If you want to learn to become an effective manager and leader in the workplace, coming up with a personal leadership development plan is a good way to start.
Each workplace is different and all managers will encounter different scenarios that might test their leadership skills. However, there are basic principles and skills that you can acquire to improve your effectiveness.
Decide What Makes A Great Leader
You can draw inspiration from other leaders in your industry or other great leaders that you read about and admire. Start with making a list of the qualities that you think a strong leader will need.
These qualities could consist of things like, honesty, good communication skills, creativity, and thoughtfulness.
Assess Your Current Skills and Personality Traits
This requires honesty and self-assessment so you can accurately determine which areas you need to work on. Ask your co-workers and current supervisors for feedback. A personality trait is different than a learned skill so if you have trouble communicating or you fly off the handle quickly, you may want to come up with a plan to improve those areas.
There are learned skills that are required that you must be proficient at. Be sure that you know what they are and come up with a plan to learn the skills needed for the leadership position you are considering.
You need to stay ahead of any technology that is used in your industry. Be sure that you are keeping up-to-date with any advancements in your industry sector.
Figure Out Your Why
What are your reasons for wanting to lead? Each industry has different requirements for management positions.
In fact, the leader you may need to be can even differentiate between offices of the same company. Decide which positions you want to pursue and ask yourself why you want that position.
Put Your Plan Into Action
Now that you have determined what you need to work on, it’s time to develop your plan and start working on it. For instance, you may want to work on your public speaking skills. You might be able to find a course at your local community college or chamber of commerce.
Create A Timeline
It’s important to create specific milestones for the goals that you set for yourself so that you can gauge your improvements. This will help you to set a timeline of when you might see success. If you don’t have dates or a timeline, it leads the way for procrastination.
Watch For Opportunities To Lead
You don’t have to become a manager or CEO to practice your leadership skills. You might want to start by running an event for your company or handling a small project in your office. Taking on smaller roles will prepare you for roles that have more responsibility and that can showcase your talents and leadership skills.
Decide on the goal you want to achieve and come up with a specific course of action. List the resources you will need to achieve that goal and set a time that you will need to achieve that particular goal.
Your personal leadership development plan starts with where you are currently and maps out where you want to go. Your plan will need constant updating and tweaking as you make the changes on your path to becoming an outstanding leader.