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    • Action plan

    Understanding where you add the most value as a leader

    High effort

    High impact

    The expertise, organisational knowledge and network of leaders means they’re looked to for high-impact interventions. That could range from convincing a potential client to come on board to negotiating joint ventures. Often there’s pressure to get involved in lots of different elements of the business, so you need to understand where you can have the most impact.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline
    What's involved? Ways to use this action plan Measuring impact
    1

    Use planning meetings to find out where your team most values your input and identify any blockers that are preventing projects from moving forward

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    Your team has the best understanding of what needs to be escalated. Usually they will need your advice, access to resources (such as budget sign-off) or involvement in an external meeting.

    How to get employees involved in decision making

    Involving employees in decision making can give leaders valuable insights and lead to new ideas. Our checklist will help you get started.
    2

    Talk to your management team and employees from different parts of the business about your role in their function and how this could evolve

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    As a business grows, more responsibility is delegated to the management team and leaders inevitably spend less time working hands-on in the business. Talking to the management team sets expectations and means you can get ahead of this process.

    Conducting one-to-ones with employees

    Using a template for employee one-to-ones, like this one from Bristol University, will help to make sure each meeting is as effective as possible.
    3

    Identify three changes in areas such as product developments, team structure and other strategic activities, that are going to have a big impact on the future

    Impact: high

    Why will this help?

    Mature processes need less input from leaders; it’s often new opportunities that leaders can have the biggest impact on. These are things that will take time to realise, like a partnership or entering a new export market, but can change the trajectory of the business.

    Creating a monthly routine to set goals and assess progress against long-term objectives

    Developing a monthly goal-setting routine allows you to check your progress against long-term objectives and reflect on any changes you need to make.
    4

    Look for skills gaps in the management team and where you may need to invest more time in the short term

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    At any given time, your management team won’t have every skill set needed and individuals may need more support. Part of the value you add as a leader is shoring up that group, so it’s important to keep a handle on any skills gaps.

    Finding skills gaps in your leadership team

    Completing a skills gap exercise, like the one in our template, will rate your leadership team’s ability to perform against key competencies.
    5

    Develop a plan for allocating your time, so that you can make the most impact, and record what needs to happen to unlock those opportunities

    Impact: high

    Why will this help?

    Once you understand where you add the most value, you need to prioritise accordingly. Over time, you can implement new habits, such as changing how you manage your calendar, and delegate effectively, so that you’re making the biggest possible impact.

    What can I do with this Action Plan?

    Start this Action Plan

    Add some extra information to this plan and we’ll help you get it done.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline

    Download and print

    Get a printable template for this Action Plan, fill it in with some target dates, and share it with your team. Pin it on the wall where everyone can see it.

    Get the printable Action Plan

    Learning Groups

    We also run Learning Groups on these topics where you can join other leaders tackling the same challenges.

    Find a Learning Group

    How will I know if my action plan is working?

    Clear objectives set

    Establishing goals helps drive informed decision making

    Why this metric?

    Without establishing the goal(s) you want to achieve, the long-term impact of changes will be harder to measure.

    How do I use this going forward?

    Have your clearly-defined objectives to hand when it comes to further steps in the implementation process – such as justifying a budget or making it work for the team.