Developing transformational leadership through personal awareness and communication

Leadership Plan

Personal Leadership Development Plan

Personal Development and Theoretical Underpinnings

Throughout the self-reflection and investigation that has taken place during this course, I have developed an increasing awareness of my particular leadership strengths, weaknesses, and styles such that I am able to more concretely and with greater certainty outline a plan for the development of my own leadership potential. The fact that my preferred types of power being expert knowledge and referent power, and with a strong disinclination for coercion, combined with my strong team building skills and my ability to compromise and collaborate as a means of resolving conflicts, fits much of the theoretical criteria for transformational leadership (Bass & Riggio 2006). My personal leadership development plan is to adjust my attitudes and behaviors to more closely match those of the transformational leader as defined in literature, in order to be able to more effectively lead my organization.

Transformational leadership theory is a relatively recent development in managerial style and the study of leadership, but already has a proven track record of success in many organizations (Bass & Riggio 2006). Especially effective in times of change and transition, transformational leadership by definition inspires the other members of the organization, creating a sense of common purpose and communal value and thus making for a more efficient organization with a happier and more productive workforce (Bass & Riggio 2006; Hiebert & Klatt 2001). This ability to inspire is perhaps the most essential aspect of transformational leadership, and is one that I plan to develop as fully as is possible.

Developing into a transformational leader will not, of course, be a simple or easy task. Though I have several qualities that will serve as major strengths in this development, most especially my ability to foster collaboration in the face of conflict and a leadership through expertise, there are also some definite weaknesses in my leadership style and general approach that would preclude my development into a true transformational leader, and recognizing and detailing these weaknesses must form the first part of my development plan (Bass & Riggio 2006; London 2002). Maintaining an ongoing awareness of these weaknesses through the various steps of leadership development will help to ensure that this development takes place in a focused manner, actively and consciously addressing specific issues in leadership style and attitude (London 2002).

A large part of being a transformational leader is making sure that communication takes place with a great deal of efficiency within the organization, and especially in smaller organizations such as that in which I hold a leadership role facilitating ongoing education and information sharing must be a major part of the leadership task (Bass & Riggio 2006). Establishing the proper skills and attitudes for fostering such a communicative and educational environment will also be a major feature of my leadership development plan (Bush 2003). Again, the identification of specific skills and an ongoing awareness of these needed skills throughout the phases of development will keep the plan and my progress focused and moving directly and explicitly in the direction that theory and practice deem to be most useful.

Actions and Timeline

Several specific actions can and must be taken in order to bring my leadership development plan into full fruition, and the development of a timeline for the completion of these action steps is also a necessity for a practical and achievable leadership development plan. One specific action step that I will take as a part of this plan is the establishment of more personal and unique relationships with the various members of my organization and team, leading (and in some ways themselves forming) better interpersonal skills and individual concern. This will take at least six weeks to accomplish with any true merit, and will in fact be an ongoing process, but can begin within the next week and continue on a person-by-person basis as time permits -- and time will be made for this task to be completed.

Other action steps that will be taken are the formation of a distinct and codified conflict resolution scheme that includes value statements from the organization's perspective, and will assist me in my efforts to refrain from overly accommodating behaviors and reactions to conflict. This plan can be developed, with proper consultation with other team members and research into published and proven conflict resolution methods, within the next several days; actual implementation and perfection will likely take place over several weeks as conflicts arise and are addressed. Developing more transformational leadership skills, behaviors, and attitudes can also take place through specific and conscious efforts each day to focus on particular aspects of the leadership style, and this can begin immediately.

Implementation, Assessment, and Modification

Leadership development is not a static thing, nor is there a certain point at which one can or ought to be satisfied that they have reached their leadership potential (Bass & Riggio 2006; London 2002; Hiebert & Klatt 2001). Implementing my leadership plan will be an ongoing process, with some specific procedures for this implementation detailed above. Successful transition to transformational leadership will be assessed through the productivity of the company, the general attitude in the work atmosphere, and through satisfaction and performance surveys distributed to the other members of the organization. Areas that still need to be improved will be identified through these means, and effective programs to enhance changes in these areas similar to those already outlined will enable the development plan to remain on track. Comparisons to similar companies on certain features can also be utilized to assess the effects of a new leadership style; performance would be expected to improve, and higher levels of employee satisfaction would also be sought.

Modifications to the leadership style and to the development plan itself will be made with a constant attention to current literature in the area, as well as through the directly voiced concerns and suggestions of the team members present in my organization. This focus will keep leadership balanced between broader best practices and the specific relationships developed in my company. Such specific attention will itself assist in the development of transformational leadership.