Personal Growth Plan
A leader is like a plant. There is a general principle that holds true for all plants, health means growth. There are seasons where some plants are dormant, resting, and there are other seasons of pruning, being cut back, but each of these seasons are for the purpose of preparing for or fueling new growth. There are also many things that enhance and contribute to the growing process; water, sunshine, good soil, fertilizer, and room to grow. So it is for leaders. There are seasons of rest, rejuvenation, repotting, and pruning all for the purpose of creating opportunities for new growth. There are also things in a leader’s life that can positively contribute to the growth process. That is the purpose of a personal growth plan. To target the things that are the water, sunshine, good soil, fertilizer, and appropriate space that will encourage continued growth and health as a leader. This personal growth plan provides an overview of the growth I have experienced during my time in the Master of Arts in Leadership (MAiL) program, highlights some of the key things that contributed to that growth process, and looks ahead to the future outlining some personal, professional, and ministry leadership goals.
When I first began the MAiL program in the fall of 2011, I engaged in a 360 degree assessment, which included feedback from others as well as personal evaluation, in relationship to the program competencies. At the time, I was clearly able to identify some areas of strength and areas that I desired to grow in. Generally speaking, my areas of strength entering the program involved personal attributes and characteristics, such as integrity, living with a sense of calling, showing concern for a group, creating enthusiasm, and speaking honestly. Where I needed significant growth was in areas involving developing others, empowering others, engaging others in identifying and solving problems, and mutual learning. I needed tools, clarity, and a much deeper understanding about leadership and what that meant personally and for those around me. In reflecting on the five competencies this is how I would rate myself, when entering the MAiL program and where I am now, as I leave the MAiL program. (The number ratings are based on a 5 point scale as used on the program rubric.)
Competency Entering the MAiL program Leaving the MAiL program
Strategic Mobilizer Emerging (2) Accomplished (4.5)
Inspiring Developer Novice (1) Competent (3.5)
Change Catalyst Novice/Emerging (1.5) Competent (3.5)
Principled Decision Maker Emerging (2) Competent (4)
Responsible Influencer Emerging (2) Competent (3.5)
In looking at the comparisons, I feel I have experienced significant growth in each of the competencies, with the most significant changes occurring in the areas of strategic mobilizer and inspiring developer. There were so many aspects of this program and experiences in my personal and professional life that enhanced my growth. The assessments I took, books I read, papers I wrote, group projects I participated in, conversation with professors, personal reflection times, work experiences, and new things I tried, all contributed to this process. I explain in much greater detail, in the competency sections of the website, the very specific assignments, books, and experiences that significantly contributed to my growth in each competency, so I will not reiterate those here.
In reflecting on and evaluating where I am now as a leader, the feedback I received from the ASI 360 degree Feedback Inventory has been particularly helpful. Jean Lipman-Blumen (2000), in her book Connective Leadership, identifies the types of leaders that will be necessary as we enter the Connective Era, and era of diversity, interdependence, and the need for accelerated change. Leaders of the future must not only be able to identify their personal achieving styles, and adapt their own style, they need to have the ability to interpret the situational cues in the surrounding environment and then draw from a broad range of achieving styles (Lipman-Blumen, 2000). Through the inventory, I was able to identify where I see myself and how others perceive me in relationship to the nine achieving styles. The instrumental styles, which include personal, social and entrusting, offer a wealth of leadership strengths that connective leaders need to learn to utilize more in this new era. In short, instrumental achievers are “maximizers, deftly making the most of their own and everyone else’s strengths. They see untapped possibilities in people and situations. By maximizing everything about themselves, their relationships and other people’s talents, they easily bring people together to reach joint objectives” (Lipman-Blumen, 2000. P. 195). As I move forward in my leadership journey, these styles and skills are the very ones I have identified within the framework of the MAiL competencies that I have grown in but also want to continue to see personal growth in the future. Some of the personal, professional, and leadership goals I have outlined below will continue to move me in the right developmental direction.
