Personal Leadership Development as a Strategic Manager Report

This report analyzes personal leadership development within the context of a strategic management role, using Rowlinson Knitwear as a case study. It begins by examining the company's strategic direction, the strategic skills needed by leaders (including communication, creative management, problem-solving, and leadership skills), and the relationship between existing, needed, and future skills. The report then discusses opportunities for leadership development, focusing on learning styles and development methods like training and coaching. A personal development plan (PDP) is constructed, along with an implementation process and an assessment of the plan's outcomes. Finally, the report evaluates the impact of corporate commitment to staff welfare on organizational objectives and values. The report offers a comprehensive overview of leadership development, strategic planning, and the significance of staff welfare in achieving organizational goals.

Personal leadership
development as a strategic
manager

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Analyse the strategic direction of the company.....................................................................1
1.2 Evaluate the strategic skills needed of the leader..................................................................1
1.3 Assess the relationship among existing, needed and future skills to accomplish strategic
goals.............................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Discuss the opportunities to support leadership development...............................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
2.2 Construct a personal development plan to lead leadership development..............................4
2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan...............................................6
3.1 Assess the accomplishment of outcomes of the plan against original objectives..................6
3.3 Review the leadership development plan..............................................................................7
3.4 Update the leadership development plan...............................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
3.2 Evaluate the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic ambitions......................7
TASK 5............................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Evaluate the impact of corporate commitment to staff welfare on organisational objectives
.....................................................................................................................................................8
4.2 How a staff welfare environment can affect accomplishment of organisational objectives. 8
4.3 The influence of a corporate commitment to staff welfare on the development of
organisational values...................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Personal leadership is the ability to develop and use positive leadership traits to lead the
direction of way working of people like employees. By making development in personal skills
and abilities a manager and leader can properly guide and lead employee in term to accomplish
the set strategic aims and goals (What Is Personal Leadership and Why Does It Matter?. 2020).
With the effective enlargement and improvement of different personal skills, the administrator
can also perform well in them of achieving strategic ambition. This assignment is based on
Rowlinson Knitwear which is a manufacturing company and operates its business in Apparel and
Fashion industry. This report will consist information about strategic direction and skills that are
needed to attain objectives. Moreover, the document will cover information about PDP, impact
of corporate commitment to staff welfare and influence of corporate commitment to staff
welfare.
TASK 1
1.1 Analyse the strategic direction of the company
Strategic direction refers to those plans and actions that are frame by the management of a
company to accomplish its aims and objectives in set time duration. Rowlionson Knitwear is a
medium sized company which manufacture premium quality garments for independent retailers
of school wear and corporate wear. The strategic direction of the company is to expand its
business at a large level in term of developing product line and operating its business in different
location of diverse nation. To fulfil this ambition and goal of the business the firm frame plans
and policies like operating business with the strategic option of partnership and joint venture
with a firm that is already exist in different nation and has a good rand image. For example, the
organisation can make joint venture with Marks & Spencer which is a well know brand and have
a good market position (What Is the Meaning of Strategic Direction?. 2020). It will help in
making business development in Rowlinson Knitwear in term of operating in different nations.
Apart from it, the firm can offer training and learning sessions to employees so that they can
manufacture products as per trend and fashion or culture of nation where they offer their clothing
products. This will help in acquiring desired goals and strategic ambition of enterprise in
improved manner. Along with this by adopting this option the firm can access a new market and
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distribution networks and increase capacity. It will also assist in accessing new knowledge and
expertise, consisting specialised staff of well established organisation like M&S.
1.2 Evaluate the strategic skills needed of the leader
There are several strategic skills that are required of the leader to accomplish strategic
ambition of the firm; some of them are mentioned as under:
Communication skills- Effective written and verbal communication skills are essential and
crucial of a manager and leader because with the help of it, they can share and deliver important
information to their subordinates (Dimick and Mulholland, 2018). Effective communication
strategy also helps in finding out issues of employees and strategic manager can solve in proper
manner. Appropriate communication channels can direct manpower to work as per the mission,
vision and objective of respective firm.
Merits- Good communication skill assists in reducing cost and cost of conflicts among
employees and also evaluates increasing production.
Demerits- If people of organisation have not effective communication skills then they
cannot share information and required data to each other. It can affect business productivity and
running of business in negative manner.
Creative management skills- It is another effective skills that is crucial for strategic
manager and leader because with the help of this ability, they can make development in the
business of the firm. In Rowlinson Knitwear, the administrator can use this skill for effective
management of employees and effective creative model may influence the workforce of the firm
produce better productivity at the workplace.
