Personal Development Plan using GROW Model for Dynamic Leadership

This essay discusses the importance of personal development plan for becoming a good leader. It explains the GROW model and how it can be used to set goals, evaluate reality, identify obstacles/options, and implement actions. The essay also covers SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, and short-term goals to achieve the career mission statement. The plan is for a time period of 5 years and is aligned with the aims and resources set by the author.

Running head: DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP
DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary...............................................................................................................2
2. Introduction............................................................................................................................2
3. Discussion..............................................................................................................................3
3.1 Personal Development Plan.............................................................................................3
3.2 GROW Model..................................................................................................................6
4. Conclusion..............................................................................................................................9
5. References............................................................................................................................11
6. Appendix..............................................................................................................................12
6.1 Personal Development Cycle.........................................................................................12
6.2 Personal SWOT Analysis Worksheet............................................................................12
6.3 Personal PEST Analysis Worksheet..............................................................................13
6.4 Personal Development Plan Worksheet.........................................................................13
6.5 Action Plan.....................................................................................................................14

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1. Executive Summary
This essay will aim to form a plan for the development of my leadership progress over
a time period of five years. I will follow a models of personal development which is the
GROW Model. This model would come to be very important in forming my development
plan. Before making a concrete development plan I would conduct a personal SWOT and
PEST Analysis to get a better understanding about myself, and only then I would move
forward into forming a proper plan about my development for the future. The plan will
further be tracked by the completion of certain short term goals set by me and finally by
pushing myself to stay on the right track and to make the proper changes within myself.
2. Introduction
Personal development is the process of assessing the skills and qualities that are
possessed by a person and developing or enhancing it so that they can use these skills to
fulfill their aim in life and achieve their goals by maximizing their potential. There are many
personal values that are needed to be incorporated in a good leader. The personal values
which should be present are wisdom & knowledge, humanity, temperance, transcendence,
justice and courage. These personal values are very important to be present in a leader so that
they may be able to act in the right manner and help his team members to do the right thing.
Moreover, there are certain attributes in a leader that would be helpful for the society. A
leader has to be very advanced and this is where the main purpose of personal development
comes in. Personal development does not only mean developing the characteristics, it also
means that the leader should change himself according to the changes in technology. The
cycle or planning process of personal development begins with establishing the purpose or
direction of our development, identifying our needs, then identifying the opportunities of
learning, formulating the plan of action, undertaking the development, recording the

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outcomes and finally evaluating and reviewing the results of the outcome (Appendix 6.1). In
this essay, I will write a reflection about my personal development planning as a leader in the
coming 5 years. I will determine this plan with the help of a model of personal development
which is the GROW model. This models will help me get a better understanding of my
personal development and also support in the formulation my plan. A plan have been
formulated by me which have been aligned with the GROW model and the aims, resources
have been set by me depending on the goal that I want to achieve after a time period of 5
years. The plan that have been drawn is a supporting and helping guide for me which will
make reaching my target easier with the help and support of a proper guide who can lead the
way to my goal.
3. Discussion
3.1 Personal Development Plan
Creating a personal development plan is an important step in personal development as
a leader. I want to become a good leader in the coming 5 years and want to see myself
employed in an established organization, leading a group of people well into completing a
major task. To achieve this goal I would have to make various changes in my life and
character so that I am able to instil in myself the desired knowledge and skill set that a leader
would need. The 5 years’ time period has been selected by me because I want to see the
results of my changes and how far I am from achieving my goal within the given time period.
If I find that I have not yet achieved the goal, then I would have to change the process in
which I am progressing and adopt any other steps to that change so that I am able to finally
achieve my goal to become a leader. To create a well-determined personal development plan,
I would first have to get a clear understanding of myself. This can be done by noting and
realizing my own characteristics. A personal SWOT analysis should be done by me to
determine this. The strengths will hold the qualities that I have within myself, which will help

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me to stand out from the crowd and which makes me different from others. The weaknesses
will contain those characteristics of mine which I am not so good at and the areas which need
change and improvement for me to become a better person. By determining the list of
weaknesses that I possess, I can reduce them or help to improve upon them. After getting a
clear understanding of my strengths and weaknesses, we need to understand the opportunities
that are on hold for me. The advantage that my strength has or the ways in which I can
minimize my weaknesses are established in this section (Cottrell, 2015). Finally, I would
have to focus on those aspects which can move me from my original target and that is to
become a good person and a good leader. It is mandatory to determine the threat as it cannot
be controlled, but proper measures can be taken to manage them into getting out of control
and not become an obstacle in my target achievement (Appendix 6.2). The next step to
making the personal development plan is to conduct a personal PEST analysis. The PEST
analysis determines the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Environmental environments
around us. The policies or the government decisions which affect us are the political factors.
Any new laws or regulations which create an impact upon us, whether directly or indirectly
come under this section. The economic aspects of my country can create a huge impact on
my development process, hence it is important to understand those factors and determine the
changes that will possibly occur in the next five years so that I am able to make the
development plan accordingly. Next, the societal trends that are into existence at the moment
are important for me to determine so that I may be able to grab any opportunity which might
help me to achieve my goal faster and better. The demographic trends, lifestyle trends, family
trends are a few of the recent trends that could be determined by my plan. Lastly,
technological factors play a major role in determining the course of my plan and action.
Technology changes very quickly with time and these changes are very important in the
formulation of any kind of plan as this can make my work harder or easier. Technology can

