Dynamic Leadership: Importance of Self-development and Key Leadership Theory

This report discusses the importance of self-development as a leader and explores key leadership theory. It includes a personal leadership development plan and strategies for enhancing skills and competencies. Feedback from others is also highlighted. Subject: Leadership, Course Code: Laptop04011, Course Name: Dynamic Leadership, College/University: N/A

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Dynamic Leadership 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Importance of Self-development as a Leader..................................................................................1
Key Leadership Theory...................................................................................................................2
Personal Leadership Development Plan..........................................................................................4
My Personal Skills and Competencies............................................................................................5
Feedback To and From Others........................................................................................................6
Use of Reflective and Reflexive Practice........................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

Dynamic Leadership 2
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to enlighten the reader about my leadership development
plan initiated in the external business environment. The report includes information about the
importance of self-development as a leader in the business environment to build self-awareness.
Further, it also explains key leadership theory to develop the personal leadership strategy plan in
the business environment. My leadership development plan has been explained in the paper that
can future help me in future prospects of life. Feedbacks to and from other people have also been
penned in the paper so as to enhance self-awareness and core communication skills for emotional
intelligence in the business environment (Komives, & Wagner, 2016). Reflective and reflexive
practices have been evaluated in the paper as a process of continuous learning. Leadership refers
to the act of leading a group of people in business environment. Leadership skills play an
important role in convincing the people in business environment so that they can work in favour
of the objective. In my personal opinion, it is crucial for a person to attain leadership skills so
that they can effectively control their personal growth as well. My personal leadership
development plan will successfully help me to grow and attain expected success in the business
environment. Further, more details about the paper are discussed below.
Importance of Self-development as a Leader
Leadership is the ability to influence people in environment so as to get things done in the
right way. Whereas, self-leadership refers to the ability of a person to consciously influence
one’s own thoughts and behaviour so as to achieve personal goal or any other desired objective.
People that are self-led mainly take their own decisions in the right way and set personal targets
on the basis of objectives to achieve. Self-development through personal leadership is typical in
managers, entrepreneur, mentor etc. I believe that a person who has self-leadership skill gets to
take the right decisions and choices for their own as well as for others as well. Self-development
helps the leader to find out various gaps that are present in his personality and work according to
them so as to initiate self-awareness as well (Terrell, Terrell, Lindsey, & Lindsey, 2018).
Self-leadership is the first phase of leadership process present in the environment that
helps the leader to determine the skills that they possess and skills that they want to refine in the

Dynamic Leadership 3
business environment. Self-development as a leader provides the opportunity to people to
achieve the right direction and motivation in such a way to positively influence their personal
performance along with others as well. Self-development as a leader builds self-awareness by
making the leader confront to various aspects that they were initially unable to identify. Self-
development as a leader makes the leader to identify the skills and competencies that they are
lacking and the skills that they need to achieve in the business environment so as to successfully
make the employees achieve the business objective (Frich, Brewster, Cherlin, & Bradley, 2015).
Further, it should be noted that the now a days we live in highly competitive world where
the environment is changing in minutes which means that it is important to be up to date and
competitive otherwise we will lose the competition. So, in order to distinguish ones identity from
others, it is important to initiate self-leadership which will directly increase self-awareness aspect
in a person. In my perspective self-development as a leader makes then person more aware about
the activities that are happening in the environment and react accordingly (Shamir, & Eilam-
Shamir, 2018). Acting in the right way upon diverse situations makes a person good leader in the
environment and this type of leadership skills can be attain through on-going self-development
process. The development process never ends for a person if they become a leader.
Key Leadership Theory
There are various theories and models defined in respect of the leadership ability present
in the environment. I believe that different people look at self-leadership in different ways based
on their understanding. GROW model is a leadership model that plays an important role in
helping the leader to make better decisions in the external environment and effectively solve the
problem as well. I believe that this model will successfully help me to grow my skills and
capabilities and face differential circumstances as well. So, the below mentioned GROW model
of Coaching and Mentoring discussed below appropriately explain the leadership role for a
person in business environment (Mendenhall, et. al., 2017).
Goal: It refers to the objective that the person wants to achieve in the environment. The goal
defined by the leader might be specific or behavioural and it can also include long term as well
as short term goals in the business environment.

