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Personal Leadership & Development Plan

Students Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course

Instructor

Due Date
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Brief Background

My name is Varsha, and I am Software Developer. I do work in…………… My previous

leadership experience happened as an intern. My interest in technology did start back then, and it

seemed to be a natural choice. When I got the opportunity as an intern, I could test my craft on

different software with the team members I was paired with. Just as companies empower leaders

to be the best version, it must also be applied to their employees. This has given me the

motivation to become a good leader and create a platform for others.

Value and vision

The existence of common values and vision nurtures a growing relationship between

leaders and followers. Therefore the development of great relationships is based on value and

mission. With relations, then a foundation of effective leadership has been set. Leaders who have

a vision can bring together and unite all people from different walks of life. For example, in an

organization, this vision will be a constant reminder of what is required and why it exists. Vision

serves as inspiration.

Some good vision qualities are good for a growing leader (Snyder, 2010). Being a risk

taker is a character that one would like to have. It means that they are not afraid of taking up a

challenge and are already equipped to face the obstacles that come with it. Also, it will help

when organizations decide on changes, gives their team the confidence to welcome the new

change, and they are assured of solutions. Moreover, as a visionary leader, one has to be

persistent. That's when set on achieving a particular goal, and no matter the hurdles, they are

focused on completing the task.

In addition, to be a leader, one has to be optimistic. This trait will help see a situation's

good and positive sides. As a leader, one can identify solutions to problems and assure their team
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that the challenges faced are temporary. They are also led by the visionary statement of ensuring

that team members are encouraged to achieve their full potential and that the environment is

enabling.

The values of a leader depict their principles and moral standards. Even though values are

universal, some uniquely define a person (Snyder, 2010). A leader has to be transparent about the

direction the team is steering, what motto they abide by, and the reason for their existence.

Humility is a key trait of a good leader. Humbleness is seen when one has made a mistake and

accepts corrections. This builds wisdom for a leader. Therefore, one has to exercise humility; if

one lacks knowledge about something, others are there to provide their input. Vision and values

do go hand in hand. Vision and values differentiate a manager and a leader because a leader

interacts with their followers through shared values and a common vision.

Know yourself

The urge to become one day a Software Developer led me to the path of my career choice

in the university. In addition, with the experience I have in the IT field, I'm good at exploring the

world of technology. The action plan that has steered to achieve is to polish the existing technical

skills as I learn new ones. Two, complete the required technical certifications ad later concentrate

on practicing hand on technology-related skills.

Awareness regarding Career opportunities in this virtual world, technology has become a

part of day-to-day lives; hence as Software Developer, I would have multiple opportunities in

this field as the market always looks for new technology. This helps me and society to grow

accordingly. There are many platforms where we can find opportunities as IT developers like

Technical Recruiter, Scrum Master, Agile Developer, Project Managers, and Dev Ops Engineer.
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My strength and competencies include; providing solutions to problems. Possessing a

positive attitude, especially when facing difficult situations, one has to be very hopeful and see

the good in the situation. Teamwork and working with others have always proved to be the best.

Team members share a lot, learn from each other, and create a platform for making good

decisions. Also, with teamwork, tasks are completed faster and on time. Possessing good

communication skills helps one to form good relationships with others and understand their

personal views. Lastly, technical skills such as programming language, software proficiency, and

data analysis have proven to most employers looking. Therefore, possessing them gives a

competitive advantage when searching for job opportunities.

Definition of a great leader

The definition of a good leader has diverse meanings and will depend on how various

people hold different perspectives. A good leader comes to be the time they spend with the

people they lead during the interaction. Therefore, these interactions and decisions will

determine whether they are bad or good. For instance, insecure leaders who cannot trust

themselves will spread this energy to their followers, resulting in less management or

withholding their subordinates (Oginde, 2011). A good leader is summed up as someone who

can create an aspiring future and will work on motivating people to put in their effort ad engage

in the vision. Also, the leader will be available to look after the vision delivery and will build the

entire team to achieve the goal.

Some of the qualities a good leader should strive for have been discussed. A good leader

has to be visionary. This sums up to be the greatest quality any leader should have. A visionary

leader can see the organization's future (Anwar & Hasnu, 2013). Therefore they work with the
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team to ensure that they get there. Secondly, they need to possess good interpersonal

communication skills. Not necessarily does it mean one has to change from introvert to an

extrovert; no, interacting with other people has to feel genuine. In this aspect, the leader has to

show good listening skills and empathy and engage in working relationships.

A good leader also has to be a source of inspiration to the people they are leading. Their

presence on the team has to command positivity and excitement. This motivates the members

and keeps them on their toes to work hard to achieve the firm's objectives. Another trait of a

good leader is that they have to be self-aware and authentic. This is the last step in Abraham

Maslow's self-development. This trait means that the leader is well aware of their strengths and

flaws and has mastered controlling them. This is self-actualization. Leader uses their strengths to

offer their best to the firms they lead. Moreover, a leader is said to be good if they are

responsible and dependable. This trait needs to be portrayed when one is interacting with their

colleagues. Also, it gives the team the confidence to depend on their leader to deliver the best by

doing their part of the work.

Lastly, one can be in different life contexts, not matter the influence one has. Thereby

making the aspect of leadership is of those at the top or managers of an organization. A great

leader is a composition and accumulation of skills from training experience

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References

Anwar, J., & Hasnu, S. A. F. (2013). Ideology, purpose, core values and leadership: How they

influence the vision of an organization. International Journal of Learning and

development, 3(3), 168-184.

Oginde, D. A. (2011). Follower expectations of a leader: Most admired leader

behaviors. International Leadership Journal, 3(2), 87-108.

ORTH, M. Skills and Qualities of a Good Leader. LEADERSHIP BASICS FOR CLINICAL

LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS, 34.

Snyder, N. (2010). Vision, values, and courage: Leadership for quality management. Simon and

Schuster.