Leadership for Intelligence Professionals   

Example 2

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Background: NSA Civilian, expected job, etc.

Tracking:  The template on the last page is designed for use during a scheduled weekly review of how I’m doing in meeting the goals in this plan.  Week 4 of each month will include selection of new topics and goals for the next month’s focus. 

Update:  Every six months (May and November), I should do a major review of the plan, deciding whether to continue focus on current trait, style, and skills, or to choose others on which to concentrate.

Future:  Some ideas that come to mind are not realistically feasible to pursue until I complete the JMIC program (such as doing much additional reading or attending other classes).  I’ve listed ideas that can’t be pursued immediately under the heading “Future,” as a placeholder for adding other ideas for post-JMIC consideration as well as keeping a running list of potential monthly focus areas and topics.

1.  Leadership Trait – Caring

   Step 1:  Find and use opportunities to get to know and show interest in people.

Actions: 

-          As I develop new working relationships across the Agency and wider IC, make a point of getting to know something of colleagues’ work backgrounds and interests, and, where possible and appropriate, personal lives.  Learn something new about somebody daily.  Daily.

-          At least once a day, consciously put down work and physically turn around to join office or class conversations, giving people my full attention.  Daily.

-          At least once weekly, stop to chat with the people in the extended office.  Weekly.

-          Plan to meet a different friend an average of once weekly for lunch in order to  keep up relationships, even as we all find ourselves busier with each successive job move.  Weekly.

-          Work on a monthly focus area.  November:  Develop a habit of beginning conversations by exchanging greetings before launching into the issue at hand (“hello, how are you” instead of “hello, how’s the project going?”)  Monthly.

-          Take opportunities to socialize with officemates and classmates outside of work.  Occasionally.

Future:  add ideas here.

 2.  Leadership Style – Participating

Note:  Although Delegating would also be a good style to develop, I’ve elected to begin with Participation for two reasons:  1) I need more time to assess how I will use Delegating in my new job; and 2) Participating is a step on the continuum to Delegating, so it won’t hurt to focus on these skills with a long-term view of these steps as building blocks for ultimately improving Delegating as well as improving Participating for its own sake.

Step 1:  Build listening skills.

Actions:

-          Choose one focus area each month on which to work during conversations.  November:  not interrupting.  Monthly.

 Future:  add ideas here.

-          Monthly focus areas:  not tuning out; not planning next response.

-          Post-JMIC:  Read books and attend seminar on listening skills; apply lessons learned.

Step 2:  Solicit and use other people’s ideas.

-          Develop a style of encouraging people to develop their own initiatives.  Each month, identify a skill or habit to promote a more-facilitating, less-controlling style.  November:  consciously refrain from responding to ideas with instant analyses of whether or not the ideas will work.  Instead, solicit additional explanation; where appropriate, encourage additional development of ideas and implementation.  Monthly.

Future: 

-          Monthly focus area:  when starting a new project, before launching in solo, spend a few minutes thinking about others who could participate and how they could contribute.  Then take steps to engage those people.

3. Leadership Skill:   Leading Cross-functional Teams

             Step 1:  build upon existing interest and skills in leading cross-functional

            teams.

-          Choose one strategic topic monthly and read emails on that topic with an eye to consciously observing types of leadership techniques and participant interactions revealed in the workings of these virtual teams.  November:  will choose and note topic at work.  Monthly.

-          Lay foundation for a learning program to commence after completion of JMIC degree.  Stay on the lookout for books, articles, and training opportunities on the topic of cross-functional teams and add to running list.  Ongoing; begin list before end of Fall Quarter (10 Nov).

          Future: 

- Post-JMIC:  supplement reading by attending meetings on focus topics.

             Step 2:  prepare for wider sphere of influence within Agency and IC by

            increasing cross-organizational understanding and networking.

            Note:  Although I’ve listed this as a skill, it also relates to the trait of Vision.

             Actions:

-          Get to know more about JMIC classmates’ organizations and those organizations’ current issues.  Try to have one conversation each week along those lines.  Weekly.

-          While reading the emails on the “strategic topic of the month” mentioned above, in addition to evaluating leadership interactions, also become familiar with the subject matter and IC players (organizations and individuals).  November:  choose and note topic at work.  Monthly.

-          Maintain notes of interest items and potential contacts for future reference.  Especially note topics and organizations of potential future job interest.  Ongoing; begin list before end of Fall Quarter (10 Nov).

-          Continue research on overseas liaison positions opening in 2007.  Make at least one personal inquiry by email, phone, or in person.  Quarterly.

         Future: 

-          Post-JMIC:  Set goals for and commence learning program on cross-functional teams, using materials discovered while in JMIC program

-          Post-JMIC:  Begin attending weekly SINIO Council.  (Cannot do so now because they are always held on Thursday—a JMIC day.)

Leadership Development Plan:  November 2005

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