Personal Development Plan - Stellar Leadershipstellarleadership.com/docs/Knowing and Managing Yourself/assessme… · Personal Development Plan 1 Analysing Your Competence A wide

Personal Development Plan

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Analysing Your Competence A wide variety of formal and informal development opportunities exist, both within and outside of the workplace, and you need to be aware of these in order to identify the most appropriate opportunities to use in meeting your development goals. In this session, we focus on identifying development needs by exploring some key tools to help you analyse your job-related and personal competences. To develop potential, you need to know what stage of the development process has been reached – that is you need to analyse your current competence. This applies whether the target for development is yourself, other individuals, or as a team. The starting point is the identification of development needs, which is what we focus on in this topic. Initially, we encourage you to carry out this process on yourself, for self-development, but you can apply the tools and techniques to anyone. Developing potential is all about helping people to move forwards. In terms of work, this implies moving from one level of performance to a new and higher level. Not only can individuals improve their skills and performance but the organisations will also benefit. During the development process, individuals pass through different stages of awareness, as shown below:

1. State of unconscious incompetence

3. State of conscious competence

2. State of conscious incompetence

4. State of unconscious competence



We can explain this by applying each of these stages to driving a car. 1. State of unconscious incompetence As children, most of us are completely unaware of the skills or techniques needed for driving a car. We are not aware of the need for any competence. 2. State of conscious incompetence It is probably at some point during our teens that we become aware of the need to pass a driving test, involving both knowledge and skill that we don’t yet possess. We are increasingly conscious of our incompetence. 3. State of conscious competence We take driving lessons and, once we pass the test, we tend to drive relatively carefully, thinking about the rules and techniques that we have been taught. We are conscious of our competence! 4. State of unconscious competence Before too long, we automatically drive to the standard required, giving it no great thought. This is unconscious competence. Unfortunately, what happens then is that complacency can set in – in driving terms, we begin to learn bad habits and there is a risk of drifting back into ‘unconscious incompetence’! In order to analyse your current level of competence, there are two areas that you need to consider. Job-related needs – what knowledge and skills do you possess at the

moment, and what do you need in order to progress within your job? Learning needs- how are you most likely to acquire the knowledge and skills

you need? By working through this session you will be able to practice the skills of analysing information to help you identify development needs.



Our Personal Development Plan (PDP) process uses four stages to help you review your current position and future needs. These are in the form of worksheets and questionnaires to help you to produce a:-

Personal Profile Job-related Profile Summary of Personal Competences related to your current job Summary of Management Competences against Management Standards

Personal Profile A good starting point for any development programme is making an accurate assessment of what you have achieved to date. Drawing up a personal profile provides a basis for a development programme. This activity encourages you to begin thinking about the value of your achievements to date, in the context of your work and ambition, by providing a systematic structure for recording information Read through the following ten steps and, as you do so, complete the personal profile that follows, recording what you have done, what you achieved and how the results were measured.



Workheets on Personal Profile

Step 1 Education and Qualifications

Education:

Qualifications:

Professional Qualifications:



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 2 Career History

Job: Dates: Main achievements / experiences:






PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 3: Courses Attended

Course attended: Date: Knowledge, skills and experience:






PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 4: Your Current Job

Briefly describe your job (include key relationships):

Key performance areas / targets:

Specific objectives:

Recent achievements:



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 5: Skills and Abilities Checklist

The following are included as a guide to help you think about your existing skills and abilities. Tick the box if you think you need development in order to improve.

Development Needed

Making and using contacts

Delegating

Co-ordinating tasks and making arrangements

Managing time

Deciding on priorities and setting goals

Working without supervision

Setting and meeting deadlines

Handling a variety of tasks and responsibilities

Concentrating

Questioning

Assimilating and remembering a lot of information

Reading quickly

Keeping records, filing and retrieving information

Advising or counselling

Helping people to develop themselves

Running training sessions or teaching

Speaking at meetings

Planning, chairing or running a meeting of any kind

Making a presentation

Expressing appreciation and compliments readily



PERSONAL PROFILE

Development Needed

Say ‘no’ without feeling guilty

Asking for help or information

Giving constructive criticism

Accepting a rejection

Stating your views to an authority figure

Refusing to allow yourself to be manipulated or ‘put down’

