Personal and Professional Development

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Task 1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning......................................................................... 3

1.2 Ways for personal and professional contexts to be encouraged ............................................... 4

1.3 Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and the organization ................... 5

Task: 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 6

2.1 Evaluation of own current skills and competencies against professional standards and

organizational objectives ..................................................................................................................... 6

2.2 Identification of development needs and the activities required .................................................... 7

2.3 Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs ............................. 9

2.4 A personal and professional development plan based on identified needs ................................... 10

Task:3 .................................................................................................................................................... 10

3.1 The processes and activities required to implement the development plan ................................. 10

3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned ...................................................... 11

3.3 Reflect critically on own learning against original aims and objectives set in the development plan

.......................................................................................................................................................... 12

3.4 Update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation ............................................... 13

Task: 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 14

4.1 Select solutions to work based problems ..................................................................................... 14

4.2 Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels .............................. 16

4.3 Evaluate and use effective time management strategies .............................................................. 17

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 17

References ............................................................................................................................................ 18

Introduction

Personal and Professional development of individuals add value to any organizations and flow

positive fruitful consequences in life cycle. Self-managed learning through multifarious ways

including internet, team works, social, experience is regarded the best kind of learning for any

individual. When individual perceive the importance of fundamental constituent parts of life to

undertake and execute task efficiently, individual tends to be more reflective, adroit and efferent

in one’s own way.

Task 1

1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning

Self-managed learning is learning through observation including both conditional and operant

learning and which is essential for personal development and ways to applying it to achieve

personal goals. Approaches to self-managed leering are illustrated as following:

Attending Productive Seminars and Conferences: Individuals can enrich their learning

through attending educational or productive conferences about various subjects. In conferences,

people share their ideas and experiences which are essential for enhancing our knowledge in

cognitive as well as practical field.

Online Courses: Individuals can learn through online based courses. In this 21stcentury, there

are diverse numbers of educational sites which offer free or premium courses for multifarious

subjects. Through these, individual can gain lifelong learning which gets them flexibility and

professional skills.

Social Sites: Social sites these days, has removed cross civilization distances. We can know

make contacts with people from other countries through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and these

are completely free for use. So, self-managed learning can be boost up with these free social

sites.

Figure: Way to know how one’s self-managed learning is undergoing

(source: Pinterest)

1.2 Ways for personal and professional contexts to be encouraged

The way for personal and professional contexts to be encouraged is illustrated as following:

Self-motivation: Self-motivation is the key way to success for any individual. It’s the way of

avoiding depression, frustration, negative thoughts of life.

Self-management: This is the way to get oneself to be more organized more in life. Self-

management requires more principles, codes and self-respect.

Self-modification: After completing above two tasks, one can get the deviations in his or her

life. Then one can work in his or her deviations to modify oneself according to the role models.

Self-Monitoring: The next part comes self-monitoring. This part helps oneself to evaluate and

scrutinize.

Figure: Ways for personal and professional contexts to be encouraged

1.3 Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and the

organization

The evaluation of mentioned criteria can be illustrated as following:

Leadership skills: Self manage learning can improve one’s leadership skills in organizational

and team level. Individuals can be adaptive, proactive, enthusiastic and above all can accumulate

team works to organizational goals.

Communization and Engagement skills: Self-managed learning can increase one’s

communication with others as well as enhance one’s ability to retain strong brand consumer

engagement.

Applying SWOT analysis: One can apply SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat)

analysis in oneself. Through this individual can perceive what are one’s strengths by which one

can achieve goals. One can also learn about individual weakness and threats which needs to be

worked on to be overcome. Eventually Individuals can spot on opportunities, which one can

drive one’s effort to achieve optimum goals according to the bar of standard.

Keeping track of one’s moods: Self-managed learning can help one to keep track on stable

moods. In reality, it’s rare to keep control on moods because individuals are drive by memories

and emotions. Eventually they ended up being wrong by demonstrating wrong moods on crucial

moments. So, Self-managed learning can enhance the optimal level from the minimal level of

mood swing.