An important aspect of leadership is the commitment to lifelong learning and growing. Looking ahead to the next few years there are several areas of growth that I want to focus on. First, is the area of my personal, spiritual and relational life. Throughout the program, I was challenged to develop goals and plans for development through assignments like LDRS 502 Wholeness Formation Plan, LDRS 516 Personal Leadership Development Plan, and LDRS 510 Personal Learning Strategy. I worked towards goals like consistent and good rest, appropriate exercise, eating healthy, maintaining good devotional times, taking semi-annual, personal spiritual, reflection days, and learning to have times of quiet and solitude. I feel very good about building into my life very consistent and healthy habits in these areas. Moving forward, I will continue in these practices and disciplines. One of the areas that I want to specifically work on these next couple of years is the relational area. As my children are all now young adults, and some of my associations through church have shifted, I need to be much more intentional about pouring into relationships that are important. This next year, I am reinstituting the Sunday family dinner as a time for the family to connect in the midst of our busy and varied lives. I also want to schedule special individual outings with my children, and set aside time to have coffee or lunch with friends I don’t see as regularly. Now that I will be completing my graduate degree, I want to build into my life more leisure activities, such as attending one creative arts type event every month. There is a part of my personality that makes me highly driven and focused. I have a lot of energy so therefore I find that I push myself pretty hard. It is challenging for me sometimes to give myself permission to rest, relax, participate in leisure activities, and to take time to just enjoy life. I love to have fun, and I have a lot of interests, so I want to work at creating more balance in my life in this area. In the plant analogy, these things become my sunshine and water.
Second, is the area of my professional growth and development. Through the course of this program, I was able to clarify and better understand my strengths and vocational calling. After graduating, within the next few months, I will be actively pursuing finding a work situation in an environment where I can utilize my strengths, have opportunities to grow in my leadership skills, work with groups of people in collaborative and creative ways, and have opportunities to lead and develop people in a creative environment. Along with this job pursuit, I will be developing a more solid financial plan for retirement and debt reduction as my husband and I move into a new season with young adult children.
The third area I want to specifically focus on is that of leadership opportunities related to ministry and developing others. Within the next three years, I would like to pursue developing the Portraits of the Passion as a larger community outreach event. This was something that I created, produced, and directed in the context of my previous job as Creative Arts Director for my church. I want to explore the potential of growing this to be a multi-church community outreach endeavor. While in the MAiL program, I have also identified my desire to mentor and develop young adult women, walking along side them through a challenging season of life. Within this next year, I want to start a group for young adult women, who aren’t necessarily inside the church circles, and provide an environment for personal and spiritual development. I am not sure what context this will be in yet, but am seeking God’s leading in this endeavor. Within the next five years I would also love to have the opportunity to serve on the board of a non-profit organization. Again I am not sure what context this would be in, but is something I want to pursue. Returning to the plant analogy, I see these professional and ministry leadership opportunities as new soil and space to grow.
To enhance my learning as I pursue these goals in the areas of personal, professional and ministry leadership, I have a list of leadership books that I want to read and resources I want to take advantage of that will continue to challenge my thinking and stretch my ideas. Some of these are listed specifically in the individual competency sections. In the plant analogy, I see these types of pursuits as the fertilizer and water that gives me the nourishment I need to stay healthy and strong. The MAiL program has certainly set me on a path to pursue lifelong learning and personal growth so I can be a more effective leader as I pursue my calling. I am excited to continue on the journey as I embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.
When I first began the MAiL program in the fall of 2011, I engaged in a 360 degree assessment, which included feedback from others as well as personal evaluation, in relationship to the program competencies. At the time, I was clearly able to identify some areas of strength and areas that I desired to grow in. Generally speaking, my areas of strength entering the program involved personal attributes and characteristics, such as integrity, living with a sense of calling, showing concern for a group, creating enthusiasm, and speaking honestly. Where I needed significant growth was in areas involving developing others, empowering others, engaging others in identifying and solving problems, and mutual learning. I needed tools, clarity, and a much deeper understanding about leadership and what that meant personally and for those around me. In reflecting on the five competencies this is how I would rate myself, when entering the MAiL program and where I am now, as I leave the MAiL program. (The number ratings are based on a 5 point scale as used on the program rubric.)
Competency Entering the MAiL program Leaving the MAiL program
Strategic Mobilizer Emerging (2) Accomplished (4.5)
Inspiring Developer Novice (1) Competent (3.5)
Change Catalyst Novice/Emerging (1.5) Competent (3.5)
Principled Decision Maker Emerging (2) Competent (4)
Responsible Influencer Emerging (2) Competent (3.5)
In looking at the comparisons, I feel I have experienced significant growth in each of the competencies, with the most significant changes occurring in the areas of strategic mobilizer and inspiring developer. There were so many aspects of this program and experiences in my personal and professional life that enhanced my growth. The assessments I took, books I read, papers I wrote, group projects I participated in, conversation with professors, personal reflection times, work experiences, and new things I tried, all contributed to this process. I explain in much greater detail, in the competency sections of the website, the very specific assignments, books, and experiences that significantly contributed to my growth in each competency, so I will not reiterate those here.