Accepting different opinions

Listening intently and accurately

Communicating information and opinions clearly, in speech and writing

Thinking quickly on your feet

Explaining difficult concepts or ideas and giving clear instructions

Making yourself understood in a foreign language

Writing minutes

Dealing well with the public

Writing business letters and proposals

Speaking on the telephone

Interviewing

Getting people to work together

Negotiating

Persuading people

Promoting change

Taking risks



PERSONAL PROFILE

Development Needed Making and carrying out difficult decisions

Spotting and solving problems

Challenging ideas and actions that are unacceptable

Using imagination

Supervising others

Judging people’s effectiveness and potential

Giving feedback

Other:

Step 5: Summary of Development Needed

In your owns words, summarise the areas where development is needed:-



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 6: Preferred Working Styles (if known)

Learning style:

Leadership style:

Management style:

Team role(s):

General personality/characteristics:

Other:



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 7: Experiences as a Learner Think about your experiences as a learner. What were your most successful experiences? What were the least successful?

Most successful: This was probably because…..

Least successful: This was probably because…..



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 8: Career Plans

In two years’ time, I would aim to be:

In order to move towards this, my plans are:



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 9: Non-Work Interests

Hobbies and interests:



PERSONAL PROFILE

Step 10: Lifestyle Goals

Family?

Friendships?

Working Environment?

Home Environment ?

Social and Community?

Leisure?



Completing a personal profile provides a comprehensive picture of the intended subject for a development programme. Although this information may be available from other resources such as a CV or personnel records, it is unlikely to be available in a ready-to-use format such as that reproduced here. You should also have found that completing a personal profile has helped you to focus on your individual qualities. For many people that is something they have not done for a while! The later parts of the personal profile look at future plans and interests outside work because any development plans will stand more chance of being successful if they fit in with your life as a whole, and with your ambitions. There is evidence that people only take learning and development seriously when they have a genuine and strongly felt desire to do so, and development plans that don’t take account of their ambitions and other interests won’t be successful.



Job-related Competences Most jobs these days have a description of the main areas of responsibility and accountability. Such a description usually specifies ‘key tasks’ or ‘key result areas’ or something similar, which not only indicates the results expected, but also states how performance will be measured. Job-related competences, which are also known as ‘technical’ or ‘functional’ competences, are often included along with job descriptions. Competences are statements of the specific skills, underpinning knowledge and associated behaviour needed to perform tasks to the required standard. In some sectors of industry, these are laid down by representative bodies and form the basis for vocational qualifications, but additionally some employers have designed their own competences specifically for their own organisation. Whatever the source, these competences are an essential guide to the standard of performance required for jobs, and they form the basis for the next activity. When thinking about the competences needed for your job, you will inevitably reveal gaps in your own competences. This next activity highlights areas of competence for future development by creating a list which can then be used as the basis for a Personal Development Plan. Use the form on the next page to note down the competences required in your job. If these competences are specified on your job description, then write these down. You may also be working to NVQ competences. Alternatively, try to identify for yourself the key competences that you need – the ability to produce a budget, the ability to use a spreadsheet, the recruitment and training of new team members and so on – and note them down on the form. Then, for each key competence, make an assessment of whether or not you need further development. This is not as complicated as it sounds! Simply ask yourself if you’re current level of performance is adequate, or does it need improving? Write your answer in the ‘Development Needed?’ column.



Worksheet on Job Related Competences

The key competences I need in

order to achieve the performance targets in my job are:

Development Needed?

Feedback These job-related competences represent what you need to do to perform to the required standard in your job. However, that is not the whole story. There are also competences that reflect how you need to perform, and these are known as ‘personal competences’



Personal Competences While the job-related competences that you need may change as your job changes, personal competences stay with you (although, if you think back to the idea of ‘unconscious incompetence’, they may need renewing if they are not used regularly). Personal competences are sometimes referred to as ‘transferable skills’. Although there is likely to be a different emphasis from organisations to organisation (and from job to job). A variety of models for personal competency exists – many organisations have developed their own competency framework identifying the personal competences required by their mangers. As a generic model in this topic we group the personal competences into ten distinct areas.