Figure: Shaping oneself by Self-managed learning

(Source:dopeway)

Task: 2

2.1 Evaluation of own current skills and competencies against professional

standards and organizational objectives

Evaluation of own skills on the basis of mentioned criteria can be illustrated as following:

Conceptual skills: This is the most important skill for an individual by which one can identify

organizational opportunity spots, recognize threats, boost up improvements, grasping the most

vital information from the population parameter. Moreover, Conceptual skills helps one to do

instant presentation, business models and other perceptual actions on an immediate basis.

Effectiveness skills: Way of showing preferences and set up priority roster can tell one’s

effectiveness skills. Effectiveness of skill help an individual in maintain project standards,

equivalent bargaining and implementing procedures. Eventually effectiveness is important to

maintain the highest organizational interest on big aspect.

Interpersonal skills: Interpersonal skills can be developed from training, attending seminars,

online courses and self-managed learning. Interpersonal skills help networking inside and outside

of the organization. Functioning with different minded people can also be boost up through

interpersonal skills.

Communication and Engagement skills: In this era of mutual working, these two components

are the most crucial criteria for any individual particularly professional and organizational basis.

Through communication skills, one can make contacts with diverse minded people as well as

persuade in some terms manipulate them in such a way that is good for the welfare of the

organization itself. Through good engagement skills can lead one to maintain better customer

business relationship which enhance brand value and consumer loyalty.

Figure: Evaluation of own skills on the basis of mentioned criteria

2.2 Identification of development needs and the activities required

Identification of needs and activities for accomplishing tasks is always challenging and

perceptual in nature. An analysis called DPR (Development and Performance Review) can be

applied on the aspect. The stages of this combined process are illustrated as following:

Perceiving necessary skills, concepts and knowledge required for the job: Everyhas some

certain job descriptions and criteria. Individual who’s assigned to do the job need to make sure

that he or she have the required skills and criteria for accomplishing the job efficiently. For

organizations, employee can talk to the immediate seniors about the necessary skills and

experience required. Individual can make a list on the required skills, which can be gained at the

later time. Eventually, this task can give one the overall idea about accomplishing the job

effectively and efficiently.

Monitoring and improvising skills, knowledge and concepts one have now: In this process an

individual need to monitor his or her own skills and if any deviation found, then he or she needs

to improvise it in order to apply it in accordance with the project milestones. One can asks

oneself rigorous and hypocritical questions, in order to get some honest answers. Eventually this

will help one to feel confident and enthusiastic about greater strength in completing required

task.

Comparing actual and standard bar to spot deviations: The last part comes with the

comparison between actual and required task. If the task happens to be up to the mark, then the

above two steps no need any improvising. But if there’s any deviations found in monitoring

process, then necessary controlling activities need to take in order to improvise above two steps

as well as further improvements.

Figure: Comparing oneself to the standard bar (Source: Pinterest)

2.3 Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined

needs

Higher comparative advantages and sometimes absolute advantage can be achieved when

individuals start searching to spot opportunities in external as well internal environment. The

identification of mentioned criteria is illustrated as following:

Identify the skill gaps: Development opportunities only can be spot when individuals can find

the key gaps between the required skills and actual skills. Sometime not cautious about such

deviation leads to complete collapse of team works or short time milestones. So, identifying the

key gaps are very necessary bin this regard.

Skills and Competency Management: Every organization has their own sorted competency

management department. The basic function of this department is to define the necessary skills

required to perform particular jobs. So, if there is any deviation in this department, organization

can’t find their required agent to do the task effectively and efficiently.

Whether plans are linked to business goals: The next thing is to make sure whether the plans

which are taken to meet the millstones are linked to the center goal or not. If organizations

undertake projects which are not related to the goal, then the investment will go in vain.

Strategic planning: Every action and probable reaction should be strategically placed in an

organization. Without strategic planning, company can’t spot opportunities and develop

contingencies to counter.

