Leadership Plan, Essay Example

1. Personal Leadership Learning Goal

My leadership goals are to improve my interpersonal skills and my oral communication skills. As part of my internship, I will have to interact both on the phone and directly with customers. Moreover, I will be responsible, to a certain extent, with the positive or negative impression of customers. This is very important and therefore, communication skills are necessary for a person who works at the information desk, particularly since the person represents the connection between customers and employees.

The reasons why I chose interpersonal and oral skills as my leadership goals are the recognition of the importance of interpersonal relationships for a leader. A leader must prove excellent communication skills in order to mediate conflicts, solve problems and deal with complaints. We live in the era of communication and therefore, a person who does not have these skills cannot advance at the workplace.

2. Context

I will complete my internship at the Pro-Haul Moving Company, in the position of information clerk. This position require me to greet and help visitors with their inquiries, answer the phone and provide callers with information as courteously as possible, work with other members of the staff to solve the customers’ problems, maintain the front desk in a perfect state of cleanness so as to maintain a positive image.

This position will strengthen my interpersonal skills because it will force me to remain calm and positive even when I have lost my patience. It will force me to enhance by English communication skills so as to be able to discuss with clients and coworkers. It will help me to learn about team spirit more, because I will need to work with my colleagues to solve different problems. It will also help me to learn about the importance of creating a pleasant environment for the client.

The clients are the most important in helping me to achieve my goals. Working with so many different clients every day, answering their calls and being ready to help them at the front desk of the company will oblige me to learn more and more how to please them.

Also, my colleagues are important because I am part of a team that is strong as long as each unit knows its individual tasks and collaborates with the others to achieve the company’s higher goals. My superior will help me by establishing a standard quality of the services I provide. Day after day, I will work to reach those standards and be the best mediator between clients and the company that I can be.

In addition, in order to help with my communication skills, I will consult books on interpersonal communication and I will study more formal English. I will ask the help of more experienced employees every time I will not know the answer to the clients’ concerns.

3. Leadership Models

The most suited for my purpose are the leadership models offered in the “Successful Manager’s Handbook”, in which the authors teach readers how to establish positive relationships. The model I will follow includes, but is not restricted to:

-being friendly and open with the customer to make them feel relaxed.

-showing that I am interested in the clients’ problems and inquires.

– being respectful with all members of the staff and with all visitors and callers.

– being attentive to non-verbal clues in the relationship with clients. This may be particularly helpful to detect anger, or other emotional states in the clients.

– developing mutually profitable relationships with my colleagues and with my superior.

-developing networks of individuals within the company to help me help the clients (Gebelien et al. 506-7).

4. Action Steps

– Jan. 21: I will self assess my strengths and weaknesses in what communication is concerned by evaluating the emotional response of clients during our interactions, both on the phone and directly.

Jan. 28: I will work on identifying and building a network of individuals who may assist me with the clients.

-Feb. 04: I will get to know my colleagues and establish a friendly relationship with them,

-Feb. 11: I will work on my interpersonal and oral communication skills. Maintain a clean and positive environment, which means maintaining the desk clean, and the room in order.

-Feb. 18: I will enhance those elements of the desk, or of the room that seem dull, after asking permission from my superior.

-Feb. 25: I will practice my oral communication skills. I will smile to the customers and treat them with tact and diplomacy. I will try to act as professional as I can, particularly since by now I will have become more experienced.

– Mach 04: I will evaluate my progress and ask for a feedback from my superior.

5. Expected Outcomes

-I will be able to communicate easily with clients and my colleagues.

-I will be able to answer the clients’ inquiry promptly and efficiently.

-I will learn to maintain a positive attitude, even when the clients are unfriendly.

-I will collaborate with my clients effectively.

-My interpersonal and oral communication skills will have improved.

Works Cited

Gebelein, Susan et al. Successful Manager’s Handbook: Develop Yourself. Coach Others. 8^th ed. Roswell, GA: PreVisor.2010.Print.