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When the Springboks won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, new South African President Nelson Mandela put on a green and gold rugby jersey to present the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar , a white Afrikaner. When Mandela and other ‘politicals' were imprisoned on Robin Island, they had set up a formal football competition – that's soccer, not rugby football. By putting on the strip of his former captors' sport, Mandela showed he was capable of working with the previously dominant but now politically vulnerable whites. An effective leader inspires their people to see and do things differently. The green and gold became a symbol of a new South Africa, where all could contribute.
When we develop an effective personal plan we kick off change in our life. Our plan helps to disrupt existing patterns, and establish new ways of behaving. Just as a leader contributes to the success of followers by encouraging new approaches, you can take a leadership role in your own life.
Personal planning is fundamental to personal change, but a one size personal plan will not fit all. Not a radical idea? Of course people are different, and need to adopt different approaches to achieve success. But when we try to plan our own future – why do we borrow the approach used by someone else? If all of us are unique, then what has worked for someone else is not necessarily going to work so well for us.
Let's look at two personality styles, and see how they might approach planning. We have come across many people who combine extroversion and open-mindedness into an ‘enthusiast' style. Enthusiasts find new people and new ideas stimulating. They can often get inspired to give a new opportunity a go. However, as the plan implementation gets routine – yet another review session looms – the enthusiast can be distracted – by the next big thing. The enthusiast needs a personal plan to ensure that they are able to persist even when implementation gets boring.
Another style we see is the ‘anxious performer'. A tendency to be both conscientious and nervous contributes to this style. These people invest a lot in getting things done. In part because of a strong action orientation, in part because of concerns of the risk of getting things wrong. The anxious performer needs a personal plan that ensures that they take time out to review not only what they have done, but to consider the relevance and impact of all that effort.
Does your personal plan play to your strengths, while ignoring your weaknesses? Possibly you don't have a plan guiding your future. Maybe your lack of a personal plan indicates that previous change attempts have been disrupted by your own style?
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Nelson Mandela is enjoying what some would consider a hard-earned retirement. In terms of you taking charge of your life and guiding your success it is critical that you take on the personal leadership and effective personal planning that will make a positive difference. Make sure that your plan is one that flexes around your personal style and works – uniquely – for you.
