Create A Leadership Development Plan In 5 Straight-Forward Steps
by Heather Wolfson, CEO & Lead Strategist, Maven Leadership Consulting
The world is constantly evolving, and so are the skills that leaders need to be successful. The textbook definition of “leadership development” refers to improving the skills and abilities of current and future leaders in an organization.
But when today’s leaders take charge of their own leadership development plan, they gain a roadmap for success however they define the word.
If you are a leader looking to improve your skills or are responsible for developing leaders in your organization, read on to learn more about the process of creating a leadership development plan.
What Is A Leadership Development Plan?
A leadership development plan is a document outlining the steps a leader will take to improve their skills and abilities. The program should be tailored to the individual leader’s needs and goals and should be reviewed and updated regularly.
An individual leader can use a leadership development plan to set goals and track progress, or it can be used by an organization to identify and develop the leaders that it needs. A well-developed leadership development plan can be a powerful tool to help leaders reach their full potential.
I remember when I was in a junior-level position and asked for professional development funds to support my growth. My supervisor encouraged me to write a professional development plan, but I needed to figure out where to start. Finally, I figured it out through a lot of trial and error (this was before we had savvy search engines).
I’ve used a similar process throughout the last 20 years and have supported my clients through creating their plans. So today, I am sharing this process with you so you can successfully create your leadership development plan.
5-Steps To Develop A Leadership Plan
When developing a leadership plan, there are a few key steps you'll need to follow. By doing a bit of planning and research, you can ensure that your leadership development plan is successful.
It starts with taking an inventory of where you are, then defining your goals, followed by exploring your options. Then, and only then, it is time to write a plan with milestones and goals. One of the most important features is that we must constantly evaluate and adjust the plan as needed along the journey.
Here are the 5 steps you’ll need to take:
Assess Where You Are
When you develop a leadership plan, you first need to take stock of where you are as a leader. This will help you determine what steps you need to take to get to where you want to be. You can perform a 360° performance review to assess your current leadership skills and knowledge. The 360° performance review is the perfect source for identifying skills that need improvement. In addition, processing the feedback can help you set new goals aligned with your career objectives and can help you determine:
What are your skills?
How well do you know your strengths and weaknesses?
How well do you know your team's strengths and weaknesses?
How effective are you at communicating your vision?
How well do you handle conflict?
How well do you lead by example?
How good are you at delegating tasks?
How well do you build relationships?
What are your growth areas?
Take the lead. Learn how to Conduct Your Own 360° Performance Review.
2. Determine Your Goals
Setting goals that adhere to the "S.M.A.R.T." standard — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound — formula seems foolproof.
So why isn't everyone rocking every single SMART goal they set? The answer is that S.M.A.R.T goals are only meaningful if they connect to a larger purpose (a purpose that you must define). Pursuing and even achieving goals that don't align with a deeper why can make us feel depleted, not fulfilled.
PUMP is the better acronym if you want to achieve it with passion. Think of it as achieving with intention. After years like 2020 and 2021, when we were forced to rethink everything, it's worth reexamining how we set goals, too.
Instead of SMART, PUMP goals encourage us to identify Purpose-driven, Uplifting, Method-friendly, and Practice-driven targets. This method allows you and those you lead to be ambitious and ensure your targets are energizing and positive — not rigid and straining.
Consider these questions when determining your goals:
Where do you want to be?
What new skills and knowledge can you acquire?
Research
When developing a leadership plan, it is vital first to research your options and speak to others with experience in the field. Research is an important part of leadership, and it is not just about gathering data. It is also about learning about options and finding the best way to achieve your goals.
When you are researching, you are looking for information that will help you make better decisions. This info can come from a variety of sources, including books, articles, and even people with experience in leadership.
By taking the time to research your options, you can develop a leadership plan that will help you achieve your goals.
4. Map The Steps
Developing a leadership plan involves mapping out your steps to reach your goals. Without a plan, it's easy to get sidetracked or lose sight of your goals.
Once you know what you want to achieve, you can begin mapping out the steps you'll need to take to get there. As you map out your plan, set a timeframe for each task. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you're making progress toward your goals.
Once you have your plan in place, it's important to stick to it. This means setting aside time to work on reaching each milestone in your plan each week.
5. Evaluate
As you develop your leadership plan, it is important to consider how you will evaluate your progress. There are a few key indicators that you can use to gauge your progress and determine whether or not your plan is on track.
Some things to include:
Are you meeting your goals?
Do you see results from your leadership activities?
Are your team members engaged and excited about your plan?
Are you getting feedback from your team members?
By regularly evaluating your progress, you can make changes to your leadership plan as needed to ensure it is successful.
Create A Personal Development Leadership Plan
Creating a personal development leadership plan is a great way to set yourself up for success. By taking the time to reflect on your goals, skills, and experiences, you can create a plan that will help you achieve your objectives.
Not sure where to start? Book a free consultation with Maven Leadership Consulting today.