In reflecting on and evaluating where I am now as a leader, the feedback I received from the ASI 360 degree Feedback Inventory has been particularly helpful. Jean Lipman-Blumen (2000), in her book Connective Leadership, identifies the types of leaders that will be necessary as we enter the Connective Era, and era of diversity, interdependence, and the need for accelerated change. Leaders of the future must not only be able to identify their personal achieving styles, and adapt their own style, they need to have the ability to interpret the situational cues in the surrounding environment and then draw from a broad range of achieving styles (Lipman-Blumen, 2000). Through the inventory, I was able to identify where I see myself and how others perceive me in relationship to the nine achieving styles. The instrumental styles, which include personal, social and entrusting, offer a wealth of leadership strengths that connective leaders need to learn to utilize more in this new era. In short, instrumental achievers are “maximizers, deftly making the most of their own and everyone else’s strengths. They see untapped possibilities in people and situations. By maximizing everything about themselves, their relationships and other people’s talents, they easily bring people together to reach joint objectives” (Lipman-Blumen, 2000. P. 195). As I move forward in my leadership journey, these styles and skills are the very ones I have identified within the framework of the MAiL competencies that I have grown in but also want to continue to see personal growth in the future. Some of the personal, professional, and leadership goals I have outlined below will continue to move me in the right developmental direction.
An important aspect of leadership is the commitment to lifelong learning and growing. Looking ahead to the next few years there are several areas of growth that I want to focus on. First, is the area of my personal, spiritual and relational life. Throughout the program, I was challenged to develop goals and plans for development through assignments like LDRS 502 Wholeness Formation Plan, LDRS 516 Personal Leadership Development Plan, and LDRS 510 Personal Learning Strategy. I worked towards goals like consistent and good rest, appropriate exercise, eating healthy, maintaining good devotional times, taking semi-annual, personal spiritual, reflection days, and learning to have times of quiet and solitude. I feel very good about building into my life very consistent and healthy habits in these areas. Moving forward, I will continue in these practices and disciplines. One of the areas that I want to specifically work on these next couple of years is the relational area. As my children are all now young adults, and some of my associations through church have shifted, I need to be much more intentional about pouring into relationships that are important. This next year, I am reinstituting the Sunday family dinner as a time for the family to connect in the midst of our busy and varied lives. I also want to schedule special individual outings with my children, and set aside time to have coffee or lunch with friends I don’t see as regularly. Now that I will be completing my graduate degree, I want to build into my life more leisure activities, such as attending one creative arts type event every month. There is a part of my personality that makes me highly driven and focused. I have a lot of energy so therefore I find that I push myself pretty hard. It is challenging for me sometimes to give myself permission to rest, relax, participate in leisure activities, and to take time to just enjoy life. I love to have fun, and I have a lot of interests, so I want to work at creating more balance in my life in this area. In the plant analogy, these things become my sunshine and water.
Second, is the area of my professional growth and development. Through the course of this program, I was able to clarify and better understand my strengths and vocational calling. After graduating, within the next few months, I will be actively pursuing finding a work situation in an environment where I can utilize my strengths, have opportunities to grow in my leadership skills, work with groups of people in collaborative and creative ways, and have opportunities to lead and develop people in a creative environment. Along with this job pursuit, I will be developing a more solid financial plan for retirement and debt reduction as my husband and I move into a new season with young adult children.
The third area I want to specifically focus on is that of leadership opportunities related to ministry and developing others. Within the next three years, I would like to pursue developing the Portraits of the Passion as a larger community outreach event. This was something that I created, produced, and directed in the context of my previous job as Creative Arts Director for my church. I want to explore the potential of growing this to be a multi-church community outreach endeavor. While in the MAiL program, I have also identified my desire to mentor and develop young adult women, walking along side them through a challenging season of life. Within this next year, I want to start a group for young adult women, who aren’t necessarily inside the church circles, and provide an environment for personal and spiritual development. I am not sure what context this will be in yet, but am seeking God’s leading in this endeavor. Within the next five years I would also love to have the opportunity to serve on the board of a non-profit organization. Again I am not sure what context this would be in, but is something I want to pursue. Returning to the plant analogy, I see these professional and ministry leadership opportunities as new soil and space to grow.
To enhance my learning as I pursue these goals in the areas of personal, professional and ministry leadership, I have a list of leadership books that I want to read and resources I want to take advantage of that will continue to challenge my thinking and stretch my ideas. Some of these are listed specifically in the individual competency sections. In the plant analogy, I see these types of pursuits as the fertilizer and water that gives me the nourishment I need to stay healthy and strong. The MAiL program has certainly set me on a path to pursue lifelong learning and personal growth so I can be a more effective leader as I pursue my calling. I am excited to continue on the journey as I embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.