Personal Development Plan

Mission Statement

According to Arménio Rego “Leadership is a kind of chain that needs two

poles. Leaders and followers. Without one, there is no circulation of energy
- there is no leadership. "(1998: 15). In this context the manager/leader
needs to know how to lead individuals and know their motivations
(Chiavenato, 1993). And, the core of leadership is that as a leader you have
to influence the behaviour of these individuals, but for that, one has to have
outstanding characteristics of the superior intelligence, creativity,
eloquence, emotional stability, self-esteem, energy level, intuition and
power of persuasion.

A leader ought to be effective. Being capable of inspiring trust, being

intelligent, perceptive, and decisive in the face of subordinates. However,
some scholars defend that personality traits are not enough to guaranty
effectiveness given that this theory presented certain fragile aspects that
would eventually be challenged (Jesuino, 1996: 53). Stogdill (1948) in his
studies on leadership concludes that a leader endowed with certain traits
can be effective in one context and ineffective in another. On the other
hand, distinguished leaders endowed with different traits can be well
successful in the same context.

So, it seems now to be consensual agreement cannot stick the personality of

the leader although this is a relevant factor.

We are no longer faced with a natural leader, but on the contrary we see the
training of the leader in order to instil and perfect effective behaviours.

Lewin (1939), after several experiments in natural groups concluded that

the behaviour of the leader results from the function of the personality of
the leader and the situation.

In fact, the leader in his everyday live must apply all the styles of
leadership, depending on the circumstance, the composing members of the
organization and the tasks in execution. The main difficulty of leadership
lies in adapting the style to the situation, to the subordinates and to the
tasks to be performed.
Leadership does not only apply to what the leader is or does but extends
also to the type of subordinates that make up the organization, the type of
tasks to be performed and the context in which all members of the
organization are inserted.

Stephen Robins (2002) argues that while personality traits are generally
stable over time, there is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that
an
individual’s trait is changed by the organization in which that
individual participates. Furthermore, people are naturally engaged in many
organizations, like in the community where they live, the religion,
social, athletic, and political, as well as to an employer, and these are
organizations that quite often include very different kinds of members, and
they adapt to those different situations.

The fact is that people can adjust their behaviours to reflect the
requirements of various situations and not being glued to an inelastic and
stable personality framework. The behaviours of leaders may be centered
both in the execution of the tasks and in the relations between the members
of the group. Yet it seems to be a valid assumption to explain that some
leaders are more effective than others who tend to focus only on one area.
So, behaviour counts more that traits.

Therefore, although scholars and critics suggest that the process of

influence through which the leader stimulates profound changes in attitudes
and behaviours of co-workers, leading them to a strong commitment to the
organization's objectives and mission is applicable to both charismatic and
transformational leadership, yet, the last is attributed to greater depth.

Transformational leadership is the leadership practiced by leaders who

create changes in organizational units, living deep and lasting marks.

This is the type of leadership that I wish to develop more because my aim
is to be able to induce my co-mate’s interests by deeply stimulating their
involvement and commitment to the organization's goals. I want to be a
kind of leader, who instigates change and endow with high levels of
morality and motivation, develop the consciousness of followers by
invoking ideals such as justice, equality, equity, humanitarianism, freedom
or peace and vehemently rejecting basic feelings such as fear, greed, and
low achieving goals.
My aim is to be a leader who influences others through engendering
profound changes in the employee’s attitudes and behaviours, leading them
to a strong commitment to the organization's objectives. And to make sure
this happens I wish to act honestly and truthfully, be reliable and
predictable and never take advantages of their trust so that they can in turn
work with me to solve problems. This will depend on how much they trust
me.

My goals are always to reach satisfactory results achieved with the

contribution of those who can identify their will and aspiration with mine
and the institution’s. My desire is that whenever I get somewhere I must
take someone with and I think that’s the best way to do things, because it
won’t ever be possible for us to do anything, no matter what it may be,
there will always be someone’s hand and this are our core leaders no matter
how insignificant should their contribution be. So, you must give quality;
character, integrity and the feedback will be just that.

We practice leadership in every aspects of life, be it in the family, in

church, at leisure time with friends, at work, so on and so forth. The
principle remains the same. Regardless of our traits and behaviour that
determine our styles of leadership, the circumstance we are found, we
should be aware that our results will depend on that which we apply to
make decisions and to solve problems. Our accomplishment will always be
linked to our beliefs which end up being our philosophies. Therefore, we
must be authentic to get the best results. When we are authentic we
contaminate those who surround us. Our behaviours voice will last for
eternity and continue change people and the world.

