Leadership Development Plan Template
A leadership development plan template that builds management and leadership capability through assessment, focused goals, experiences, and coaching.
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What you get
- A leadership competency self-assessment and 360 prompt
- Two or three focused development goals with measures
- An experience, coaching, and learning action plan
- A review cadence to track leadership growth
Template preview
The structure, not the finished file. The PDF and CSV carry the complete version.
Leader details
- Name
- Current role / scope
- Target role or growth horizon
- Manager / sponsor
Leadership competency self-assessment
Rate current strength (1-4) and importance to the role, then look for high-importance / low-strength gaps.
| Leadership competency | Current (1-4) | Importance (1-4) | Priority gap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting direction & vision | |||
| Coaching & developing people | |||
| Decision-making under ambiguity | |||
| Influence & stakeholder management |
360 feedback summary
- Strengths others see
- Blind spots / development themes
- One behaviour to start, stop, continue
Development goals
Two or three goals tied to the priority gaps above.
| Goal | Competency | Success measure | Target date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate more to grow the team | Coaching & developing | Team owns 2 areas I used to run | Q4 |
Action plan (experience, coaching, learning)
| Goal | Action | Type | Support needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate more | Hand off a workstream and coach the owner | Stretch experience | Manager air cover |
| Delegate more | Monthly coaching on letting go | Coaching | External coach |
| Delegate more | Read & apply a delegation framework | Learning | Time + budget |
The preview stops here; the template continues in the download.
How to use this template
- Assess the baseline. Use the leadership competencies plus 360 feedback to find the highest-leverage growth areas.
- Pick focused goals. Choose two or three leadership goals tied to current or next-role demands.
- Plan stretch and support. Combine stretch experiences, coaching or mentoring, and targeted learning for each goal.
- Review and recalibrate. Check progress against measures every quarter and gather fresh feedback.
Frequently asked questions
How is a leadership development plan different from a standard IDP?
It's an IDP focused specifically on leadership and management competencies. It leans more on 360 feedback, stretch experiences, and coaching, because leadership growth is behavioural and best built on the job.
Who should have a leadership development plan?
Current managers, high-potential ICs being prepared for management, and senior leaders. The earlier you start with future leaders, the smoother the transition into the role.
What's the best way to develop leaders?
A 70-20-10 mix weighted toward experience: stretch assignments and real leadership challenges, supported by coaching or mentoring, with formal learning to add frameworks. Feedback loops are what make it stick.