1. Acting assertively 2. Acting strategically 3. Behaving ethically 4. Building teams 5. Communicating 6. Focusing on results 7. Influencing others 8. Managing self 9. Searching for information 10. Thinking and taking decisions



Worksheet on Personal Competences

To what extent does your own organisation use personal competences? This

activity encourages you to think about this question. Does your organisation use personal competences? If so, are they specific to:

1. The organisation 2. Different levels of management?

What are they, and how are they used? Make notes in the space provided below:



Management Competences In the next activity, we use checklists to assess your current level of competence in each of these ten areas. You will find that the activity requires more thought about some aspects of competence than was necessary when completing the personal profile. The questionnaire is adapted from the list of personal competences developed by the Management Charter Initiative (MCI), an industry-led organisation which has identified key occupational standards for managers. You have though about development needs in relation to your current job. Now you will find it helpful to consider the personal competences that are relevant and whether you need to develop them further. The next activity encourages greater awareness through self-assessment by highlighting areas of competence for future development. Look at the checklists on the following pages, and use them to assess current levels of competence. (If assessing yourself, you should discuss your assessment with your line manager.) You need to make two judgements. 1. Is the competence applicable to your current job? If it is, do you use/practice

this skill (‘Yes’) or not (‘No’). 2. Is your current level of performance adequate, or does it need improving? If it

needs improvement, put a tick in the ‘Development Needed’ column.



Worksheet on Management Competences

Development

Acting Assertively N/A Yes No Needed?

Do you: a Take a leading role in initiating action and making decisions?

b Take personal responsibility for making things happen?

c Take control of situations and events?

d Act in an assured and unhesitating manner when faced with a challenge?

e Say ‘no’ to unreasonable requests?

f State you own position and views clearly in conflict situations?

g Maintain your beliefs, commitment and effort in spite of set-backs or opposition

Acting Strategically Do you:

i Understand how the different parts of the organisation and its environment fit together?

j Work towards a clearly defined vision of the future?

k Clearly relate goals and actions to the strategic aims of the organisation?

l Take opportunities when they arise to achieve the longer term aims or

needs of the organisation?

Behaving Ethically

Do you:

a Comply with legislation, industry regulations, professional and organisational codes?

b Show integrity and fairness in decision making?

c Set objectives and create cultures relevant to the organisation?

d Clearly identify and raise ethical concerns relevant to the organisation?

e Work towards resolution of ethical dilemmas based on reasoned approaches?



Development Building Teams (Managing Others) N/A Yes No Needed? Do you: a Actively build relationships with others?

b Make time available to support others?

c Encourage and stimulate others to make the best use of their abilities?

d Evaluate and enhance people’s capability to do their jobs?

e Provide feedback designed to improve people’s future performance?

f Show sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others?

g Show respect for the views and actions of others?

h Use power and authority in a fair and equitable manner?

Building Teams (Relating to Others) Do you: i Keep others informed about plans and progress? j Clearly identify what is required of others? k Invite others to contribute to planning and organising work? l Set objectives that are both achievable and challenging? m Check individuals’ commitment to specific course of action? n Use a variety of techniques to promote morale and productivity? o Identify and resolve causes of conflict or resistance?



Development

Communicating N/A Yes No Needed?

Do you: a Identify the information needs of listeners?

b Listen actively, ask questions, clarify points and re-phrase others statements to check mutual understanding?

c Adopt communications styles appropriate to listeners and situations, including selecting an appropriate time and place?

d Use a variety of media and communication aids to reinforce points and maintain interest?

e Present difficult ideas and problems in ways that promote understanding?

f Confirm listeners’ understanding through questioning and interpretation of non-verbal signals?

g Encourage listeners to ask questions or re-phrase statements to clarify their understanding?

h Modify communication in response to feedback from listeners?

Focusing on Results (Planning and Prioritising) Do you: a Maintain a focus on objectives? b Tackle problems and take advantage of opportunities as they arise?

c Prioritise objectives and schedules to make best use of time and resources?

d Focus personal attention on specific details that are critical to the success of

a key event?



