A well-structured leadership and development plan can be a powerful tool to help leaders grow and excel in their roles. In this blog, the ACEVO member support team explain why adopting a plan is essential and how it can benefit you and your organisation.
What does the leadership and development plan encompass?
This comprehensive membership service provides personalised guidance tailored to your unique leadership development needs. It includes several key components designed to support your growth:
- Leadership development planning questionnaire: helps you assess your current strengths, situations, and development needs.
- Exploratory call: a one-on-one discussion to delve deeper into your thoughts and aspirations.
- Follow-up call: useful for maintaining motivation and focus.
- Development plan creation: a structured plan with links to valuable resources tailored to your needs.
By following this plan, you can systematically enhance your leadership capabilities and address any areas that need improvement.
Why invest your time and energy in a leadership and development plan?
- Adapting to change: in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, leaders must be agile and ready to acquire new skills swiftly. A plan equips you with the tools to navigate these challenges effectively.
- Sustainability: developing your leadership skills ensures long-term organisational sustainability. By continuously improving, you foster a culture of growth and resilience.
- Innovation: a plan encourages innovative thinking and problem-solving, enabling you to drive your organization forward.
- Effective communication: enhance your ability to give and receive information astutely, crucial for any leader.
- Risk management: better leadership skills allow for more effective risk assessment and management.
- Networking: grow your support network by engaging with other leaders and learning from their experiences.
- Role modelling: become a role model within your organisation, inspiring and engaging your team.
- Strategic decision making: improve your ability to make sound strategic decisions that benefit your organisation.
The necessary steps to implement your leadership and development plan
- Schedule time: allocate specific times in your calendar for reflection and completing the necessary steps.
- Download and reflect: start with the leadership development planning questionnaire to assess your current situation and identify areas for growth.
- Draft your plan: use your reflections to draft a comprehensive development plan.
- Book a call: schedule a discussion with ACEVO to explore your reflections and finalise your plan.
- Receive guidance: get a personalised document with resources tailored to your development needs.
- Implement: put your plan into action, incorporating development activities into your daily routine.
- Follow-up: if needed, book follow-up calls for additional motivation and guidance.
- Evaluate: regularly assess your progress against your plan using the leadership reflection template.
A key aspect of leadership development is the commitment to ongoing learning and reflection. Regularly revisit your plan, set new goals, and adjust your strategies as needed. Share your progress and insights with peers to foster a collaborative learning environment.
Here’s what other leaders have said about the impact of an L&D plan:
It really helped me as a CEO to have time and space to reflect on my development and journey, enabling me to become a better CEO. The feedback given was laser-focused and extremely helpful.
Mark Hills, CEO of YMCA
It was refreshing to know I was broadly on track and there were only a few things that would add value, rather than needing a whole suite of changes!
Nicci Russell, CEO of Waterwise
