Running head: PERSONAL LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN 1

Personal Leadership Action Plan

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Personal Leadership Action Plan

Introduction

Leadership means different things the different individuals. Some people perceive leaders

as vision and motivation generating individuals in the business world (Leroy, Palanski, &

Simons, 2012). In most organizations, leadership is a way to inspire and create a need for others

to be great and productive (Antonakis, Fenley, & Liechti, 2012). As such, leadership entails

formulating measurable goals which guide in the provision of the required control and direction

for the followers. Within my Personal Leadership Action Plan, I intend to explore the

relationship between my personality types and leadership styles. I understand that despite my

feelings on personal growth, I am in a consistent progress and need to figure out the importance

of growth in leadership skills. I will assess my Personal Leadership Action Plan (PLAP) based

on my purpose and values; who I am now; what I want to achieve; my strengths, weaknesses,

and abilities as a leader; and how I am going to achieve my long-term leadership goals.

Statement of Personal Purpose and Values

On my social network profiles, I like to use a quote that resonates with me, “Dreams are

what keep you awake, not sleeping,” it is simple yet meaningful in my journey of trying to create

success in my career. I like to look at it as my mission statement. I value efficiency, knowledge,

collaboration, organization, authenticity, courage, honesty, humility, wisdom, respect,

professionalism, inner harmony, positive influence, personal development, and integrity. I

believe that values are only as meaningful as what you exert in your communications and

behaviors. The best analysis of a leader is by the average judgment of others that have a personal

or professional relationship. Out of all the values mentioned, I would say that my five core

values are honesty, influence, knowledge, integrity, and personal/professional development.

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When I think about my purpose as the dean of students, I envision myself as an excellent

role model for building a positive attitude and inspiring students through daily assemblies that

have a culture and academic focus. I value personal experiences that allow me to grow

professionally and personally into my values. Therefore, my leadership style and my personality

need to be in line with my values to enhance personal and professional development. Also, I feel

being a leader is more than just how you behave when you are on the job. I believe good leaders

are well-rounded individuals personally and professionally so that their decision making is most

sound. That is why I also value the concepts of organizational behavior. Specifically, this theory

examines the psychology of the working world as it is full of communication and managing

relationships at all departmental levels. I am attracted to this theory and guided by it through my

daily activities. I strive to make sure my team is the best.

An Assessment of Who I Am Now

I have only begun to scratch the surface to where I want, professionally. Personally, I am

growing through trying to cultivate more self-awareness in the direction I want to go and

decision making. The Global Emotional Intelligence Test, demonstrated that my self-awareness

needs attention and practice. In the opinion of Derek Lidow, self-awareness is one of Derek

Lidow’s 5 mentioned attributes to becoming a successful business owner (Lidow, 2015). I am a

startup dean of a student with a small network of friends. However, I am still looking for ways to

increase my friendship network.

In utilizing the Myer Briggs Typology Indicator test, I discovered that I am an ENTP, and

an ENTJ due to the lower preference of perceiving over judging. I believe this is relevant in

assessing where I am now because I have taken this test in the past and received different results.

The ENTJ test result indicates that I have a natural tendency to marshal and direct and may be
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expressed with charm and finesse (humanmetrics.com, n.d.). Specifically, this test also stated

that an ENTJ requires little encouragement to make a plan, and I feel compelled to carry it out

(humanmetrics.com, n.d.). I agree that I do not require any motivation to carry out my goals

personals in my teaching role, but when working for others for a fraction of the income an hour, I

would say financial incentive goes a long way. I would say that when I exert my authority of

marshal direction in my endeavors though, as the description stated in the MBTI test result, I do

it with finesse and charm when it is appropriate. Ruling with an iron fist through and Marshally

does not allow much room for collaboration which I value because there is always something

new to learn or a fresh new perspective that could give me better direction in my decision-

making processes. Having respectable relationships with parents, CEO and coworkers are

important to me. I have been called the boss when the boss is not around due to the way I exert

myself and try to work with my teams to complete tasks and goals set either by myself or the

school. I am also the reminder or policies, rules, and parameters we need to operate under when

other idea’s deviate. The Functional Analysis of the ENTJ states I would have extraverted

thinking, introverted intuition, extraverted sensing, and introverted feeling. What made this

interesting is that an ENTJ is the opposite of ENTP in the functional analysis as far as whether

thinking, intuition, sensing, or feeling is introverted or extroverted.

The MBTI test result ENTP, which I showed most predominantly, states that I am

“Clever” being the word that best describes ENTP’s best (humanmetrics.com, n.d.). As well

ENTP is outlined in the test result as being; cerebrally quick, innovative, ingenious at problem-

solving, optimistic, and little patience. To top it all off the result states that ENTP’s are best

approached with straightforwardness. I did not realize how much I valued straightforwardness

until reflecting of this test result description. I am best approached with straightforwardness.
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When confronted with someone asking for help, assistance, or execution of a task, I find myself

asking, “What is the bottom line?”, “What is the purpose?”, and “What is the main point? These

questions help me best start formulating my answer and strategy of resolution to gain a better

understanding of the situation. The Functional Analysis of the ENTP, is extraverted intuition,

introverted thinking, extraverted feeling, and introverted sensing (humanmetrics.com, n.d.). I

agreed with this test result because I believe in general that I do perform thinking and sensing

introvertedly to analyze any given situation best before I exert myself extrovertedly with my

intuition and how I feel about whatever it may be. The ENTJ listed that opposite so the typology

that best fit me was the ENTP though I could relate to both the general summary of each. I

believe this why some say that the MBTI is as accurate as a horoscope though. None the less this

gave me a better understanding of where I am now.

