firm can benefit from servant leadership. Servant leadership would be a disaster in any military context where hierarchy, rank, and order are paramount (Verdorfer, 2016). Consider a military film you’ve seen to have a better understanding of this concept. Do you believe that military commanders take into account the opinions and sentiments of their subordinates? The broad consensus is that the answer to this question is no. The junior enlisted are new and maybe unskilled in the duty to which they will be assigned. The hierarchy of ranks has been established, and it is on this foundation that the next generation of leaders will be constructed. The better educated a person is, the more valuable they become to higher-ranking authorities. The military’s efficiency and effectiveness would deteriorate if this organisational framework were to be eliminated (Laustsen and Petersen, 2017). A lack of organisation and discipline would rapidly lead to the military’s failure to function at its most significant level. Another shortcoming of my servant, honest, and inclusive leadership style is its gentle approach that is inappropriate to a competitive climate. In a competitive atmosphere, my leadership style may fall behind that of other leaders. Because focusing just on “serving” will lead to a scenario in which one’s sense of accountability or obligation is eroded. As a servant leader, many of my essential attributes remain inappropriate at times. If, for example, I must often abandon my core characteristic of persuasion in order to recommend adjustments or appropriate discipline, I must often forego my core characteristic of openness in order to maintain confidentiality in order to preserve the integrity of our community’s core values and beliefs, or I must suspend the listening and consultation processes in order to issue specific or targeted discipline.

Also, leadership’s primary role is to match individual aspirations with those of the business, resulting in an employee-organisation fit. My leadership style may prioritise the ambitions and wants of individuals above the demands of the company, and I believe in inspiring my team members to fulfil organisational goals (Verdorfer, 2016). Individual-organisation fit concerns cannot be adequately addressed using this strategy. An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of my leadership style theory reveals that this leadership approach can lead to unresolved cases of individual ideals and values contradicting with the organisational objectives, and leads to strategic mission remaining unfulfilled because employees do not give the attention, priority or urgency that such goals deserve. Some members of the team may not appreciate my efforts to foster a sense of community within the group since they have their own lives and want to keep their work and personal lives separate (Zhao, Thatcher and Jehn, 2019). When everyone in a company is on board with the idea and has a set of fundamental abilities and behaviours that support it, the servant and inclusive leadership style may be most effective. There is no fast cure for servant leadership, and the actual advantages of servant leadership are only evident over time.

Part B. The Action Plan

My leadership vision.

Professionals benefit significantly from the notion of leadership. Many people are unable to achieve their objectives due to a lack of leadership qualities. I’m equipped with important leadership principles to help me achieve my long-term objectives. Aside from these shortcomings, I am well-equipped to pursue my long-term ambitions. Learning from the course materials has given me the ability to succeed. I want to put these ideas to work in order to improve my leadership skills. This strategy is in line with the principles of leadership I espouse. I want to apply the following action plan to attain my full potential.

Personal Leadership Goals

My personal leadership objectives include improving my communication technique, resolving conflict, and increasing collaboration and teamwork. Various aspects of my character will be the subject of my training. Targeted goals may be affected by my lack of leadership. Communication is the first and most important factor. As a result, I often find myself unable to connect with my peers and friends. My ability to communicate effectively will be strengthened if I have a solid plan in place. With practice, I will be able to communicate effectively with others. Individuals’ success will be negatively impacted if they don’t have the most refined communication skills (Zhao, Thatcher and Jehn, 2019). The capacity to reconcile disagreements is an additional sign of leadership. To be a successful leader, one must be able to cope with disagreement (Laustsen and Petersen, 2017). It is simpler for people and leaders to get the most outstanding results if they use a suitable conflict resolution technique. It will be simpler for me to deal with the problems my followers face if we can establish better methods of resolving disagreements. As a group, we can do a lot more than we could alone. I want to concentrate on the best practices that will help me become a better team member. Work and interpersonal skills are essential for a leader. To be a leader, you must be able to teach and guide your team members.

My objective is to learn new ideas that will help me lead, mentor, delegate, and even empower others. I will constantly rely on these skills to help me achieve my long-term objectives. “Involvement with others” is the second leadership quality that is essential to a leader (Zhao, Thatcher and Jehn, 2019). In order to help their followers and workers reach their full potential, influential leaders include them in the process. This gift will serve as a mentor to everyone I meet. Many people will be able to achieve their professional objectives as a result of this approach. There are a number of measures that may be taken to attain these leadership qualities. A toastmaster’s club will be the first step in helping me achieve my communication and leadership objectives. In order to build the most extraordinary listening and communication abilities, Toastmasters bring more people together. To participate in such groups, I will be encouraged to interact with people from different backgrounds, and I will always be ready to articulate myself positively.

