Personal Development Plan

Definition of Leadership:
I would define leadership as the ability to get people to work together towards a common
goal in an effective manner. Superior leadership requires constantly working to improve the
lives of other people. Leadership means selflessly taking charge in times of crisis and being
aware of all of the consequences of your decisions and actions. In my opinion, an integral aspect
of being a successful leader is being aware that there is always more than what meets the eye and
understanding when to act versus when to wait. My top three core values are security, reliability,
and loyalty. Each of these values play their own role in the way I practice leadership. Security
is important to me because safety is a basic need and nothing can get done without a sense of
security. Life would be miserable if you feel unsafe or constantly on edge worrying about the
future. Balancing physical, emotional, and financial stability are all key to leading a fulfilling
and pleasurable life. When I am in a position of leadership, I make decisions to ensure the
security of the group. Reliability is the basis for any strong relationship, whether it be romantic,
familial, social, or work. I want to be able to rely on the people in my life and I also want people
to feel that they can rely on me. Being consistently reliable builds trust and allows for
tremendous growth. In a very similar realm, loyalty is also of the utmost importance to me. You
need to have confidence that someone will respect you and stick by your side even in some of
your weaker moments. My core values of reliability and loyalty reflect my desire to be a leader
who people can count on and look up to.

Leadership Coach:
I am a pretty reserved person overall, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time with friends
and getting to know new people. I am organized and like to plan things out. My parents are
from Ireland and most of my relatives live there, so that has had a large effect on my personality.
Aside from hanging out with friends, I’d say my hobbies are baking, reading, and exploring
random places. I am a civil engineering major planning to have a primary in construction
management. On campus I am involved in ASCE, Concrete Canoe, and Camp Kesem.
Leadership Competencies:
Competency Justification and Reflection
Personal/Self
Level
Self Although self-knowledge seems like
-Knowledge a given for most people, it is
something that I have struggled with.
I grew up always trying to please
other people without thinking about
what I wanted. This has led me to
having a difficult time identifying
my strengths, personality, and even
interests. I would like to improve
my self-knowledge because it is the
foundation for all other
competencies.
Self Self-management is the key to being
-Management successful and allows for a
purposeful and productive life. I
need to be able to manage myself
and my actions with a healthy
attitude and productive relationships.
Objective
-I need to be able to focus on what
my goals and desires are without
worrying about other people and
what they want from me.
-I can improve my self knowledge by
trying out something new at least
once a month and expanding my
comfort zone.
-I can take online personality and
strength assessments.
-I can work on my self-management
skills by creating goals for the
upcoming week and assessing my
long term goals once a month.
-I can also keep my daily planner
updated with all tasks, assignments,
or meetings I have for the day.
-I can hold myself accountable and
be consistent in the steps I take to
achieve my goals by letting other
people know my plans.
Interpersonal/Team Level
Relationship Relationship management is an area
Management that I feel always has room for
improvement. As I progress through
my college career and beyond, I will
need to maintain a variety of
relationships. I think developing
these skills now is an essential part
of college and will help
tremendously in the long run.
Group Having a solid understanding of
Dynamics group dynamics is very important
because relationships are always
changing. By going into construction
management I will have to work with
a lot of different groups of people
and being able to adapt my personal
leadership style will be key to being
successful.
Organization Level
Systems Systems Thinking will be very
Thinking important for me to have knowledge
of because construction management
is all about efficiency and getting a
project/job site to run smoothly. It
will be essential for me to organize
the work of others in a systematic
and consistent manner.
-I will improve my relationship
management skills by opening up to
my friends.
-I can communicate my thoughts and
opinions with others more often.
-I can also place more trust in other
people and allow them to take over at
times.
-I can better understand group
dynamics by becoming more
involved in a variety of RSOs, not
just ones that pertain to my major.
-I can also strive to understand
people more on an individual level,
which will help when those
individuals come together as a group
and work with each other.
-I can observe how people, including
myself, act depending on who they
are with.
-I can work on this skill by taking the
lead in group projects by delegating
tasks to each member.
-I can also spend time on improving
how I organize my coursework and
find ways to be more productive.
-I can help create a routine for my
younger siblings to become more
organized.
 Community/Society Level

Global Global competence is arguably more -In order to develop my global

Competence important now than ever before.
Through the extensive use of
technology, the world is becoming
more and more interconnected. It is
important to understand the value of
global perspectives and use them to
improve how you lead others.
competence I can interact with
people from different backgrounds
from me.
-I can consider studying abroad for a
semester or even do a summer
program.
-I have also looked into a program
called Global Leaders in
Construction Management, which
would be an amazing opportunity to
be a part of if I get the chance.

Timeline:
Semester 1: Spring 2020
-attend first i-Program
-complete first team experience
-attend leadership trainings and workshops
-submit PDP

Semester 2: Fall 2020

-meet with cohort
-meet with coach
-attend second i-Program
-attend leadership trainings and workshops

Semester 3: Spring 2021

-take AGED/LEAD 260
-meet with coach
-complete second team experience
-attend completion workshop
-submit ePortfolio