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influence the kind of work that I do and help me in the fulfilment of my plan faster
(Appendix 6.3). After establishing the SWOT and the PEST analysis about myself, I would
need to determine my mission statement for my career and development. This mission
statement will contain the purpose and the direction of my career. There are various questions
that need to be considered to form a good mission statement. It is important to understand
what I exactly need to accomplish in my career, in the next five years, and what importance it
held for me. The values that are at the basis of this decision should also be determined. I
would also need to question myself, if my career mission benefits other people or how it will
help other individuals in their life and why others would want to perceive us. After answering
these questions to myself, I would be able to comprehend my mission statement. A career
mission statement can be direct or indirect depending from person to person (Pedler,
Burgoyne & Boydell, 2013). My career mission statement would hold that I want to become
a good leader in the next five years in a well-established organization. Some good amount of
time should be spent while forming the mission statement as this is an important part of the
personal development plan. After identifying the career mission statement, there are certain
career goals that would need be to be established as well. My educational qualifications are
an important factor in fulfilling my goal. I would have to get good results in my education so
that I am able to prove to the organizations that I apply in that I am good at both theoretical
and practical aspects. This will make the management trust me in providing both theoretical
and practical knowledge to my colleagues and that I would be able to pose as a good leader.
After following these steps I can formulate a good development plan. I will print out the
worksheet for the plan so that I am able to keep a track on it and make any changes if needed
(Appendix 6.4). To reach the final plan, I would have to set small and short-term goals which
should be completed within the given time that would be set by me. As I would keep
completing these goals, I would understand how near or far I am from reaching my final

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position or target. These short-term goals will also help me to determine if I have diverted
from my track or am staying on the right track (Appendix 6.5).
Personal Development Plans are important because they give us a vision or goal in
our life. Without the presence of a vision or goal our attention and aim in life would go
haywire. For most people, including me, the unused attention goes to unproductive things
such as television shows or social media which occupies a major part of our brain. Even
though these things are important for recreational purposes but a person without any aim or
goal could become addicted to them and finally waste their life away. Hence, it is important
for every one of us to set our own personal goal. Others who concentrate on more hard work
might also get diverted from their actual goal as they might be more inclined towards
overachieving at every task. All these factors divert our attention from the actual goal in our
life and what we aspire to become. It might be too late when we realise that we have wasted
almost a major part of our life without achieving anything. A proper plan which will help us
to follow a correct track and reach the desired goal. A proper guidance is also needed along
with this plan so that we are able to perfectly move forward in our path and reach our
destination within the time that have set for myself.
3.2 GROW Model
The GROW model is said to be one of the most established models of coaching and
development. The model was created by Sir John Whitmore along with his colleagues in the
year 1980s. The model later became popular from his best-selling book which was Coaching
for Performance. The GROW model is a powerful told which helps to highlight the inner
ability and potential of individuals through different coaching steps which if followed can
help in the personal development of a person. This model is precise for problem solving and
goal setting and helps to maximize the personal productivity and achievements. The full form
of GROW model is Goals, Reality, Options and Will. These four steps are the main key

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features of the GROW model (Gail Thomas & Hamnson, 2014). Going through these steps
will help to determine the awareness and understanding of the individuals. The GROW model
will help the person to come to terms with their own aspirations, situations and belief. The
model will enable the individuals to achieve both their personal and professional goals, which
will instil confidence and self-motivation among the people. The G stands for Goal which is
the finishing point, where the individual wants to reach. The goal has to be set in such a way
that is understandable and evident to the individual. The R stands for Reality which is the
present situation of the individual, the present challenges and issues that are being faced by
them and how far they are from achieving the set goal. The O stands for Obstacles or Options
which are the obstacles that would be faced by the individuals which will stop them to
achieve their set goals. The absence of obstacles will help the individuals to reach their goals
faster. After identifying the obstacles, the individual needs to find different options to reach
their goals. The W stands for Way Forward or Will which enables the options to be converted
to action which will help them to go one step further in fulfilling their target or goal. The
GROW model has a great impact on self-awareness and realizing the responsibility that they
have to take on to develop themselves to reach their desired goals. This model was selected
by me as the proper use of this model would enable to become a better leader in my coming
years. To become a good leader I would have to follow certain steps that would make my
journey more systematic and proper. Firstly, the goal that is set by me is to become a good
leader in the future and to ensure that I am able to properly lead my followers and colleagues
on the right track. Secondly, the reality that I am facing at this current time is that I am
currently a student who has to work hard and acquire many different kinds of skill set to
reach the goal that I have set for myself in the future. Thirdly, there could be many obstacles
that will be faced by me in the coming times. I would have to find proper ways to overcome
these obstacles which will help me to go one step further in achieving my goal. For this, I

