Leadership Development Plan Template

Rate yourself honestly, pick the one or two things that matter most right now, and practice them where your team can see the difference.

A lot of CS leaders got promoted because they were great at the job below the one they have now. Nobody sat them down and taught them the new one, so they jump into every escalation, rewrite every email, and wonder why they're working until 10 pm while their team waits on them. This plan turns "I want to be a better leader" into something specific.

Rate yourself on 15 statements across delegation, communication, decision-making, influence and team development, then ask someone who sees your work every week to rate you on the same statements. Write an honest reflection, pick one or two target capabilities written as behavior someone else could see, and plan practice actions that fit your normal week. Feedback sources, milestones at 30 days, 90 days, 6 months and 12 months, an evidence log and a monthly check-in log keep it going. The guide includes a 60-minute agenda for your first coaching session.

What's included

• Leadership Development Plan template in Word, plus a make-a-copy link for Google Docs

• 11 sections: about this plan, self-assessment, reflection, target capabilities, practice actions, support and resources, feedback sources, milestones, evidence of change, monthly check-in log and agreement

• A 15-statement self-assessment with self and other ratings and the gap between them

• A step-by-step PDF guide with a made-up worked example, a first coaching session agenda and the mistakes to avoid

• A Steal This development plan check

Who it's for

New and growing CS managers, directors and VPs, and the people who coach them.

How it works

Digital download. Your files are ready right after checkout. Open the Word file, or use the link included with your download to make your own copy in Google Docs. No physical item will be shipped.

Bundle and save

This template is part of the New CS Leader Bundle: 8 templates for $79, about half the price of buying them one at a time. Want everything? The Complete Architect Collection has every template in the collection for $299.