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Epilogue Exercises:
Your Personal Leadership Development Plan
The Personal Leadership Development Plan is the culmination of the exercises. It is your
plan that you can use to guide your development. Used optimally, it can be a dynamic
plan that you update on a regular basis to reflect your leadership experiences and
changes in your thinking about your development.
Take several hours to complete the plan, integrating the exercises you have done with
appropriate revisions in your thinking.
1. Your True North:
Write an essay to yourself, answering the question, “What is your True North?”
How do you know when you are following it?
My True North is the direction that I am to follow to guide me to a position in which I am
passionate in what and whom I am leading and a position that I feel like I am an efficient
leader. My true north is a path that will never make me question my morals, beliefs or
values. It will allow me to remain loyal, dedicated, honest, and reliable. My true north will
be the position that I feel most comfortable with and never question why I am there or
what I am to do next.
I know that I am following my true north when I am satisfied with what I am doing and feel
that I haven't compromised any morals or questioned my ethics on my journey. I will
know that I am on my true north path when I feel that I am an authentic leader and am
efficiently leading others.
2. Intellectual development:
In what ways will you endeavor to deepen your intellect?
I will always be a student. I will continue to learn and develop my intellectual span
throughout my life. I plan to stay involved with a higher learning institution and continue in
school to receive an MBA.
In what ways will you broaden your intellect?
I will broaden my intellect by always reading the news and about current issues. I will
also take advantage of any learning opportunities that my organization presents. If I have
extra time aside from my career I plan to always continue my education.
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What are the areas in which you would like to read and study?
-Innovative Marketing
-International Business Affairs
-Entertainment
-Pop Culture & Trends
-International Culture
What are the places you would like to live in or visit as part of your development?
I would like to visit several different countries around the world to immerse myself in
different cultures and beliefs. For business, I am very interested in visiting Japan and
other areas of Asia. I want to experience the rich history and culture in Europe. I also
want to live in an area that will allow me to advance in my career while providing an
environment in which my family can be raised.
3. Personal discipline and stress management:
Describe your plan for healthy eating.
I plan to sit down and eat at home when I am able to. Always try new and unique cuisine
whether I am preparing it or enjoying another's culture. When I have a husband and
eventually kids I will strive to have as many family meals as possible being home cooked
and healthy.
Describe your personal exercise plan.
I plan to continue doing water sports when my schedule allows. I enjoy yoga and pilates
as well when I can find the time. When I have a more solid schedule after school, I really
want to incorporate some sort of exercise into my life everyday.
What are your sleep requirements? To what extent do you deviate from them?
During the week, I usually go to sleep around midnight and wake up at 8am. About 8
hours of sleep is what my body requires to function at its fullest. In times of stress and a
busy schedule I am not able to sleep as much but try to not procrastinate or waste time
during the day that will take away from my sleep time at night. I always try to use taking
away from sleeping time as a last resort when finding time to complete something.
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Describe the practices you use to manage your stress, referring to the following
areas:
Meditating or sitting quietly
Running or walking
Exercising, working out, or competitive games
Yoga or similar practice
Prayer or reflection
Talking to spouse, friend or mentor
Listening to music
Watching TV or going to movies
Other
To manage stress, I always have to make a plan to complete the task at hand or
whatever is causing me stress. Once I have a plan, timeline, or at least have the
next step figured out, I like to talk it over with my mom, boyfriend, or close friends. I
thrive when others can agree with me and listen to what I have to say. Other ways I
manage stress is by relaxing, spending time with my cats, surfing the internet and
watching tv and movies, and shopping.
4. Values, leadership principles, and ethical boundaries:
In order of importance, what are the values that are most important to you? (Mark
those values that you consider inviolate with an asterisk.)
Achievement
Dependability
Honesty*
Leadership
Reliability*
Loyalty*
What are the principles on which you base your leadership?
I base my leadership on my morals, hard work, and determination. Keeping your morals
in mind while leading is important to help keep you on the right path when faced with
difficult decisions. Hard work is a must when leading others to be an efficient leader and
to set a good example for the ones that you are leading.
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What are the ethical boundaries that will guide your professional life?