Merits- With the help of effective management skills the employees of firm can perform a
task and project in effective or systematic manner in set time duration.
Demerits- If people have not good management skills then business performance and
productivity can be influence in negative term as work will not accomplished on time that affect
production and productivity of respective firm.
Problem solving skills- It is another crucial ability that is effective to handle the
workforce. With the help of this skill, the leader and manager of Rowlinson Knitwear can find
out organisation problems and formulate effective plan of action as per complexities to deal with
problems employees (Strategic Leadership: The 10 Characteristics Of A Good Leader. 2020). So
that employees can perform their roles and responsibilities appropriately.
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Merits- With the help of this the person might think of certain solutions which can be used
to solve issues of company and team members in effective manner.
Demerits- It consume more time and when it comes to confirmation of it regarding a
certain task or project, a person requires to understand it never assists if an individual is involved
in a team or is a member of a team.
Leadership skills- Effective leadership skill have organised the employees so that they can
be lead towards the accurate directions. In respective company, with the help of this competency,
the administrator and leader can guide people in right direction so that employees use their
efforts and effectiveness in accomplishing the aims and objectives of the company.
Merits- With the help of this skill, leaders are able to delegate tasks efficiently, they can
assist maximise employee productivity.
Demerits- One of the main limitation of this skill is that ensuring that the company
offering its workers with the resources and training they require is not a productive activity.
1.3 Assess the relationship among existing, needed and future skills to accomplish strategic goals
The description of relationship between existing, require and future competencies that are
needed to attain the aims and objectives of Rowlinson Knitwear. These skills are required to a
company for the future development of the business.
Communication with multitasking skills- In Respective company, the manger and leader have
effective communication skills that help in sharing their ideas and thoughts or offering effective
information to (7 skills for a successful management career. 2020). But in upcoming time to
accomplish business objective, leader and administrator will require multitasking because when
company will make expansion in its business then these people will need to perform different
work at a single time (Turner, 2018). For instant, with the help of effective communication, they
can lead people, share information and also perform their responsibilities like analysing
workplace situation, framing plans and policies and for organisation success and deliver them to
subordinates etc.
Management with performance enhancement skills- In Rowlinson Knitwear, strategic
administrator and leader have effective management skills and with the help of this skill they
properly manage workforce and organisation. But in future to attain the set strategic objective of
firm they required performance enhancement skills (Hickman and Akdere, 2018). With the help
of this ability they can make development in employee’s execution and deliver effective services
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to business target audiences. This skills also help in improving future performance of the firm
because when workforce execute its roles and duties, then they can do their work by using their
all efforts and effectiveness which assist in improving their performance as well as employees
and help in attaining business ambitions.
TASK 2
2.1 Discuss the opportunities to support leadership development
Learning style indicates to the method that is utilised by a person to learn something. This is
connected to the preferred way of learning. Therefore, the major concern of learning style is to
monitor the method that will be used by the learners to gain information about something.
Learning style is analysed by different components and the attitude of the learners. The response
of individual can be evaluated by learning style (Leadership Development Plans. 2020). There is
several learning style that are defined by learners some of them are defined as under:
Honey and Mumford Model
This model of learning style is known as Honey Mumford Model and consist four
learning style. These styles are preferred by the people to maximise personal learning. The
description of them as below:
Activists- The individual of the firm like leader and manager consider this style to learn,
they learn through experience. They have been defined as enthusiastic and unbiased. They try to
learn something with full involvement and unbiased approach.
Theorists- It prefers to gain information about something by accumulating and analysing
information. To learn through this learning form, people used process of conceptions and facts
(Panda, 2018). They try to form an understanding that will be logical and rational.
Pragmatists- The individual that adopt this style prefer theories and new thoughts to
learn which have practical implications. They do not make long discussions and prefer the quick
implementation of learning.
Reflectors- These people prefer to gain information by observation, they gather data,
consider diverse possibilities and form conclusions that supported to their observation.
With the help of this above mentioned information, leader and manager can use different
learning style to get information about different things to make development in business of the
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firm (Hughes, 2018). The manager in the venture like Rowlinson Knitwear are skilled in differ
ways. The organisation provides them different growth options like training, coaching etc.
Training- It is an effective approach that is crucial to make development in leadership skills.
Basically, it is customised that what skills suit with the vision, values and strategies and
objectives of the firm. After that, the management offers different types of training like
managing the performance of others, quality service management and relation management etc.