I would best explain the results of the MBTI by referring to my leadership style I felt that

best fit me, transformational leadership style and secondly transactional leadership style. These

two theories of situational leadership combined best described my leadership style and depict the

ENTJ and the ENTP test results. Specifically, this showed me though that I put the situational in

situational leadership theories as I do not entirely belong to one. In different situations, different

values, and characteristics need to be exerted for success. While Transformational leaders inspire

their self-interest, transactional leaders guide their subjects in the direction that establishes

objective by clarifying the demanded task and role (Robbins, & Judge, 2017). I think the

combination of the two though is the best leadership style. Someone who is authoritative and

contingent on incentives, but also collaborative and openminded in inspiring followers to

transcend their best interest with that of the organization, is the best way to increase success. I

feel incentives, praise, and mentoring is the best way to accomplish this and these notions are
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characteristics of the transactional leader. I feel that idealized influence and individualized

consideration on a situational basis is also important to leadership and these are characteristics of

the transformational leader.

What I Want to Achieve

What I want to attain a consistency of all the values I mentioned while becoming

successful. I believe only a well-rounded leader couple achieve simultaneously all values I listed.

By self-reflecting, I am aware I have work to do, and this information will be stated in my

strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities portions further in this paper. I want to inspire others,

build strong beneficial, collaborative relationships, become financially wealthy, and want others

descriptions of me to mirror the values I mentioned earlier.

Leadership Vision

To best achieve what I want to achieve, I will reflect on my strengths, weaknesses, and

capabilities. My strengths consist of being time efficient, achieving performance goals, strong

organizing skills, planning, attention to detail, and adapting well to change. I would describe

adapting well to change though as being my greatest strength personally and professionally. I

have restarted and started new several times in my life. I believe this took the fear of change out

of the equation that most people are a resistant too. John Reh finds that handling change means

handling people’s fear (Reh, 2016). He states that change is good, but people’s reaction to

change is unpredictable and irrational, but can be managed if done right (Reh, 2016). I believe

this to be true and based on my experience the best way to achieve this is by thoroughly

explaining why the change needs to occur. A manager that directs without collaborating and just

barks orders is probably the worst kind of person to implement change in my opinion, from

experience. In fact, this will only raise the irrationalism and unpredictableness of the workforce
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that John Reh mentioned in his article based on my knowledge. I feel that having a better

understanding of the fears that come with change, and knowing how to manage it by experience,

has given me the strength to adapt well to change and help implement it. I have grown to be good

with change; it is not something that is hereditary in my eye’s but learned. I am also good at

public speaking and becoming very knowledgeable about the organization I work for and

explaining business processes set forth.

Development of an Action Plan

Leadership Growth goals Actions Individual Measure Timeline

Skills to for the skills Who can of Success
Improve Assist
Instructor Refining my Reading The staff Distribute One year
skills and relevant members will and read
instructor materials hold me student’s
accountable evaluation
Teaching when I am not forms
literacy courses completing this
task. I will ask
them to remind
me of my goal
and assist me
with staying
focused and
being the voice
of reason
during that
time.
Leading skills Refining my Attend Friends and Meeting Two years
leadership leadership Professional with
skills programs to experts in advanced
strengthen leadership scholars in
effective management leadership
behaviors in for
my leadership feedback
skills
Distribute
Develop a and
research that observe
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outlines the informal

effective surveys
leadership
behavior
within two
years.
Interpersonal To attain more Interact with Human
15% I should be
skills socialization many people resource
increase in able to have
skills and attend experts and
the nearly 15%
various public colleagues
number of increase in my
events people friend network
close to in two months
me
Communication Refining my Attend various Experts in Increase Attain a
skill communication communication human my significant
skills and programs and resource and confidence change after
improving my public communication while three months
oratory skills functions management interacting of enrollment
with a in
large communication
audience programs.

Conclusion

My PLAP has allowed me to gain a greater understanding as to whom I am as a leader. I

understand that my newness to the position is quite challenging although cannot allow that to

project onto ones that depend on me the most. I agree with my profile, as well as the leadership

style assigned to me. I understand that I am huge on creating a conducive environment for my

team. I have realized that I want everyone I come into contact with to be happy. As a leader, I

understand that it is a continuous process that requires a constant check. My PLAP has shown

me that I am not control freak, but I need a small amount of refinement to feel that I complete

tasks efficiently. Since leadership is about the mission, I have taken on the mission and vision of

my employer. I use it in my personal life and believe that living the mission is the only way our

children will be successful. I have to be the example, and I am thankful to be surrounded by

leaders that provide me with the model I need.

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References

Antonakis, J., Fenley, M., & Liechti, S. (2012). Learning charisma. Transform yourself into the

person others want to follow. Harvard Business Review, 90(6), 127-30.

Human Metrics (n.d.) Personality Type Explained. Retrieved from:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/type

Leroy, H., Palanski, M., & Simons, T. (2012). Authentic leadership and behavioral integrity as

drivers of follower commitment and performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(3),

255-264.

Lidow, D. (2015) How to Write an Action Plan for Your Personal Leadership Strategy.

Retrieved from: http://dereklidow.com/news/article/how-to-write-an-action-plan-for-

your-personal-leadership-strategy

Reh, J. (2016) Managing Change: Managing People’s Fear. Retrieved from:

https://www.thebalance.com/managing-change-managing-people-s-fear-2275302

Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A. (2017). Organizational Behavior, 17th Edition. [Bookshelf Online].

Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323437230/