Leadership Development, Term Paper Example

Introduction and background

A leadership development plan is a detailed schedule that assists an individual in setting strategic leadership. A leadership development plan defines the vision of the specified career and set goals with timelines. It also involves the commitment to certain steps to achieve these set goals as well as concepts of regular reevaluation of the strategies adopted to ensure achievement of set goals. In creating a leadership development plan, it is critical to envision the leadership team. Envisioning of the expected leadership team includes the assessment of the skills required by these leaders as well as the number of leaders expected in the team. The representation of the work community is also a factor to put into consideration while drawing up a leadership development plan. This becomes essential since support from the other employees is a critical factor in good leadership. On the other hand, the commitment to work with the prospective leaders is a guiding principle as committed employees and leaders are known to attain organizational goals at a better pace. Setting leadership development goals is also an essential factor in the achievement of strategic leaders. Setting leadership development goals assists the development of the envisioned leaders from their current state to the envisioned level of competence. This concept includes putting into consideration the weaknesses of the current team their strengths and the challenges faced in the development of effective leaders. Identification of areas that require attention in the attainment of effective leaders assists to mold the achievement of the envisioned leaders. This concept also assists in the identification of the appropriate methods to use in the development of leaders.

In the presentation that follows, a distinctive suggestion on how the company goals of PB finance could be better realized through good leadership programs shall be given particular attention to. The owner believes that she needs more people to serve as leaders in areas of business operations, sales-marketing and human resources. In this presentation, it is expected that the owner of PB finance would have a better way of envisioning how she would be able to help her employees who are seemingly to take leading tasks to be able to manifest good performance that would affect the entire organization’s operation in the industry it serves with.

Methods in leadership development

The methods employed in the development of leaders involve the identification of prospective individuals, identifying the skills required in the leaders and the commitment of the leaders towards organizational goals. Methods employed in the development of leaders, therefore, require identification of leaders, and as such, it becomes critical to develop the whole team in order to identify these leaders while at the same time improving organizational culture to support these leaders. Consequently in regard to the case at hand the methods discussed, therefore, focus on both developing the whole team, as well as the individual leaders.

• Modeling good leadership

This method incorporates the demonstration of good leadership and making the other employee’s see the attributes of a leader through the leaders. Prospective leaders and volunteers tend to emulate the good traits in leadership from this concept. This method is critical in the development of leadership since employees copy what their leaders do. In respect to developing leaders, the skills taught to these prospective leaders may not help much if the individual teaching them does not exhibit good leadership characteristics. Being a good role model to the employees improves the attainment of developmental and strategic leaders.

To be able to establish this particular approach to the leadership program that is to be established in the system of PB finance, it is important to see through the names and records of people who are likely to be assigned with the leading tasks. Choosing them from within the organization based on their performance would serve as a better edge for the training of leaders. This is simply because they already have background about the company and its people; the more would they be able to consider being models to their colleagues. This is the reason why in choosing those who are to be assigned as leaders, it is important to see through their records of both performance and conduct.

• Mentoring

It is essential for the leader to empower the prospective leaders with practical skills learned through actual leadership compared to theoretical approaches in leadership development. The leader should teach leadership skills while doing what they are teaching; this employs the practical use of leadership lessons in the presence of the prospective leaders and, therefore, becomes easier to attain the leadership development goals set. Discussing with the developing leaders the strategy as well as putting into consideration the relevant factors in the arrival at a decision in a circumstance assists the individual undergoing training to develop a method of critical thinking and decision-making.

The method of mentoring involves the teaching of an individual one on one over a certain period on the leadership skills. Mentoring is more time consuming and at times cumbersome but in most circumstances yields the expected results or result in the attainment of the set development goals. Mentoring is a highly effective process as it involves continuous assessment of individuals and helps mold the leadership skills of the individual in a more intensive manner. Mentoring also considers teaching the individual experiences and lessons learnt by the mentor and assists in the encouragement of the individual to take up challenges in order to develop leadership traits. Mentoring also increases confidence in the prospective leaders as the mentor assists them in every step. This ensures achievement of leadership development at a faster rate with the attainment of expected goals. Confidence in an individual and commitment towards the development of that individual into a leader motivates the desire and commitment to that individual to the set goals. As far as the leadership training program for PB finance is concerned, the mentoring process ought to affect the program based on three divisions of specialized training concentrated on business operations, sales-marketing and human resources. The leaders who are to attend to the said departments are expected to be trained accordingly hence allowing them to practically get involved with the actual work they are to face in the departments assigned for them to work on.

• Exchange programs

Exchange programs lead to the development of individuals thorough the exchange of ideas and learning new techniques. It, therefore, helps to exchange personnel from one department to another in order to learn how others work. Exchange programs can also involve other organizations in which case this assists the employees develop skills that are not available in their work environments. Exchange programs need not be for a long period, but a daily visit to another department suffices to learn new concepts. Leaders who are to work in growing companies like PB Finance are expected to work together in unison with other departments. To be able to relate to the situation of other departments fairly, it is important that each leader has a background on each department and the tasks they are involved with. To inculcate this fact in the leaders shall make the leadership program both effective and practical for the development of the whole organization.

Practical Implications of the Solutions

Observably, the suggested leadership development program being presented herein comprises of the three most important conditions on how individuals vying to lead an organization are expected to handle their tasks. Notably, such elements include modeling good leadership, mentoring and the establishment of exchange programs right within business. Relatively, the first element improves the condition of trustworthiness of the ones who are chosen to undergo training. Giving such a huge assignment to an individual should be based on good performance that would best be able to serve as the basis of inspiration and motivation for other employees who are to work under the direction of the said person. The second element which is based on teaching aims to improve the skills of the ‘chosen ones’ and make them more competent in the jobs that they are being assigned to complete. The third element is more concerned on creating unison between the leaders hence allowing them to co-function along with the others in the aim of improving the organization as a whole. It is expected that through utilizing these three concepts of leadership program development, PB finance would be able to search for, establish and create more competent leaders who would be able to handle primary tasks in the aspect of business operations, sales-marketing and human resources which would further allow the business to embrace growth in a much competent manner.

Conclusion

Leaders are not born but they are made. This is a fact that has been proven through the years, gaining good individuals who are competent enough to handle organizational tasks could be established through the creation of proper training approaches. In the case of PB Finance, the chosen individuals to undergo training are expected to properly be able to meet the requirements before they are to undergo the program. It is not easy to create good leaders. Adjustments and sacrifices of investment should be considered. Nevertheless, if such task is handled effectively, then good results could be expected from the said operations hence creating more competent leaders who are ready to bring the organization into proper options of growth and development.