It is essential for leaders to be able to “speak in front of huge audiences” (Zhao, Thatcher and Jehn, 2019). In the second step, you need to find an experienced leader to serve as a mentor. The people chosen for this position will be the most capable in terms of leadership. The mentor will teach me things like how to build teams, which will be extremely helpful in the future. The person I meet there will motivate and inspire me to take the reins of leadership and empower others. In order to achieve the best results, the mentor will outline the most appropriate practices. Using these two methods will help me improve my communication skills in the quickest amount of time. In the third strategic plan, conflict resolution is handled in a variety of ways. There are several organisations that provide instruction to a large number of people. After taking the targeted courses, I will learn to be more realistic, engaged, and open while dealing with diverse issues. I will become a better negotiator after taking this course. The exercise will teach me new ideas that will help me become a better leader in the future. Working with others is another effective method. In order to accomplish my goal, I shall enlist the help of people in all of my endeavours. These people will help me make decisions and solve problems. I believe that these new skills will help me fulfil my aspirations as a future leader.

Another option is to join a group of people with similar professional goals. People like these will broaden my horizons and inspire me to greater heights in my work. As a result, I’ll be able to connect with more people in my field. This exercise will help me become more open-minded. For both individual and organisational issues, I’ll be ready to go. Success in leadership comes from delegating tasks to those who can do them well. It’s time to start distributing responsibilities among the team members (Redmond and Dolan, 2014). Leaders can benefit from the experiences of others through this method. They’ll also pay attention to the issues that are affecting their supporters. To achieve their goals, they will eventually employ powerful strategies. My long-term ambition is to rise to the position of successful leader within an organisation. The current leadership gap necessitates a comprehensive action plan for the best results. Many people’s needs can be met by the strategies outlined above. For example, joining a Toastmasters club will fulfil most of my requirements. Because they help people develop their leadership, presentation, and communication skills, Toastmasters International is a valuable resource for the community (Redmond and Dolan, 2014). Diverse initiatives aimed at enhancing my organisational abilities will be advantageous to me (Redmond and Dolan, 2014). Organisational problems are better understood and solved through the process of delegation by leaders. Many of my responsibilities will be delegated to my fellow students, friends and teammates. This action plan is essential to improve my abilities to engage employees. I’ll also work on my interpersonal skills as a part of this. Long-term goals will be helped by practice.

My mentor in leadership should have “best skills in communication, problem-solving, delegation, and decision-making” to offer me guidance (Laustsen and Petersen, 2017). The mentor will help me develop new skills that will eventually help me achieve my leadership goals. It is hoped that this new mentor-follower relationship will aid my development. For example, when confronted with a variety of issues, I will be more open, mature, and realistic in my approach. I will be able to deal with a variety of conflicts if I follow this strategy. Additionally, the courses that are specifically tailored to my needs will have a significant impact. I will learn new skills that can be used in a variety of workplaces. For example, I’ll learn how to delegate tasks, meet the needs of my subordinates, and work as part of a team. It is my firm belief that taking courses like these will enable me to better deal with all kinds of leadership issues in the future. There are various ways in which people can pursue their leadership aspirations. The above actions will aid all of the objectives mentioned above. My interpersonal skills will be honed by my interactions with my teachers and teammates. I plan to work with various people who have demonstrated leadership abilities. The needs of different people will also be taken into consideration by me. The best ethical ideas will be at the heart of my leadership philosophy. Leaders have a moral obligation to treat everyone equally. I will use this as my guiding principle from here on out. The steps outlined above will eventually fill in the holes in my leadership philosophy.

Accountability and Acknowledgment

A well-executed action plan should be able to achieve its stated goals. My ultimate goal is to learn new concepts that can help me achieve my leadership aspirations in the future. To ensure that the above steps lead to the best possible outcomes, I’ll take into account a variety of factors. I’ll be conducting regular evaluations to assess my abilities and competencies for the time being. To test my abilities, I will interact with people from different backgrounds. Some of my friends and my sister, who is completing her doctorate in leadership, will help me with this. I’m also going to include my company’s director of personnel development in this discussion. They’ll keep an eye on my progress. Using this method, I will be able to identify new procedures and strategies that can help me fulfil my leadership responsibilities more quickly. I’ll be ready to tackle any problem that arises for my friends. This strategy will also give me a chance to learn something new. As a result, I intend to ask my mentor to keep an eye on my progress. Having a mentor will help you get the best feedback possible, which will lead to better results.

