Leadership Development Plan

Leadership is similar to running. First, they both require a pace and strategy, setting goals for distance, pace, and finish. Next is team dynamics, relying on teammates for support, sharing goals, and motivation. Following that is the mental fortitude needed to get out of comfort zones, overcome mental barriers, and maintain focus. Finally, there is training, which emphasizes continuous improvement. I am committed to lifelong learning and growth, “The best leaders are lifelong learners; they take measures to create organizations that foster and inspire learning throughout. The most effective leaders are those who realize it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts most” (Wooden, 2005, p. 137). My leadership development plan will focus on three goals that will mature simultaneously, but all require a solid plan for successful completion. I intend to grow my leadership portfolio and become a more well-known leader in the Army and my community. Over the next five years, I am working to reach the next rank in my military career, build and improve my Homeowners Association’s (HOA) prosperity, and become the Chairman of my fraternity’s Military and Veterans Affairs Commission (MVAC) nationally.

Short-term Goal (1 Year)

Goal: Begin completing requirements and educational ventures that will elevate my potential for promotion to the next rank within the next five years.

Action Strategy: Continue to increase my education, both military and civilian. I was recently selected for promotion to the rank of LTC. Movement to the next rank is approximately a 5-year window. To be competitive, one must hold certain level positions and complete the Army Senior Service College. To set the conditions for the next promotions, I must ensure that I am applying for higher-level jobs and maintaining my qualifications to compete. In addition, I will apply for additional professional development courses offered by the Army for the next two years to increase my chances of selection. Although these classes are important, selection is not a guarantee. To mitigate this selection issue, I have focused on my civilian education. I will complete the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University within a few weeks.

Personal & Professional Importance: With over 25 years of dedicated service to the Military, I have held various leadership roles, demonstrating my commitment and experience. This investment in the Army’s success is a testament to my dedication. Recently, promotions have become more competitive due to everyone’s high talent and performance levels. Therefore, I believe that continuing education is important not only to me but also to higher-level Army leaders, as it signifies our collective investment in the organization through self-improvement.

Assessment Plan: To assess the results of lifelong learning and furthering civilian education, I can look at other senior leaders within the organization. All Army senior leaders must complete the Senior Service College, and most already possess a master’s degree before selection into SSC. Leaders who embrace lifelong learning and continuing education invest more in the organization’s well-being.

Resources: My resources will come from relationships with current senior leaders. Just last week, I interviewed three Army generals. After the interviews, I had two new mentors from whom I could learn.

Year 2-3 Goal.

Goal: Build and improve the prosperity of my Homeowners Association (HOA) and prevent HOA fee increases.

Action Strategy: In January 2023, we moved from Honolulu to Washington D.C. and purchased a home in a quiet neighborhood built in the early 1980s. I discovered that there is an HOA that holds monthly and quarterly meetings. During the meetings, I discovered a large sum of money collected from monthly HOA fees sitting in a few savings accounts. Within two months of living in my new home, I attended meetings, talked to residents, and successfully ran as the vice president of the HOA. As the VP of the HOA, I can influence decisions that impact our community. One of the first things I implemented was ensuring that letters were mailed to residents explaining the meeting schedule and that residents knew they were welcome and encouraged to attend. We also created a quarterly HOA newsletter that we delivered to the doors and not only to mailboxes to ensure that renters and owners can access information before any changes are suggested. 

Personal and Professional Importance: We moved into our house in March 2023, and my HOA fees increased within three months. Of course, this didn’t sit well with me as a new owner. In my position as VP, I looked at the status of our funds and found that we were not taking advantage of the amount of money we had access to at any given time. There was money leaving the account, but none came into the association. I read the Maryland HOA rules and soon found we could place the money into high-yield accounts and higher rate (24-48 month) Certificates of Deposits (CDs). These CDs are guaranteed a 24-month 4.87% growth rate compared to a much lower rate at the bank. We could open three of these accounts with local banks and keep the proper amount that the FDIC and the NCUA could insure.

Assessment Plan: Since we are currently locked in for the percentage rate, our funds should grow at 4.87% for the next two to three years. This will ensure that our HOA continues to build prosperity, and the funds generated will stabilize our HOA fees for years to come. A stable HOA fee with minimal increases will keep our property values competitive. The dividend from our growth also allows for upkeep and maintenance without impacting the accounts and provides another safeguard to keep our HOA fees low.

Resources: The people living in the community are the resources. We ensure their rights to a nice place to live and affordability. In addition, we are creating equity within the community and making it a more desirable location to reside.

Year 4-5 Goal.

Goal: Become the national Chairman of my fraternity’s Military and Veterans Affairs Commission (MVAC).

Personal and Professional Importance: The purpose of the MVAC is to provide exposure and offer programs and services related to the needs of veterans who are members of the fraternity. The MVAC understands the great contributions to the community of those in the Armed Forces, and we show it through the support of past and present members. As an Armed Forces member, I will reach out to local American Legions and VFWs to highlight programs meant to help veterans and ensure the information is passed along. I want to underscore the importance of helping our veterans once they complete their service. Physical and mental health are of the utmost importance for our veterans, and the MVAC assists them in getting all the help they need on time.

Action Strategy: This is one of the more difficult goals I have set for myself. It requires that I run for and hold office on the local and regional levels. I must remember the advice from my interview with my army general officer, who explained to “take the challenges head on and directly” (Marrast-Host, 2024). To achieve this, I have already become a member of the committee at my local level. Once a member for one year, I can run for the local and regional chairman. This is the reason that I made this my five-year goal. It takes years to acquire the qualifications and move upward.

Resources: On the local level, we are partnering with the local community health centers to provide free blood pressure screenings, cholesterol checks, and diabetes screenings for our veterans. We work with local doctors and clinics to ensure that vaccines, including influenza and COVID-19, are available. We are teaming up with active-duty units, reserve units, the National Guard, and the Veterans Affairs (VA) to gather supplies and resources for support. We also hold forums and invite local politicians to highlight the impact they can have on their constituents.

There is much work to be done over the next five years. For as long as I can remember, my analogy linking leadership to running has been that it means moving towards a goal until completion. Running to the finish line and working to finish strong, I use the following for motivation. Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, and he knows that he must outrun the slowest lion, or he will surely be eaten. On that same morning, a lion wakes up knowing he must outrun the slowest gazelle or starve to death. The story’s moral is that no matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, when you wake up, you’d better be running (McDougall, 2010).

References

Marrast-Host, J. (2024). Personal Interview. Patrick Wakefield.

McDougall, C. (2010). Born to run. Profile Books.

Wooden, J. (2005). Wooden on leadership: How to create a winning organization (First ed.). McGraw Hill.