Unlock Your Leadership Potential: 6 Resources to Create a Personal Growth and Development Plan

If you’re serious about creating positive change in the lives of those that you lead and serve, it’s critical for you to be intentional about continuing your own personal development as a leader, and never become complacent or satisfied that you’ve finally “made it”.

How can you be intentional about your continuous leadership learning journey?

Start with identifying several sources that challenge and inspire you, and can provide you with consistent and reliable information and encouragement, so that you can explore and implement several to facilitate your personal growth and development.

Thankfully, there are plenty of great resources out there – many free or low cost to access – that can become part of your own Leadership Development Plan. For example, below are 6 resources that I’ve incorporated into my life that consistently provide leadership learning and growth opportunities for me:

Books

This category is low hanging fruit to grasp, because there are so many great books – both old and new – out there on the topic of leadership! Some of my consistent favorite authors include Adam Grant , Brené Brown , Brendon Burchard , and John C. Maxwell .

Blogs

While the glory days of blogging have come and gone, there are still plenty of blogs or websites that share the latest research and trends related to my areas of interest. I’m a regular reader of several blogs by bloggers who write about leadership, people strategies, and professional speaking.

A few of my consistent favorites include: Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP (Everyday People), Tim Sackett, SPHR, SCP (The Tim Sackett Project), Josh Bersin , the LinkedIn Talent blog , The Speaker Lab , and Jane Atkinson (The Wealthy Speaker).

Newsletters

Newsletters have unfortunately gotten a bad rap, because so many people/organizations abuse the privilege of dropping into our inboxes by signing us up to receive their newsletters without permission. (BTW, I can click unsubscribe faster than it took them to enter my email address illegally into their email service provider.) However, please don’t let the bad actors discourage you from signing up to receive regular updates from thought leaders and content creators who do provide value.

I receive and enjoy reading regular updates from Hung Lee (Recruiting Brainfood), Ann Handley (Total Annarchy), Mike Kim , James Clear , DisruptHR , HR Executive.com , McKinsey & Company , and DDI (Leadership Development Resources).

Online Courses

The world of online learning has exploded since 2020, and there are more opportunities to learn online – both free and paid – than ever before. I recommend checking out my friend Laurie Ruettimann’s popular LinkedIn Learning courses – which have been viewed by millions – as well as some of the leadership and personal development courses options from Dana Brownlee , and Dorie Clark .

Conferences & Events

With so many options to choose from, sometimes it can be a challenge to find a conference or event near you that is focused on the area you’d specifically like to learn more about.

If you’re in the people and talent space, check out this great open-source list, curated by Hung Lee of Recruiting Brainfood -> “Recruiting Brainfood Big List of Recruiting & HR Events to attend in 2023 .” The Academy to Innovate HR has also shared “40 HR Conferences to Attend in 2023 ” and Recruiting Daily has curated “Your 2023 Recruiting & HR Events List .”

There’s also likely a DisruptHR event coming soon near you wherever you are in the world. [View a listing of upcoming DisruptHR events HERE .]

Podcasts

Podcasts are my go-to learning resource these days. I subscribe to dozens, and enjoy listening / learning while driving, cooking, working out, spending time with my horses, etc.

A few of my favorites include several from Zachary Nunn and the Living Corporate team, All Hands with Katelin Holloway , Punk Rock HR with Laurie Ruettimann , Redefining Work with Lars Schmidt , Digital HR Leaders with David Green ???? , the Maxwell Leadership Podcast , and Re:Thinking with Adam Grant.

Speaking of my favorite leadership podcasts, if you’re not already subscribed, I’ll put in a shameless plug for the Impact Makers Podcast with Jennifer McClure , as another resource I recommend adding to your weekly intentional learning opportunities. ??

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As you can see, there are plenty of ways for each of us to take ownership of our own personal development, and to craft a customized resource library, full of endless learning opportunities. If you’re areas of interest overlap with mine, I encourage you to check out some of the resources that I've shared above, and be sure to intentionally set aside time on your calendar for learning. Then continue to seek out new resources / new voices to add to your lists.

How about you? What is one of your favorite learning resources?

I’d love it if you’d take a moment to share it with everyone in the comments section below. I know that I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to grow as a leader, and to increase my impact at work and in life, and I would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you!

As a keynote speaker and leadership coach,?Jennifer McClure ?helps leaders to embrace the future of work, and to develop the skills necessary to lead their organizations and the people on their teams to take bold actions that positively impact business results.

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