This help in leadership development because with the help of them, the individual can direct
people in effective manner to accomplish set business objectives.
Coaching- This is also an effective approach which also offer chances to people to make
development in leadership skills. With the help of it, the management can have to improve
strategies to upgrade the underperforming employees. By offering information about different
strategies, way of working in to new task and performing with new strategies or plans. This will
help in directing people when they work for attainment of aims and objectives of the firm.
Kolb’s learning cycle
Kolb's experiential learning theory works on two levels: a four-stage cycle of learning
and four separate learning styles. Much of Kolb’s theory is concerned with the learner’s internal
cognitive processes. Kolb states that learning involves the acquisition of abstract concepts that
can be applied flexibly in a range of situations. In Kolb’s theory, the impetus for the
development of new concepts is provided by new experiences. Kolb's experiential learning style
theory is typically represented by a four-stage learning cycle in which the learner 'touches all the
bases-
1. Concrete Experience - a new experience or situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of
existing experience.
2. Reflective Observation of the New Experience - of particular importance are any
inconsistencies between experience and understanding.
3. Abstract Conceptualization reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an
existing abstract concept (the person has learned from their experience).
4. Active Experimentation - the learner applies their idea(s) to the world around them to see
what happens.
Learning Styles
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Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on a four-
stage learning cycle. Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different
learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style. For example, social
environment, educational experiences, or the basic cognitive structure of the individual.
Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actually the
product of two pairs of variables, or two separate 'choices' that the firm make, which Kolb
presented as lines of an axis, each with 'conflicting' modes at either end.
A typical presentation of Kolb's two continuums is that the east-west axis is called
the Processing Continuum and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum. Kolb
believed that we cannot perform both variables on a single axis at the same time. Our learning
style is a product of these two choice decisions. It's often easier to see the construction of Kolb's
learning styles in terms of a two-by-two matrix. Each learning style represents a combination of
two preferred styles.
TASK 3
2.2 Construct a personal development plan to lead leadership development
The personal development plan must be capable to meet the SMART objective of a person.
The SMART objectives to develop personal skills have been defined as under:
Specific- The specific objective is to use the learning resources offered by the firm. I
require developing my communication skills and understanding of consumer’s issues (Effective
Leadership Development Plan. 2020). A fast response to the customers’ request can assist me in
developing critical thinking ability. These particular objectives are needed to work as a strategic
manager of Rowlinson Knitwear.
Measurable- The development my skills can be measurable with the assistance of
outcomes and growth that i accomplish my personal development plan (Aspinwall, Pedler and
Radcliff, 2018). The measurement of my success is utilised as a comparison for the success f the
personal development plan.
Aims- The aimed objectives is to develop my persona; skills for leadership. The PDP plan
will aim to make my thinking ability clear and develop by understanding skill.
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Realistic- As the aims and objective of PDP plan is accessible; it is realistic in nature
(Tingle, Corrales and Peters, 2019). It will assist me in upcoming time to serve the consumers
that will maximise the reputation of enterprise.
Times- It is essential to set deadlines for the activities that require to be undertaken to
develop my personal abilities. A timeframe has been presented in PDP plan.
What do i need
or want to
improve
Why do i need
to improve
How do i
improve
Is it
organisational
personal need?
Timeframe
Communication
skills
I have not good
written
communication
but i feel shy
communicating
with unknown
people.
Need to
communicate
and interact with
unknown persons
through social
media and in
working
environment.
Personal as well
as Professional
4 Months
Understanding
ability
I require to
considerate the
issues of my
target audiences.
Need to share
issues with my
seniors like
mentors and
trainers. In
addition to that, i
need to make
discussion with
my subordinates
and supervisors.
Organisational 3 Months
Confidence level I plan too much
but do not have
any action.
Therefore,
require to
Confidence can
be built by taking
accurate decision
and discussing
them with
Personal 2 Months
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develop my
confidence level.
supervisors.
Technical skills I face issues
when fir adopt
new technology
like software etc.
Requirement of
effective training
regarding new
technology.
Organisational 3 Months
2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan
When going to implement PDP for development of leadership skills, the individual should utilise
the structure of capacity to evaluate and develop his/her abilities and knowledge to reach at the
expected extent of development point (Flinn, 2018). During the time of implementing this plan, a
person should consider some activities, they are as under:
 Firstly, the individual manage personal skills like communication, work planning and
presentation etc.