I will never do something or make a decision that would make me question my ethics. I
have a strong sense of moral boundaries.
5. Your motivations and motivated capabilities:
What are your extrinsic motivations?
My extrinsic motivations are monetary either a raise or bonuses.
What are your intrinsic motivations?
My intrinsic motivations are getting feedback from my superior to help me grow as an
employee. I also do well in a competition like atmosphere where I am being pushed to
succeed.
Make a list in rank order of your overall motivations.
-Success
-Enjoyment
-Money
What are your greatest capabilities?
My greatest capabilities are that I am a hard worker, understanding, and creative.
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What are your developmental needs?
For developmental needs, I need to become more independent in the work environment.
I often need to have feedback or input on projects I am working on to reassure myself
that it will be successful. I also need to become stronger in leading others.
What are your motivated capabilities?
My motivated capabilities are to be even more hard working, competitive, and focused.
When I am motivated by others, I am more likely to work harder and be competitive to
achieve my goals.
What leadership situations optimize the use of your motivated capabilities?
As Marketing Coordinator at my job, everyday I am the leader of all of the marketing
reps. I make the schedule and have a marketing plan for both campuses in gainesville. In
this position, I am able to work with others.
6. Personal reflections:
What do you do to be reflective or introspective?
To be reflective I will look at old pictures of my friends and family and I. I also like to talk
with others about the past. This leadership class and other classes such as these have
helped me look into my personal life and pick out my strengths and weaknesses as well
as my personal capabilities.
What are your spiritual or religious practices?
I am a Christian and and have strong spiritual and moral beliefs. I attend church, but
mainly when I am back home in Lakeland.
If you don’t believe in such practices, how do you address life’s existential
questions?
n/a
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What do you intend to do to strengthen your practices?
I plan to continue in devotions and attending church to strengthen my practices.
7. Building relationships:
Who are the most important people in your life?
The most important people in my life are my family, boyfriend, and friends. My family is
very close and I will always hold them important in my life. They have always been there
to motivate and support me and will always have my best interests in mind. My boyfriend
and I have been together for several years and plan to marry after we finish college.
Who do you feel you can be completely open with?
I feel that I can be completely open with my boyfriend. We have been together for several
years and talk with each other about everything. Our plans for the future, our past, and
our current struggles. We live two hours away from each other so we have a lot to share
and are always open with each other.
When you are distressed, who do you turn to?
When I am distressed I turn to my mom. We are very close and I feel that she always has
the right answer or will turn me in the right direction.
Who are your mentors?
My mentors are my parents and my past and current managers. My dad is in a similar
career that I want to someday be in so I often ask him questions about my professional
life. My managers are also an important part of my life that offer guidance in my job and
my future.
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Which of your personal friends do you look to for counsel and advice?
I usually turn to my mom for counsel or advice because I feel that she is well experienced
in helping me make decisions and knows me best. I also ask for advice from my
boyfriend because I share everything with him and when I need a peer's advice, I ask
him.
Who do you look to for professional advice and counsel?
For professional advice I turn to my manager or my father. My manager can offer a lot of
advice based on experience and from her knowledge of my current strengths,
weaknesses, and personality. I also ask my father many questions I have about future
professional questions further on in my career.
In what ways do you network with professional colleagues?
I network through different organizations on campus as well as attending campus
recruiting events. I also keep in touch with past co-workers and professionals that I am
able to network through.
Would you like to form a support group? How will you go about it?
In the future I think it will be important to keep a support group for other mothers that are
in the career force working full time. Teaming up with my organization to form this group
will help involve and connect the company and it's employees.
8. Leadership style:
What is your preferred leadership style?
My preferred leadership style is to be an inspirational leader. I think it is effective to keep
everyone on the team motivated and inspire them through my own practices. If my team
sees that I am working hard and motivating them to do the same, I feel that they will be
more likely to work efficiently.
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What leadership style do you revert to under pressure? What are you doing to avoid
reverting to this style?
Under pressure I revert to a less motivational but more bossy leadership style. I feel
rushed and my stress may affect me so much that I become irritated. To avoid this, I
have to try to avoid pressure or last minute deadlines as much as possible. When this
can't happen, I need to keep my eye on the goal and not allow myself to change my
leadership style.