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have to evaluate different options and finally choose the most appropriate and helpful option
which will make my task easier. Finally, the selected options have to be properly
implemented by me to ensure that I get the best possible results and also that I am able to
eradicate the obstacles that have come my way. This is why the model was chosen by me, as
this model is one of the most appropriate models which will help me in the fulfilment of my
personal development plan and support me in my way to become a good leader in the near
future.
The development plan based on this model will help to reach my desired goal in the
set time. The plan would require the support of a proper guide who can help me to achieve
and understand the different steps that I would have to take in reaching my goal. The
formulated plan is as follows:
Stages Aims Resources Time Frame
G Growth The aim at this stage is to set my
desired goal which is to become a good
leader in an established organization.
The resources required
to reach the goal is
proper training and
internal change to
gather the skills and
knowledge required to
reach my goal.
5 years
R Reality The current situation is that I am a
student, which is my reality.
The resources that I
would have to focus on
at this stage is education
which will be a crucial
5 years

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part of my personal
development with the
increase in time and
help me to reach my
goal.
O Obstacles/Options There would be various obstacles which
will be faced by me in the coming
years. People are going to become a
hindrance in my path, or I may
sometimes lose the right track that I
would have to follow to reach my
destination. However, I would have to
find ways to overcome these obstacles.
Furthermore, I would have to find the
suitable options that would help me to
get over these obstacles.
I would have to gain
proper knowledge, both
practical and theoretical
which will help me to
get a broader
perspective about the
world which will, in
turn, help me to find
and choose the correct
options to eradicate my
obstacles.
5 years
W Way
Forward/Will
The options that I would determine in
the previous stage would have to be
converted into actions for me to move
forward in my goal.
The resources that
would help me to move
forward are proper
training, removal of
obstacles and honing
my skills in the right
direction.
5 years
4. Conclusion
Thus, it can be deduced from the above study that creating a personal development
plan would need various steps over the time. The proper skill set is needed to become the
good leader and to acquire this proper skills and knowledge it is important to formulate a plan
and implement accordingly so that I would easily be able to understand the process of
development that I would need to follow to reach my said goal. I had conducted a self-
evaluation of my personal values for which the highest value is justice, followed by wisdom
& knowledge and the final value being transcendence. To become a leader I have given
myself a time period of five years, and this time frame has been given to me to understand if
the oath I am following is correct or not in a moderate time. A model of personal
development have been used by me in this study which will help me to get a deeper
understanding of the development process. The model is the GROW Model. Along with the

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understanding of this model, I would also have to get a clear understanding of myself that is
my strengths and weaknesses and other factors that would help me to make changes within
myself which will enable a faster development process for my future. To understand and
determine these changes I have done a SWOT and PEST analysis at a personal level which
brings out the inner aspects of my characteristics and habits. Finally, with the help of the
above mentioned models and analysis frameworks, I would be able to follow on a clear
development plan which will push me to reach my goal by completing the short-term goals or
actions plan that would be set by me to keep a track on the progress that I am making in my
development. A development plan have been formulated by me which will help me to stay on
the right path and track the progress of my work. The development plan have been set by
aligning itself to the GROW models and the aims have been set according to the different
steps of the model. Furthermore, the resources that would be used in each and every step have
been set which will act as a support for the fulfilment of my aims. The time frame that have
been set for the achievement and the success of the development plan is 5 years.

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5. References
Bouman, N. (2018). Personal Development Plan.
Cottrell, S. (2015). Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Gail Thomas, B., & Hanson, J. (2014). Developing social integration to enhance student
retention and success in higher education: the GROW@ BU initiative. Widening
Participation and Lifelong Learning, 16(3), 58-70.
Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J., & Boydell, T. (2013). A Manager's Guide to Self-development.
McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Tattum, D., & Tattum, E. (2017). Social education and personal development. Routledge.

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6. Appendix
6.1 Personal Development Cycle
6.2 Personal SWOT Analysis Worksheet

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6.3 Personal PEST Analysis Worksheet
6.4 Personal Development Plan Worksheet

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6.5 Action Plan