 Provide direction to develop, promoting, managing and assuring compliance with legal,
regulatory, ethical and social requirement (Implementing Effective Employee
Development Plan. 2020).
 Assure effective management of resources, administrating fund and promoting
techniques.
 Then, in this phase, accomplishing the result in term of identifying the skills that required
improvement and improving them with the help of different resources like use of
effective techniques, software and training etc.
Training is the essential component of personal development plan and it should be recorded
up to date. Easy way of Performa is to maintain the copies in seminar room or teaching &
development rooms where teaching is provided. Once after teaching has been given on a specific
day and time, it should be entered on the forms. A verifiable based plan to be accomplishable it
should have a time limits. This can be made by maintaining the records of trainees how well are
they, executing during the teaching sessions.
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3.1 Assess the accomplishment of outcomes of the plan against original objectives
There are different methods that can be used by a firm to assess the accomplishment of
outcomes of a PDP against original objectives. The person should set realistic goals that can be
accomplished and evaluated in term of success (Holt, Hall and Gilley, 2018). Apart from it, by
planning activities as per personal development plan must be put in action to reach the expected
targets. The individual should take corrective action to accomplish set objectives. By putting
attention on the track of attaining self development will open new possibilities for a person. To
check the progress and success that accomplished the PDP assist to assess the outcomes towards
the personal work objectives. Another effective way to analyse the result of the PDP is to
improve a progress journal. By noted down daily achievement help in accomplishing the
outcomes of the plan against organisational objectives.
3.3 Review the leadership development plan
Employees in an enterprise are trained up under personal development plan to show their desired
execution in work. However, it is a matter of concern that how much the program becomes
effective (Fusarelli, Fusarelli and Riddick, 2018). Thus, after certain times when the workers
come in force and show their execution, their traits is reviewed on the basis of organisational
goals and try to understand if there is any deviation that does not support with the organisational
objectives. After that the firm works for further implications of cognition and work abilities.
Effective coordination of plan and reviewing make sure the best learning of the workforce.
Employee satisfaction surveys as well as participants’ reactions to development sessions are the
most frequently cited process for measuring leadership development outcomes. Relatively few
organisations have documented importance developments in individuals’ abilities or behaviours
or organisational profitability, related with a leadership development process.
3.4 Update the leadership development plan
To be a successful leader of the firm, everyone has to consider change and innovation to
develop the leadership process up to match with the changing environment. For instant, due to
cope up with the changing world, the enterprise handling its work manually has to modified its
working activity in term of attaining its business objective like business expansion. The manager
would have to take initiative steps to update their work process to automated and computerised
system. The most crucial principle in successful leadership development efforts is the presence
of an influential champion. Leadership development must become a systemic activity not an
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event. Effective leadership development activities are tried to particular business imperatives,
Leadership development is an investment in the future and it is crucial to recognise that it may
take years before dividends are realised.
TASK 4
3.2 Evaluate the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic ambitions
To accomplish business objective personal learning play an essential role. It is crucial that
Rowlinson Knitwear aim to offer quality services and make expansion in its business. Therefore,
the personal learning of the strategic administrator influences the accomplishment of strategic
goals of the firm. By using and implementing effective leadership skills help in accomplishing
the objectives n strategic ambition of respective in proper manner. By improving communication
skills the person will communicate to employees and get information about their needs and
preferences which help in making business expansion in term of offering clothing products as per
their culture and trend (Moldoveanu and Narayandas, 2019). Apart from it, getting information
about different new and innovative technologies, the person can aware about diverse techniques
and when firm operate its business in different locations, then employees ready to work as per
the new technologies and software. These all favourable impact the accomplishment of
objectives on strategic ambitions.
TASK 5
4.1 Evaluate the impact of corporate commitment to staff welfare on organisational objectives
In an organisation there should be an effective message between peak level management and the
bottom line workers. As if there is some gap among them then workforce get unhappy within the
group this directs to discontent and it ultimately directs the strategies of ay business open to
many (Fletcher, 2019). In the strategic administration, there is a chain of plan of actions and once
the link is broken, it generates a big issue for a company. The accomplishment of objectives of
the venture becomes very difficult but effective contribution of employees; they can be attained
in set time. For this the company can offer overtime allowance, bonus, holiday pay and others so
that they feel motivate to them. Apart for it, the management can conduct training and
development sessions in term of staff welfare which help in making effective relation among
employees and management. It also motivates employees and they will accomplish help in
accomplishing organisational objectives. By offering good and safe workplace and flexible
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