In what ways are you developing your ability to use flexible styles?
I am testing out new ways to motivate my team. I am also trying to work together with
others to think of new ideas of leadership and more ways to do things. If everyone has
one new idea, at least one has to work.
How are you developing your ability to adapt your style to the situation you are facing
and the capabilities of your teammates?
As I am challenged and gain more experience I am developing my abilities in all aspects
of leadership, including adapting my style. In college, I am exposed to several different
groups and have to adapt my leadership style based on the group. I work in class groups,
at work with co-workers, and study groups. Being in a diverse set of teams helps me see
the different types of people there are to lead and what the best ways for each are.
In what ways are you developing your ability to use your power more effectively?
I have recently learned that when I'm unsure of how to use my power effectively there is
nothing wrong with just asking. If I ask my manager for help in dividing myself as a leader
and dividing the task of each person, I can get answers from someone that is
experienced. This helped me find a starting point and I can adjust from there.
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9. Leadership development:
What are the experiences you need to develop your leadership?
To develop my leadership skills, I need to have more leadership experiences in general. I
also need to have more experiences that challenge me in a leadership position. I learn
the most about myself and my abilities when I am challenged or pressured to succeed.
10. Integration:
How are you going to integrate your personal life, family life, friendships, and
community life with your professional life to become a better leader?
I feel that it is necessary to integrate all aspects of your life to become a better leader. I
plan to have a proper balance of family life to work life while trying to incorporate them as
much as possible. I also plan to not lose touch with my friends as my family and career
life develops. To become a better leader, I think it will be important for my life to be
somewhat transparent between all aspects to ensure that I am being seen as authentic.
What sacrifices and trade-offs are you prepared to make to achieve your
professional and personal goals?
To achieve my personal and professional goals I am willing to make some sacrifices and
trade-offs but never make any that contradict my beliefs about family and personal life. I
will never let my career overtake or negatively affect my family.
11. Leadership purpose and legacy:
What is the purpose of your leadership?
The purpose of my leadership is to make a difference, whether it be in an agency or on a
personal level. I also hope to leave a lasting impression on all people that I lead or that
leads me. My purpose is to remain true to myself and my values while growing as a
person to lead others.
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How does your purpose relate to your True North, your life story and your passions?
My purpose relates to my True North to always remain loyal to myself and remain
authentic. All of my life my family has pushed me to keep strong morals and ethics and
always work hard. I plan to never lose sight of my goals and always stay on the right
path.
What kind of legacy would like to leave in terms of:
Your family
Your career
Your friends
Your community
For my family I would like to continue the spirit of hard work & good morals.
For my career I plan to grow everyday and share with others what I have learned to help
them grow in their career as well.
For my friends, I hope to always be there when they are in need and always be loyal to
them.
For my community, I plan to always play an integral part in developing and participating
in the community.
I also hope to integrate all four aspects throughout my life.
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12. Write an essay about what you would like to be able to say about your life
story and your leadership at the end of your life and where you hope to find
fulfillment from being an authentic leader.
When I have completed my leadership roles and look back on my life, I hope to find that I
was a successful, efficient, memorable leader that was able to pass my legacy on to one or
several people. I want to be able to tell the stories of trials and triumphs and look back on all
of the decisions that have led me to that point whether I knew that they would be important or
not. I hope that I still have a strong sense of morals that I never lost and am still able to
distinguish from right and wrong.
My life story will be interesting, intriguing, and inspiring. It will contain my wonderful
childhood, intellectual college life, successful career and lasting memories. I will be able to
share with my children and grandchildren how I got to the point in my life that I am without
cheating or going against what I believed.
I will consider myself an authentic leader if I have led at least one person that was changed
from our time together or inspired by me. An authentic leader has the power to inspire
without changing the way that they are. I will also be an authentic leader if I made a change
in an organization whether it be in my career or community life that can be distinguished as a
meaningful decision.
I would also like to be able to say that I have a very long wonderful relationship with my
husband who was always there for me and has a great life story to tell as well. I hope to have
my children and grandchildren all close to me to be able to tell about my life story, the parts
that they might not have known.
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