This paper presents a personal leadership development plan that begins with a self-assessment of core strengths — including trust-building, knowledge, and leading by example — and identifies a key weakness in overzealousness during team brainstorming. The plan then outlines targeted development goals across five competency areas: political competencies (ethics, negotiation), organizational competencies (functional knowledge), team-building competencies (rapport and cohesion), personality factors (extraversion and networking), and crisis management abilities. Together, these goals chart a multi-year trajectory for growth as an effective, well-rounded leader.
I am an informed and inquisitive leader with sufficient command over functional knowledge and subject matter. Beyond this, I can easily grasp new ideas and concepts. Paying attention to what others have to say and supporting them comes naturally to me. I enjoy taking on novel challenges regularly in order to learn new things, and I look to multiple sources for inspiration. My enthusiasm, combined with the knowledge I have accumulated, aids me in leading by example.
Trust is one "superpower" I possess. People generally place their trust in me easily and value whatever support I offer. They perceive me as a credible, knowledgeable, and reliable leader. Building confidence among team members is another task I find straightforward and rewarding.
Despite the strengths described above, there are areas in which I am still developing. My weaknesses tend to hinder my growth as an agent who facilitates change. Chief among them is that my enthusiasm sometimes causes me to shut out others' ideas. I am working hard to overcome this weakness, as it disrupts the team brainstorming process.
For example, during a discussion about a particular project, I became so invested in my own idea that I clung to it through the entire meeting and could not let it go. In the end, all I had accomplished was wasting valuable time trying to make my idea more attractive and feasible. This is one area I must continue to work on in order to become a better leader.
Political competencies encompass political processes, power and ethics, negotiation, and education and marketing. Over the next few years, one of my priorities in this arena is to remain current with the latest ethical codes and regulations applicable to my profession. Furthermore, I need to ensure that the individuals I guide and supervise are also adhering to these ethical principles.
I must also broaden my negotiation skills. With professional growth over time, I believe every individual is required to acquire or sharpen their abilities in relationship building and negotiation.
It is necessary to possess, and continually expand, one's functional knowledge. In the course of the next three to five years, my aim is to learn and master this knowledge more thoroughly.
Regarding team-building, I believe I need to become more approachable and open to team members over time. I should bond and interact more quickly with the members of my work team, and I need to understand what will work effectively and what will not in team settings. Moreover, I must hone my ability to establish rapport with team members easily and quickly. Every leader ought to be well-versed in how to lead different members and develop their skills in order to create a successful, cohesive team (Alvarez, Butterfield, & Ridgeway, 2016).
"Functional knowledge and team rapport development"
"Extraversion, networking, and crisis leadership skills"
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