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Current Reality: Reality refers to the fact in which a person is currently in that is the current
position where he is working. Reality helps the leader in facing the challenges and difficulties
and identifying the gaps between the current state and the goal as well (Grant, 2016).
Option or Obstacle: option refers to the process of identification of alternatives in such a way
that an individual works, learn and behave in the environment. This segment helps changing the
current reality with the identified goal for personal development in the business environment.
This segment also explains the process of identification of obstacles so as to change and explore
the diverse ways of solving them.
Will or Way Forward: This segment of the model explains the commitment of the leader to
experiment and reach out at different ways of working and making things happen in a different
way. Will involves looking at the obstacle in a different way and experimenting ways to
approach them differently and never giving up on the situation. It involves the selection of
options and preparation of specific action steps in such a way that it can be monitored and
assessed (Cox, 2015).
In order to use this tool, the leader initially establishes a goal on the basis of which they
want to initiate change in their personality. I will make the goal on the basis of obstacles that I
am facing in the business environment and the aspects that I want in my personality. Further,
coming to the second phase current reality under which I will examine my current environment
and fluctuation present in it. On the basis of current reality, I will look for various options
present in the business environment that will help me to achieve my goal as well. Lastly, after
exploring various options present in the environment, I will certainly develop the will to achieve
the goal and work on them as well. Willingness will help me in being motivated and focusing in
the right direction to attain the objective in the business environment (Sale, & Moynan, 2018).

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Personal Leadership Development Plan
Below mention personal development plan is made for complete 2 years. I believe that
this plan will successfully help me to achieving my growth in respect of self-development of
leadership in the business environment.
Skills Current stage Target Ability Time
Frame
Criteria to judge
success
Goal 1 Confidence At the current stage, I
know that I have
confidence but it
takes more to rightly
express the views to
subordinates and
make them believe it.
Increase
confidence level
with trust level.
3 months Evaluation of
increasing or
decreasing trust
level of
subordinates on
my actions
Goal 2 Building trust
and
Relationship
Lack of confidence
also decreases the
level of trust in the
eyes superior and
subordinates present
in the environment
(Clinton, 2018)
Subordinates
should
unanimously
agree to my
decision in
business
environment.
3 months Feedback, survey
personal interview
with employees
Goal 3 Effective
communication
There is presence of
effective formal
communication
Initiate informal
communication
within the
boundaries of
ethics and code
of conduct
3 months Degree of team
bonding
Goal 4 Group
development
No expectation of
growing as I am
currently satisfied
with group
Practice real life
team work
3 month Completion of
team projects with
grace and within
time limit
Goal 5 Creativity and
Innovation
Innovation is
included only on
paper work as it is
risky to conduct.
Development of
new idea,
focusing on
improvement
and
transformation
through creative
3 months Resistance to
change, comfort of
employees with
creativity.

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ideas
Goal 6 Problem
solving
approach
I can resolve the
problem but face
difficulty in
satisfying employees
Formulate an
approach that
involves
employees to
take part and
work in team
(Lussier, &
Achua, 2015)
2 months Calculation of
increasing
productivity of
business.
Goal 6 System
thinking
I make use of
theoretical thinking
approach
Critical thinking
along with
effective
implementation
in real life
projects as well
3 months Degree of use of
innovation and
technology in
business.
Goal 7 Sustainable
leadership
capabilities
My leadership style is
new and interactive
but not sustaining
Work with
sustaining
growth and
maintaining
sustainable
position in the
environment
(Litano, &
Major, 2016)
4 months Comparison of
position against
competitors.
My Personal Skills and Competencies
From the above mentioned leadership development plan, it can be clearly understood that
I am working on the right path as I have the skills to perform but they are not efficient enough to
appropriately deliver productivity in the business environment. In response to which, the two
year development plan will successfully help me to witness my capabilities and grow personally
as well as profession. Comparing the GROW coaching and mentoring model with the personal
leadership development plan, it should be noted that initiate I determined seven goals in the
environment that I needed to achieve (Moore, & Gorman, 2019).
These seven goals are confidence, building trust and relationship, effective
communication, group development, creativity and innovation, problem solving approach,