After my leadership self-analysis, I am a servant, authentic, and inclusive leader. Although my leadership style is effective in most organisations, it does not lack its limitations. Hence, the action plan will come in handy in ensuring the weaknesses are realigned. Also, a few of the aforementioned methods may not produce the desired results in terms of enhancing my leadership abilities. Thus, every ineffective action will be immediately replaced. It’s a good idea to get input from my coworkers and my mentor. As a result of such feedback, I will be able to identify new plans that produce positive outcomes much more quickly. Finally, I intend to devote all of my time and effort to improving my leadership skills. For the sake of expanding my action plan, I intend to read extensively. These techniques will help me become a capable leader who is sensitive to the needs of a diverse group of subordinates and employees.

Reference list

Flynn, C.B., Smither, J.W. and Walker, A.G. (2015). Exploring the Relationship Between Leaders’ Core Self-Evaluations and Subordinates’ Perceptions of Servant Leadership.  Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies , 23(3), pp.260–271.

Heyler, S.G. and Martin, J.A. (2018). Servant Leadership Theory: Opportunities for Additional Theoretical Integration.  Journal of Managerial Issues , [online] 30(2), pp.230–243. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/45176580.

Laustsen, L. and Petersen, M.B. (2017). Perceived Conflict and Leader Dominance: Individual and Contextual Factors Behind Preferences for Dominant Leaders.  Political Psychology , 38(6), pp.1083–1101.

Redmond, S. and Dolan, P. (2014). Towards a conceptual model of youth leadership development.  Child & Family Social Work , 21(3), pp.261–271.

Verdorfer, A.P. (2016). Examining Mindfulness and Its Relations to Humility, Motivation to Lead, and Actual Servant Leadership Behaviors.  Mindfulness , 7(4), pp.950–961.

Zhao, E.Y., Thatcher, S.M.B. and Jehn, K.A. (2019). Instigating, Engaging in, and Managing Group Conflict: A Review of the Literature Addressing the Critical Role of the Leader in Group Conflict.  Academy of Management Annals , 13(1), pp.112–147.

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Leadership Action Plan Essay

Introduction, aspects to improve, tangible steps, importance of the above steps, determining the effectiveness of the above steps, works cited.

Leadership is a powerful concept that supports the needs of many professionals. Lack of leadership skills makes it impossible for many individuals to realize their goals (Abbassi, Siddiqi, and Azim 246). I possess powerful leadership concepts that can support my future goals. However, I lack some aspects and concepts that can support my future goals. The course materials have equipped me with new skills that will make me successful. I am therefore planning to use these ideas to expand my leadership competencies. This approach will support my leadership philosophy. I will use the action plan presented below to realize my potentials.

I am planning to focus on different personal competencies. My current leadership gap can affect the targeted objectives. The first aspect is effective communication. I am usually unable to communicate effectively with different classmates and friends. A proper strategy will support my communication skills. I will be able to associate, discuss, and interact with different individuals in a proper manner.

Lack of the best communication competencies will affect the success of different individuals. The other leadership aspect is the ability to resolve conflicts. According to Cialdini (39), successful leaders should be able to deal with conflicts. A proper conflict resolution strategy makes it easier for individuals and leaders to achieve the best outcomes. The development of better conflict resolution approaches will make it easier for me to address the challenges affecting my followers.

Teamwork is a powerful concept that supports the needs of many individuals. I will focus on the best practices that can improve my skills as a team player. A leader should be able to work and interact with others. Leaders should be able to mentor their teammates. My goal is to gain new concepts that can make it easier to lead, mentor, delegate, and even empower others. I will always use such competencies to support my future goals. The other targeted leadership aspect “is involvement with others” (Abbassi et al. 243). Successful leaders involve their employees and followers in an attempt to get their potentials. This ability will mentor every person in my life. The practice will support the professional goals of many individuals.

I will identify several steps to achieve the above aspects of leadership. To begin with, I will join a toastmaster that can support my communicational and leadership goals. Toastmasters bring more people together thus encouraging them to develop the best listening and communication skills. Such groups will encourage me to interact with individuals from different backgrounds. I will always be ready to express myself in a positive manner.

Leaders should be able “to express themselves in front of large crowds” (Abbassi et al. 246). The second action is identifying a competent leadership mentor. The targeted individuals will have the best skills in leadership. The mentor will equip me with useful skills such as team-building. The individual will encourage me to lead and empower others. The mentor will outline the most appropriate practices for getting the best outcomes. These two approaches will ensure my communication skills grow within the shortest time possible.

