Action and Development Plan:

SMART Goals and Transformational Leadership

An action plan consists of SMART goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. It is important to note that some goals may be SMART if they are phrased as long-term, such as my desire to pursue a masters degree and to eventually work for FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), but are not so SMART if they are given too short a framework of time to be realized. Still, short-term small SMART goals that are rigorously performed eventually can be used to add up to large SMART objectives. For example, on day one, I can begin to research the types of things I will need to do to complete my degree, reviewing the types of courses required for my major, and the requirements for entry into the graduate program I desire.

Within a week, I can also review the type of background required for the managerial position I desire, which can help guide my choice of electives. Over the course of the next thirty days, I can begin to bolster my knowledge of managerial literature on the web, including reading free articles in major business publications, and journal and reputable newspaper articles geared to individuals who work in the government and in emergency management.

Within the next 30 days, I also plan to study various time management techniques and find one which works for me in prioritizing my own work schedule. Time management is obviously a critical component of studying and working in conjunction, and even after I have left school and military service and am working only a fulltime job, juggling the demands of personal and social life with a demanding leadership position will be critical. As noted by Jackson (2009) it is critical to divide tasks into urgent and non-urgent, but to also leave time every day to devote to tasks that may not technically be of highest priority in an immediate sense but must be done, such as homework.

Learning how to prioritize email, text, and other communications and keep them in order, as well as organize the research, reading, and communications I will be deploying as part of my work and study is likewise critical to my development as a professional. I hope to create a systematic program to cope with both physical and virtual clutter. For example, a good system to use with email is: The 4 Ds for all types of mail are do now, dump, delegate, and delay. Most e-mail can be read and handled immediately by a brief response, forwarding to an appropriate individual, or deletion. Only a minority of items should be delayed (Jackson, 2009, par.7).

Over the next 90 days, I also hope to reach out and begin networking in the field, ideally locating a mentor. This might include joining a professional association or simply an online community devoted to people with similar interests, studies, and career ambitions as myself. I...

…checking in with subordinates, to ensure that tasks are being completed on time, and employees are doing what needs to be done. There is often a delicate balance between not micromanaging on one hand, but on the other hand not becoming so detached from everyday tasks that the daily requirements of a project start to lose their urgency.

Team Building and Team Dynamics

Creating a strong team begins with selecting the right people and knowing what makes others tick. Although it is often said that there is no I in team, it is important to remember that every member of the team still retains their individuality and has unique skills and attributes they bring to that team. Learning to work together and manage different interpersonal styles is itself a skill, and cannot be assumed. Teams also must be very clear about what their goals are, otherwise it is easy to fall into power-wrangling. There should be a clear schedule of deliverables, and team members should be clear to whom they are accountable (Shethna, 2020). Just as on an individual level, time management is absolutely critical to prioritize urgent tasks but still continue to build upon ones that must be worked upon slowly, in an ongoing fashion, all team members should be aware of the team project calendar and how their work fits into the larger whole. They should also be aware of their mutual dependency on the work and skills of one another. Communicating with the team, and creating…