A personal SWOT Analysis

Strengths

I have successfully completed my Bachelor’s Degree on Business

Administration which will be a good advantage in achieving my goals for
my MBA programme. This degree has enriched me with the basic
knowledge about management necessary to get through the MBA program
without many obstacles. Furthermore, I did my full course in a complete
online mode. It has enabled me with online interaction with colleagues,
instructors and mentors and an overall online platform management. I am
very sure that this is a great advantage for me.

Although I am not an english speaking person I have a fluent written and

spoken proficiency in english due to the twelve years that I spent in the
Republic of Namibia, an african english speaking country and that is
another valuable reason why I will be able to fulfil my MBA program with
success. I am sure that I´ll be able to improve a lot in the above mentioned
aspects and by the end of this program I´ll be more skilful and see my
personal and professional abilities highly enriched and be more eager to
further on.

Weaknesses

Kinicki and Williams (2009) argue that weakness is anything that holds us
back from achieving a goal competitively. Concerning to that, my weak
point is that I didn´t develop good skills in calculus and finances. I am also
a very short tempered person and that use to embarrass me whenever I am
involved in a situation where I feel that I cannot bear a teammate, and this
use to be a mess to my personality as a leader. I will have to work hard on
these weaknesses so that I can improve and make sure I develop further,
this will be achieved through the continuous study of leadership theories as
well as finances and other material related to them provided by the
University for MBA syllabus and attending some short courses.

I will also on the same time have to work hard on my time management
which is highest weakness (even though it´s not my will) so that I can
spend more time with reading my materials, interact with schoolmates, the
instructor, have enough time to read instructions before I start doing my
academic work and do them on time.

Opportunities

The University of Liverpool´s MBA program is a good opportunity to me

as it´s accreditation will allow me to join very highly respected and skilled
professionals who are able to work on international markets. It’s schedule
is also very facultative to me as it allows me to study wherever I am, as
long as I have internet available and this cuts off every problem with my
chief and workmates since my studies do not collide with my
responsibilities at work. One good example is that my co-workers who
were pursuing their undergraduate and postgraduate courses where obliged
to stop because we are on the vespers of elections and there´s a lot of work
to for this first semester of 2017. I was not affected because I don´t need to
attend to any fulltime or even a part time class.

Threats

Kinicki and Williams (2009) argue that weakness is anything that can stand
on our way to hinder us from achieving the goals we´ve planned.

I face two main threats which are my financial situation and the internet
network. Apart from my family I am also responsible for my cousins who
don’t have anyone to support their schools and with other personal needs
they have and that pushes a lot of pressure on my planning’s and savings.
That threatens me a lot. On the other side the internet network worries me a
lot because it is not secure and efficient in the township where I leave.
Most of the times I need to travel for forty miles in order to be able
download reading resources as well as to post my work. Anyway, although
they seem to be situations out of my control I will have to work hard to find
solutions for them.

Goal Achievement Plan

Goal 1 Narrative:
Throughout my working time in my work place, which is public institution,
I have noticed a poor integration of workers’ efforts for good results and
have ever since started to working on my abilities to influence team work.
Since it’s a mid-sized institution with understaffing of competent people
and low turn-around of employees, I have set my first goal to develop team
working environment so to be able to lead my teammates to improved
performance, because effective and high level successful team
collaboration makes projects and businesses to thrive. Scarnati (quoted by
Pina and Joe, 2002) define teamwork “as a cooperative process that allows
ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results”
To accomplish this goal I have to provide for short courses on teamwork
and management and on job training - work force diversity training and in
the meanwhile, establish value and goals by setting clear work objectives
so that individual roles and responsibilities are left very clear to everyone,
evaluate their performance regularly and recognize their shared
contributions and efforts. Most importantly, to avoid confusion and
mistrust teammates have to be encouraged by example to sharing
information clear and openly, remaining open to suggestions and concerns
of one another.

Having done the above mentioned teammates will undertake solid learning
activities and consequently improve their performance. They should at the
end of the day be able to understand the value of individual contribution to
achieving established goals, they should be aware that their diversity of
cultures, abilities and skills makes theirs a multicultural team and more
opened for better creative solutions to problems. Everyone must at the end
be aware of their specific roles so that no one does other’s tasks and no
work is left undone. They would have learned to drive decision-making
among them, practice active listening, use brainstorming technics, respect
others’ ideas, be avid in communication. They will have to be able to
acknowledge, appreciate and share enthusiasm about their achievements as
a team and as individuals. It’s crucial that after they undergo this process
they will be able to have a clear idea of what they need to get from their
teammates and knowing what their stands for success are going to be, for
that matter.

Goal 1 Resources:
1. Stephen P. Robbins (2002) The Truth About Managing People … And
Nothing But The Truth. Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc.