The third strategic plan is taking different courses in conflict resolution (CR). There are several organizations providing training opportunities to many learners. The targeted courses will make me realistic, focused, and open whenever focusing on different conflicts. The course will make me a good negotiator. The practice will equip me with new concepts that can eventually support my leadership skills. The other powerful strategy is working with others. I will achieve this objective by involving others whenever working on different projects. Such individuals will support my decision-making and problem-solving strategies. These new competencies will eventually support my expectations as a future leader (Abbassi et al. 247).

The other approach is joining members with similar career objectives. Such individuals will widen my visions and missions. I will be able to network with more individuals in my profession. This practice will make me open-minded. I will be ready to deal with both personal and organizational problems. Successful leaders delegate the right duties to qualified persons. It will be appropriate to begin delegating various duties to different individuals (Cialdini 39). This practice makes it possible for leaders to learn from others. They will also focus on the challenges affecting their followers. They will eventually use powerful strategies in order to achieve targeted goals.

My long-term goal is to become a successful organizational leader. The current leadership gap requires a powerful action plan in order to get the best outcomes. The above steps present powerful practices that can support the needs of many individuals. For instance, the decision to join a toastmaster will support most of my needs. Toastmasters are helpful because they make it possible for individuals to improve their leadership, public speaking, and communication competencies (Cialdini 95).

I will benefit from different projects aimed at supporting my organizational skills (Abbassi et al. 248). The process of delegation helps leaders identify, define, and address various organizational problems. I will delegate a wide range of duties to my classmates, friends, and teammates. This action plan is critical for improving my employee-involvement skills. I will also improve my interactional skills. The practice will eventually support my long-term goals.

Successful people tend to have competent and focused mentors. My leadership mentor should possess the “best skills such as communication, problem-solving, delegation, and decision-making” (Abbassi et al. 246). The mentor will encourage me to develop new competencies that can eventually support my leadership objectives. This new mentor-follower relationship will support my skills.

For instance, I will become more open, mature, and realistic whenever dealing with various problems. The approach will ensure I can address different conflicts successfully. The targeted courses will also play a significant role in improving my skills. I will acquire new competencies that are applicable in different organizational settings. For instance, I will understand how to delegate duties, support the needs of my followers, and become a team player. I strongly believe that such courses will make it easier for me to address a wide range of leadership problems.

People can follow different steps in order to achieve their leadership goals. I have identified the above steps because they will support every targeted goal. The relationship with my educators and teammates will improve my interactional skills. I will collaborate with different partners who possess desirable leadership traits. I will also identify the needs of different individuals. My leadership philosophy will embrace the best ethical ideas. Leaders have a duty to treat all individuals equally (Cialdini 52). This notion will become my guiding principle. The above action steps will eventually fill the gaps affecting my leadership philosophy.

A good action plan should deliver targeted outcomes. My ultimate goal is acquiring new concepts that have the potential to support my future leadership goals. I will therefore consider different aspects in order to ensure the above steps produce the best goals. To begin with, I will be undertaking periodical reviews in order to determine my skills and competencies. I will be interacting with individuals from different backgrounds in order to gauge my skills.

I will ask some of my friends to advise me. They will monitor my new skills. This practice will make it easier for me to identify new practices and strategies that can support my leadership needs (Cialdini 48). I will be ready to address every challenge affecting my friends. This approach will also provide a new opportunity to advance my skills. I will request my mentor to monitor my progress. The mentor will provide the best feedbacks that can produce quality outcomes.

Some of the above actions and steps might not deliver targeted leadership skills. That being the case, every ineffective step will be substituted immediately. It will be appropriate to gather feedback from different teammates and my mentor. Such feedbacks will make it possible for me to identify new plans that deliver positive results much faster. Finally, I will work hard in an attempt to improve every missing leadership aspect. Learning “should be a continuous process aimed at delivering the best results” (Abbassi et al. 248). I will read widely in order to acquire new actions that can support my action plan. These practices will eventually make me a competent leader who understands the challenges affecting different followers.

Abbassi, Manshoor, Attiya Siddiqi and Rahat Azim. “Role of Effective Communications for Enhancing Leadership and Entrepreneurial Skills in University Students.” International Journal of Business and Social Science 2.10 (2011): 242-250. Print.

Cialdini, Robert. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. New York, NY: Harper Press, 2006. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2021, March 25). Leadership Action Plan. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-action-plan/

"Leadership Action Plan." IvyPanda , 25 Mar. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-action-plan/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Leadership Action Plan'. 25 March.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Leadership Action Plan." March 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-action-plan/.

1. IvyPanda . "Leadership Action Plan." March 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-action-plan/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Leadership Action Plan." March 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-action-plan/.

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