You have worked hard at developing your career and won a promotion, a junior leadership role. Well done! All you have to do is work hard in this new job and your future in leadership is assured! That’s the plan.

Unfortunately, the plan does not always happen. You should not need to rely on luck. Here is an interesting statistic. According to the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) over 90% of current School Principals in Australia, had no intention of seeking any form of leadership in schools, when they started Teaching. You need to develop a plan for yourself!

“Fewer than ten per cent of surveyed principals intended to be a school leader when they started teaching. Yet within their first few years of becoming a teacher, one-third of current principals had decided to seek out a leadership post. The biggest factor for more than three-quarters of leaders in their decision to take up the role was that they were encouraged and supported by the leaders in their school.”
ACER, Staff in Australia’s schools 2013*

Being asked to take on a leadership role, can be rewarding and challenging. In developing a plan, you should focus on the personal and the professional.

The first place to start is with a follow-up interview with your leader that was on the interview panel. You need to find out if there is an area that needs immediate attention, perhaps a key to the strategic plan. If you have been promoted into a new organization, they have likely hired you as a change-agent.

The second thing to consider is ‘Force-Field Analysis’ of your new position. What are the internal and external forces that could impact upon your new position? Are there ways in which the competing forces could become useful to you in role success? That is the short-term analysis, the first 12-18 months.

So, the third question is: what do you need to do now, to ensure that you have the skill-set, for what you can see coming down the track in 2-3 years time? This is called scanning the horizon and shows you as a strategic thinker. It might be a graduate level certificate, a short course or perhaps a conference or annual symposium, you need to attend.

For example, you have been asked to be the Head of English in a high school. Whilst interviewing your Principal (back in step 1), you find that eLearning opportunities and ‘turn-around the school’ is on the agenda. The eLearning agenda might mean studying a tertiary qualification, (e.g. A Graduate Certificate of Education in eLearning). The ‘Turn-Around’ agenda might mean a short course, conference or symposium. Always look at your local professional associations, for support opportunities.