Scope for Renovation and Flexibility: Every undertaken project should have certain optimum

level of flexibility option. As external environment is always unpredictable and uncertain. To

counter the unpredicted problem in wrong time, flexibility plays the “Emergency Exit” role.

Figure: Random portrait of Opportunity spot(Source: Pinterest)

2.4 A personal and professional development plan based on identified needs

To devise a personal and professional plan, I can join “Graphics design” learning institution. As

it’s an era of Science and design. Every aspect of an organization required graphical designers.

For an instance, Graphics design is a must for the Marketing department who deals with making

advertisements, bill boards, leaf lets and so other graphically design contents. So, with this sense

of knowledge, I can actually add some extra value to the organization as well as I can earn extra

money through freelancing and outsourcing. Eventually, Graphics designing can lead a personal

and a professional development according identified needs.

Task:3

3.1 The processes and activities required to implement the development plan

Here is six simple process which can materialize any development plan of an organization which

is illustrated as following:

Aligning training plan with business strategy: The center goal and subsidiary milestones of

the company should be clear out to the upper class as well lower class employees. The HR

should define each of the post with correct job description with minimal required skills.

Eventually the Competency department should train the employees in accordance with updated

business strategies.

Highlighting certain skill gaps: Competency departments of an organization work hard to

match the training with the updated skills of the employees but in reality, they thoroughly can’t

match the entire gap. On that part, Strategic Bureau Unit (SBU) can play a significant role. If the

gaps can be overcome, then improvising and flexibility level will increase dramatically than

before.

Prioritize action needs: The next part to implement any development plan is to correctly

prioritize subsidiary actions which need to be done for accomplishing the project. Though every

work in an organization should be treated equally but in reality, the value and weight of each

work doesn’t match. So, high valued actions need to addressed fast than lesser one.

Measurable work: The work which have undertaken should be measured on a period basis. If

lacking found out in wrong time after completing the work, then solution won’t cost any good.

So, the work should be continuously monitored and if any deviation found then necessary

measure should take to overcome that.

Figure: Processes and activities required to implement the development plan(self-made)

3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned

The ways of undertaking and document activities as planned are illustrated as following:

Organizing Study groups: To make a project successful, every part of the intermediaries need

to be documented precisely and subsequently. As external environment is unpredicted and so

there may be any need of improvising in milestones. Only proper documentation can help to

perform the flexibility requires for the change.

Monitoring and Supervising: Continuous monitoring on regular period can enhance efficiency

of any project to a great extent. From the measurement if any deviation found, firm can take

necessary actions to counter it.

Figure: Portrait of document development activities as planned (Source: minimal)

3.3 Reflect critically on own learning against original aims and objectives set

in the development plan

The ways of such reflection based on the mentioned criteria are illustrated as following:

Initial meeting and preparation: meeting among teams about regarded work is very crucial for

any project development. The competencies, capabilities, weakness, hidden strength among the

team mates can be reveal in such meeting and preparation criteria.

Past knowledge and experiences: Past knowledge about similar situation can give essential

information which can take into action for current events. So, reflection of old learning can put

significant influences on aims and objectives in the deployment plans.

Maintaining records and Estimations: Maintaining records and regular estimation about the

future moves can be very effective to achieve organizational objectives. The optimal level of

anticipation can be achieved through this approach. It also helps to accumulate short time

objectives to be linked with the center milestones of the organization.

3.4 Update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation

The development plan based on the feedback and evaluation criteria can be illustrated as

following six step process:

Workforce Analysis: Evaluation on development starts with the basic part which is workforce

analysis. Learning the resources, competencies, contingencies of plan can be included in this

workforce analysis. Workforce analysis can give a short complete scenario about the

fundamental function of the organization.

Forecast needs: The next step to identify probable needs forecasting. With all resources

organization, can be lacked of certain needs like particular external contacts, policy effects etc.

so, forecasting probable needs can be useful in evaluation of plans.

Analyze required gaps: Individuals needs to analyze required gaps between actual and standard

actions. Eventually necessary steps need to be taken to overcome such deviations.