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system thinking and sustainable leadership capabilities (Hall, & Rowland, 2016). Further, I am
aiming to work on these goals for two years so as to attain the expected objectives in the
environment. Coming up to the next aspect of the model that is current reality, it should be noted
that as I said earlier that I do not possess zero leadership qualities in the environment as I have
adequate skills but I need to grow and become more competitive in the business environment
(Longenecker, & Insch, 2018). So, the reality is that if current I am at 6 on the scale of
competencies and leadership then I need to reach on the position of number 8. After analysing
the current reality, it should be noted that Obstacle will help me to identify that how far I am
from my personal target (Huggins, Klar, Hammonds, & Buskey, 2016).
The fact should be noted that every person faces some barriers while following the path
of growth; similarly I believe that I will also face several issues in the environment while
conducting my personal leadership development plan in the business environment. I believe that
this plan will successfully help me to grow in my personal as well as professional context of life.
Lastly, relating my plan with the last aspect of the GROW model, it should be noted that willing
is the most important aspect that make all the goals happen (Avolio, 2011). The segments above
willing are only factual and descriptive but after analysing all the facts and findings, it is
important for me to take an initiative and move in the right direction to achieve goal in the
business environment (Sosik, & Jung, 2018).
Thus, it should be noted that the above mentioned model and plan will successfully help
me to develop my capacity to influence, motivate and inspire others in your workplace. With the
help of above mentioned strategies I would easily attain growth in my personal as well as
profession life.
Feedback To and From Others
In the course of my leadership development plan I invited various people to provide me
feedback on my skills and capabilities so as to achieve success in implementing the program in
the business environment. While initiating the practice of leadership development, I welcomed
feedback from my colleagues, friends, mentors and subordinates as well. Colleagues and friends
helped in analysing their way of working and finding the best suited option for me, while
mentors helped me in attaining theoretical knowledge about the descriptive ways based on the

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models and theories of leadership (Kirkbride, 2006). However, I am willing to find a differential
way to implement my leadership style in the business environment so I asked for the feedback of
every person connected with me but relied only on myself. Along with this, I asked for the
feedback of the subordinates as well. Feedback from them will majorly help me implementing
right course of action for my personal leadership development in the business environment as
they will help me in knowing about the areas where I am lacking behind and the areas where I
am doing just fine (Anderson, & Sun, 2017).
Further, it should be noted that in order to make use of effective leadership skills in the
business environment, I also started providing feedbacks to other people so as to initiate the
practice of self-awareness and effective core communication skills within the employees as well.
The process of coaching involves asking open minded questions in the environment, providing
feedback, directions and encouragement from both ends in the environment. So, I will aim to
create a healthy business environment and encourage other to provide me direction with the ways
they want their leader to perform (Arnold, Connelly, Walsh, & Martin Ginis, 2015). Lastly, it
should be noted that these practices will successfully enhance the aspect of emotional
intelligence along with active listening and building empathy in the business environment as it
will organize an open setting for the people to interact with each other and share their views and
opinions as well. It should be noted that the setting of coaching in business environment will on
one hand help me to attain idea about others expectation from me and on the other hand, it will
also help other to understand my perspective about leadership as well (Holtz, & Hu, 2017).
Use of Reflective and Reflexive Practice
Reflective practice refers to the process of thinking and reflecting the practices in such a
way that a person learns and develops through one’s own practices. Self-reflective practices help
a person to deeply think about the personal activities and grasping valuable insights from them.
According to the reflective practice, I will think about my every action and plan, learn about it
and their organize activities in the business environment. While in case of reflexive practices, I
will directly act in the event without thinking enough (Storey, 2016). Under the reflective
practice, I will think and learn from the activities while according to reflexive practices, I will
react and then learn. Further, it should be noted that the technique of reflection and reflexion are

