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Leadership Action Plan In the fall of 2004 I embarked on a leadership journey like none I had taken before. With eagerness in my heart I began courses in ethics and leadership and created a leadership portfolio titled A Heros Journey from Base Camp to the Summit. I developed a leadership credo inspired by the writings of Paolo Coelho and Maya Angelou and the vistas of mountains. In my credo introduction, I state a mountains pyramid shape represents the foundation and the growth of a developing leader; the peak symbolizes attainment of achievement; and mountains, by their very nature, are enduring and will stand the test of time, as does good leadership. These early leadership inspirations gleaned in the first course still hold true for me. Further, I am committed to building on this foundation of leadership skills, enabling the refinement of strengths and weaknesses, finding balance in life and work, imagining dreams, expanding horizons, reaching my highest potential. Throughout the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) program, Ive explored personal best leadership experiences and learned that constituents look for honesty, forward-looking, competent and inspirational leadership qualities. These are the qualities I continue to apply and develop. This paper outlines my future agenda for continued growth and development as a leader after my MAOL program draws to a close. Herein, I speak to specific, measurable, actionable and timely goals. Noting that effective, ethical and enduring leaders hold integrity in high regard, I also share how I will hold myself accountable. Cultural Intelligence To address development of cultural intelligence, I have chosen to develop international as well as socio-economic cultural intelligence. To accomplish this, I will continue to interact with former Rotary International exchange students and host families that I met during and after my

1992 exchange year in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ill also correspond with the 2009 Rotary Group Study Exchange young professionals and business people that I met in Gothenberg, Sweden. I will also continue developing friendships with Somali people whom I have met while volunteering at the Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council (MHRC), a public housing tenant advocacy organization. To complete this goal, I will attend annual year-end gatherings for former exchange students and, when feasible, return to Denmark every five years. I intend to maintain contact with international friends on Facebook and revisit the MHRC Somali people semi-annually. Effective Leadership My goal for effective leadership includes building momentum around my Action Research Project on bike-to-work programs. While completing my Action Research Project and preparing for my presentation, I realized that I want to create a career in the active living industry. I feel motivated by the success of my November 14 presentation that this goal can become a reality. For example, to market my presentation, I shared the topic with my network. Based on my leadership excellence as an environmental health and transportation planner and excellent relationship building skills, I was able to capture the attention of bicycling and health industry leaders. I have since been invited to speak at six organizations and share my paper with several industry leaders. To continue the practice of effective leadership, I will follow up with the six people and organizations that requested copies of my paper: Kris Stahl, Environmental Health business owner, Karen Nitzkorski/Jason Bergstrand/Patrick Hollister of Clay County/ PartnerSHIP4Health, Executive Director Dorian Grilley of Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, Program Manager Heather Cole of SMART Trips, Executive Director Ethan Fawley of

Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition and Program Manager Linda Feltes of State of Minnesota worksite programs. I intend to share copies of my paper by December 20, 2013. Further, Ill coordinate speaking engagement dates with the five organizations that invited me to speak about my action research project: Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, PartnerSHIP4Health, Minnesota Department of Transportation, SMART Trips St. Paul and Active Living Ramsey County/Mary Jo McGuire. I have already begun scheduling dates that I will share my paper and am in conversation with staff from SMART Trips and State of Minnesota worksite programs to hold a meeting. My presentation schedule is dependent upon when I begin full time work. My goal is to secure speaking engagements with all organizations by May 31, 2013. I intend to publish my action research paper in the Transport Policy journal or similar journal that I came across while performing a literature review for this project. My goal is to publish my paper by December 31, 2014. Enduring and Ethical and Leadership My growth as an enduring and ethical leader is a priority and I have sought out opportunities to engage locally as a leader in my community, the City of St Louis Park. In May 2013, I learned the City Council was so impressed with my application for a newly formed citizen commission that they did not even interview me. In June 2013, I took my seat as a founding member of the Citys Environment and Sustainability Commission. Next, in August 2013 I was invited by a close associate of the Mayor to join the BlueCross BlueShield Foundation-funded Health in the Park Task Force and Steering Committee. This initiative will recruit residents to join a series of conversations about creating health in the community. Through this health for all initiative, I can foster an atmosphere of

ethical leadership as dozens of underserved residents will now have an opportunity to speak up for their healthy living needs. It is an honor to be recognized by city leaders and entrusted to lead future planning of the city. To cultivate this ethical, enduring and forward-looking leadership competency, I will continue to engage in long range planning opportunities within my community. My term on the Health in the Park steering committee term runs through spring 2014 and the Environment and Sustainability Commission term lasts until December 31, 2015. Reading My director, and co-founder of Heartland, Inc., has witnessed my community leadership roles expand and he has heard me speak of higher aspirations. In September, I participated in a two day DFL leadership camp and came away feeling inspired to run for city council in the future. At this point, it is part of my ten year plan. Knowing that I take on several leadership roles at once, succeed in full time graduate courses and work part time, he has witnessed me reach excellence in each arena. As a mentor and professional coach to organizational leaders, I listened intently when he suggested that I read a book titled Wander Woman: How HighAchieving Women Find Contentment and Direction by Marcia Reynolds. I have begun paging through it and look forward to completing it by December 31, 2013. I am hopeful that the book will provide insights into harnessing my many passions and interests. Perhaps these will align. I am looking into my next career, which is yet to be determined! Summary Throughout the paper I noted practices that will contribute to cultural intelligence and effective, ethical, enduring leadership qualities. Considering the best way to hold myself accountable, I determined that speaking about my leadership development plans with my boyfriend, parents and my newly forming personal board of directors will serve me well. I will

also add these plans to my calendar as appointments. Another way I can hold myself accountable is to treat these goals as commitments and create an annual workplan that I can reference quarterly. I look forward to applying the above practices and further developing my leadership skills and abilities. Wherever my aspirations lead me, I look forward to the journey from the base camp to the summit.