Developing Contingency plans: As external environment of business is out of any influence.

So, contingency plan need to develop to support the center plan of business. The more flexible

the contingency be, the more likely to influence fast in the market.

Implement Strategies: There must be implemental strategies of the undertaken plan. This

implement strategy must be realistic and relevant in accordance company’s regarded resources

and financial strength. Utopian plan can energies for short time but can bring fruitful

consequences.

Monitoring and Evaluation: The last part comes with necessary monitoring over regular period

and required evaluation of actual work.

Figure: Process of the development plan based on feedback and evaluation (source: self-made)

Task: 4

4.1 Select solutions to work based problems

The steps for selecting solutions to any work based problems can be defined as following:

Identification of Issues: To solve any work based problem the identification of regarded issues

is necessary. Which includes to be cleared about the arose problem, views and influences of the

situation can also be included in this part.

Perceiving regarded Interest: This is the most critical part of problem solving. To list

necessary solutions, the interest of the organization need to be placed at the top of the priority

list. “Organization interest is far beyond than individual interest” this mindset need to be kept in

every individual.

Contra list of potential solution: This is the most brainstorming part in problem solving stage.

Here individual needs to find out some potential solutions.

Evaluation of options: Then, in accordance with organizational resources and capital strength,

the best alternative options need to be chosen.

Feasibility of the option: In this part the feasibility of the undertaken option is measured with

reality and external environmental context.

Contingency, Evaluation and Monitoring: The next part is to evaluation, continuous

monitoring and judge the contingency plans.

Figure: Problem solving steps at work (Source: self-made)

4.2 Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various

levels

Multifarious communication styles and each of their appropriate manner can be illustrated as

following:

The Controller style: In this style, individual tends be autocratic, want to do the majority work

by oneself. This type of individual can’t adopt in the team work. Too much ethnocentric and

work orientation leads to obsolete success for the individual not for the organization in bigger

picture.

The Promoter style: Individual with this type of personality are generally extrovert, sociable,

talkative and love to work in groups. This type of individuals can easily adopt in the group can

work for the bigger interest of the organization.

The Supporter style: This is the low-minded personality. They tend to oil and flatter the big

fishes of the organization in order to gain their individual interest.

The Analyzer style: They are the real heroes who actually work with their analytical ability and

knowledge. They directly add values to the organization.

Figure: Communication styles and each of their appropriate manner (Source: self-made)

4.3 Evaluate and use effective time management strategies

The evaluation and the uses of effective time management strategies can be illustrated as

following:

I. Knowing how to spend time: Individuals need to know how to utilize time for adding

values in life. Time is the most precious element in life.

II. Setting Priorities: Individual needs to prioritize all action list, in order to do the tasks

efficient and effectively

III. Using Planning tool: Experts use different planning tools necessary for executing works.

So, increase productivity planning tools are must

IV. Organized Action: No fruitful consequences come from disorganized work. So

individual needs to be organized in order to betterment of the work.

V. Scheduling Time appropriately: Scheduling time and commitment to the schedule can

lead one to one’s desired consequences in life.

VI. Delegation: Every individual doesn’t have all the necessary resources’ for executing

work. Se individual needs to communication with others in this respect as a good

delegate.

VII. Stopping Procrastinating: No task is insignificant as long as it has minimal level of

value. So, individuals need to stop procrastinating about their jobs

VIII. Managing External time wasters: Managing time wasters from external environment is

a mandatory to do the work efficiently.

IX. Avoiding Multitasking: Individuals need to avoid multitasking in order to executing the

current task efficiently.

X. Stay healthy: Eventually individuals need to remain healthy as because health is the root

of all sorts of happiness in life.

Conclusion

Eventually we can conclude that individual need to perceive approaches to personal and

professional context, skills and competencies one have, development needs to gain, ways of

dealing with problem at work and related procedures. At the end, Individual make sure to have a

happy and healthier life with discussed virtues.

References