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looked as a means of continuous learning and self-development. Self-reflection will increase my
thinking capacity and it will help me in looking at various possible options with which I can
conduct the activity in the business environment (Mathew, & Gupta, 2015).
While on the other hand reflexive practice will help me to understand how to react on
diverse situation in no time. This type of practice will develop my decision making skills in the
business environment. Both the skills are entirely different from each other so they will
differently help me in continuous learning and self-development as well. I believe that self-
learning is the best way of learning and both type of practices will help me in the process of self-
learning. Reflective and reflexive practices are entirely different from each other so in this way, I
will learn new ways of developing my leadership effectively. These practices will provide me
view from both the side (Geier, 2016). It will enhance my thinking skills, decision making
capabilities, risk taking ability etc.
Conclusion
Thus, in the limelight of above mentioned events, the fact should be noted that the above
mentioned paper highlighted information about the reflection on personal development
leadership plan. The paper highlighted the importance of self-development in one’s life along
with the use of GROW coaching and mentoring model in implementing the leadership plan in
the business environment. Further, on the basis of my personal skills and capabilities, I defined a
plan to increase my efficiencies in the business environment. Lastly, it should be noted that
feedbacks along with reflective and reflexive practices will also help me increasing my
leadership capabilities in the business environment. Leadership is one of the core aspects that is
important for a person to attain in personal as well as professional life. This skill helps the person
in making others perform the actions in the business environment. Thus, it can be said that will
the help of this plan, I would successfully be able to achieve desired leadership skills in the
business environment.

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References
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new ‘full‐range’theory. International Journal of Management Reviews, 19(1), 76-96.
Arnold, K. A., Connelly, C. E., Walsh, M. M., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2015). Leadership styles,
emotion regulation, and burnout. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 20(4), 481.
Avolio, B. J. (2011). Full range leadership development. Sage.
Clinton, R. (2018). The making of a leader: Recognizing the lessons and stages of leadership
development. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
Cox, E. (2015). Coaching and adult learning: Theory and practice. New Directions for Adult and
Continuing Education, 2015(148), 27-38.
Frich, J. C., Brewster, A. L., Cherlin, E. J., & Bradley, E. H. (2015). Leadership development
programs for physicians: a systematic review. Journal of general internal
medicine, 30(5), 656-674.
Geier, M. T. (2016). Leadership in extreme contexts: Transformational leadership, performance
beyond expectations?. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 23(3), 234-247.
Grant, A. M. (2016). New perspectives on goal setting in coaching practice: An integrated model
of goal-focused coaching. In Beyond Goals (pp. 87-116). Routledge.
Hall, R. D., & Rowland, C. A. (2016). Leadership development for managers in turbulent
times. Journal of Management Development, 35(8), 942-955.
Holtz, B. C., & Hu, B. (2017). Passive leadership: relationships with trust and justice
perceptions. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 32(1), 119-130.
Huggins, K. S., Klar, H. W., Hammonds, H. L., & Buskey, F. C. (2016). Supporting leadership
development: An examination of high school principals’ efforts to develop leaders’
personal capacities. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 11(2), 200-221.

Dynamic Leadership 11
Kirkbride, P. (2006). Developing transformational leaders: the full range leadership model in
action. Industrial and commercial training, 38(1), 23-32.
Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (Eds.). (2016). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the
social change model of leadership development. John Wiley & Sons.
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Sosik, J. J., & Jung, D. (2018). Full range leadership development: Pathways for people, profit,
and planet. Routledge.

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Storey, J. (2016). Changing theories of leadership and leadership development. In Leadership in
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