This book will help me gain a broad insight on how to deal with
people/teammate and the most challenges organizations face nowadays.
2. The Trainig Library - CorporateTrainingMaterial s.com. Available at:
https://corporatetrainingmaterials.com/downloads/188908314/.

This training library will provide to me skill training kits that will facilitate
both my personal learning as well as apply the tools on my teammates
training program.

3. TED Ideas worth spreading. Available at: https://www.ted.com/.

Video sessions from this site will enhance my knowledge about
leadership and team management.

Goal 1 Timeline:

Step Step Description Target Date

Number
1. Conduct and provide for training to my
December 2017
teammates
2. Set clear work objectives, time frames
August 2017
and expectations
3. Facilitating communication Permanent

Goal 2 Narrative:
The other goal is to develop communicational skills which is very
important for effective teamworking. It has a positive effect on the level of
trust as well. Employees need to learn to use different channels of
communication, how to manage, share and follow up information.

Ineffective communication in organization can obstruct the achievement of

its objectives and for that reason employees need to undergo trainings on
how to handle information and be good listeners. The use of information
technology will enable an excellent sharing of information. In order to
maintain achievement of the management’s coordination and for the entire
management process an adequate communication system must be
established to all hierarchical levels.
The aim is that employees get the ability to share information without
distortions, make exchange of information and communicate among them
in various contexts.

Goal 2 Resources:
1. Stephen P. Robbins (2002) The Truth About Managing People … And
Nothing But The Truth. Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc.

This book will help me gain a broad insight on how to help people to be
effective communicators.

2. The Trainig Library - CorporateTrainingMaterial s.com. Available at:

https://corporatetrainingmaterials.com/downloads/188908314/.

This training library will provide to me skill training kits that will facilitate
both my personal learning as well as apply the tools on my teammates
training program.

3. TED Ideas worth spreading. Available at: https://www.ted.com/.

Video sessions from this site will enhance my knowledge about

organizational communication.

Goal 2 Timeline

Step Step Description Target Date

Number
1. On job training on organizational Permanent
 communication
2. Implementation of modern and Till December
improved means of communication 2017
3. Conduct workshops and lectures December 2017

Goal 3 Narrative:
Finally I intend to fight for a promotion at work.

Improve my performance at work by using the new ideologies and technics

that I am getting from the MBA course will make my superior managers
discover my competencies and trust me with higher responsibilities and
taking some short and practical courses on leadership and management
issues will enable me to be more effective and highly productive in order to
be promoted.

Goal 3 Resources:
1. Jackson, B. & Parry, K. (2011) A very short, fairly interesting and
reasonably cheap book about studying leadership. London: Sage.

This book will is very useful in equipping with effective leaderships skills
and other abilities.

2. The Trainig Library - CorporateTrainingMaterial s.com. Available at:

https://corporatetrainingmaterials.com/downloads/188908314/.

This training library will provide to me skill training kits that will facilitate
both my personal learning on various aspects of management.

3. TED Ideas worth spreading. Available at: https://www.ted.com/.

Video sessions from this site will enhance my knowledge about leadership
and management.

Goal 3 Timeline
 Step Step Description Target Date
Number
1. Implement the skills that I am gaining
Permanent
from MBA course
2. Take some short courses for
specialization on corporate and public December 2017
finances
3. Attend workshops and seminars on
December 2017
leadership

Referencies:

CHIAVENATO, Idalberto. Introdução à teoria geral da Administração.

Rio de Janeiro. Editora Campus, 1993.

Kinicki, A., & Williams, B. K. (2009). Management: A Practical

Introduction (4th ed.).

Jackson, B. & Parry, K. (2011) A very short, fairly interesting and

reasonably cheap book about studying leadership. London: Sage.

Lewin, Kurt, Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created

social climates. , Journal of
Social Psychology, 10:2 (1939:May). Jesuíno, J. (1996). Processos de
Liderança. Lisboa: Livros Horizonte.

Mineo, D. L., (2014) The importance of trust in leadership. Research

Management Review, Vol. 20, Nr. 1.

Muna, F. and Zennie, Z. (2011). 'Styles of Emotionally Intelligent Leaders'

in Developing Multicultural Leaders pp.107–120. [Online] Available
at:http://www.palgraveconnect.com.liverpool.idm.oclc.org/pc/doifinder/10.
1057/9781137104649.0016.
Rego, Arménio (1998), Liderança nas Organizações – teoria e prática,
Aveiro:
Universidade de Aveiro.

Robbins, S. P. The Truth About Managing People And Nothing But The
Truth. Financial Prentice Hall Books. ISBN 0-13-066927-X. 2002.

Stogdill, R. M. (1948), “Personal Factors Associated with Leadership: A

survey of the literature”, Journal of Psychology.