Development

Focusing on Results (Striving for Excellence) N/A Yes No Needed?

Do you: a Actively seek to do things better?

b Use change as an opportunity for improvement?

c Establish and communicate high expectations of performance, including setting an example to others?

d Set goals that are demanding of yourself and others?

e Monitor the quality of work and progress against plans?

f Continually strive to identify and minimise barriers to excellence?

Influencing Others Do you:

Develop and use contacts to trade information, and obtain support and resources?

Present yourself positively to others?

Create and prepare strategies for influencing others?

Use a variety of means to influence others?

Understand the culture of the organisations and act to work within it or influence it?

Managing Self (Controlling Emotions and Stress) Do you:

a Accept personal comments or criticism without becoming defensive?

b Remain calm in difficult or uncertain situations?

c Handle others?

d Focus personal attention on specific details that are critical to the success of a key event?



Managing Self (Managing Personal Learning and Development) Development

N/A Yes No Needed?

Do you:

a Take responsibility for meeting your own learning and development needs?

b Seek feedback on performance to identify strengths and weaknesses?

c Learn from your mistakes and those of others?

d Change your behaviour where needed as a result of feedback

e Reflect systematically on your performance and modify your behaviour accordingly

f Development yourself to meet the demands of changing situations?

Transfer learning from one situation to another?

Searching For Information Do you:

Establish information networks to search for and gather relevant information?

Actively encourage the free exchange of information? Make best use of existing sources of information?

Seek information from multiple sources?

Challenge the validity and reliability of sources of information?

Push for concrete information in an ambiguous situation?

Thinking and Taking Decisions (Analysing) Do you:

a Break processes down into tasks and activities

b Identify a range of elements in, and perspectives on, a situation?

c Identify implications, consequences or casual relationships in a situation?

d Use a range of ideas to explain the actions, needs and motives of others?



Development

Thinking and Taking Decisions (Conceptualising) Yes No Needed? Do you:

a Use your own experience and evidence from others to identify problems and understand situations?

b Identify patterns or meaning from events and data that are not obviously related?

c Build a total and valid picture from restricted or incomplete data?

Thinking and Taking Decisions (Taking Decisions) Do you: i Produce a variety of solutions before taking a decision?

j Reconcile and make use of a variety of perspectives when making sense of a situation?

k Produce your own ideas from experience and practice? l Take decisions that are realistic for the situation?

m Focus on facts, problems and solutions when handling an emotional situation?



Personal Development Plan You should by now have had a good look at yourself through:

• a personal profile • a review of job-related competences; • a review of personal competences, and: • a review of management competences against recognised

management standards. You should now be in a position to develop an action plan for your personal development. You might treat this as a form of ‘learning contract’ which you can agree with yourself and your employer. Try to make your Personal Development Plan SMART!

Worksheet 6

Development goal? How will this be achieved?

What action is needed and when?

Who needs to be involved?



Worksheet 6

Development goal? How will this be achieved?

What action is needed and when?

Who needs to be involved?

Signed Signed

Employee

Employer



Overall Feedback By completing these checklists yourself, you now have a wealth of information about your current attainments and ambition, your job-related competences and your personal competences. This information in itself would permit you to identify the ‘development gap’ – the areas in which you need to develop yourself because there is a shortfall either in the skills needed for your current job or because you need to acquire additional skills for the future. Remember, though, that to develop your potential effectively, you should also get to know more about how you learn, so that you can plan your learning and maximise its impact. Remember too that the format used in this session is not the only one available, but merely a guide. You may wish to adapt these forms so they are more suited to your particular environment. Summary In this session we have looked at how you can set about identifying your own development needs. You can also use the same approach to help other people whose potential you wish to develop. We have seen that the development process sees us going through different levels of awareness about our competence. To motivate people (including ourselves) to pursue a development programme, an awareness of the current situation is a crucial first step. We therefore introduced four exercises to help with this important stage: A personal profile – recording what you have done and what you have

achieved, as well as your career and lifestyle ambitions Job-related competences – an assessment of what you need for your job, and

whether you need to develop these competences further Personal competences – a record of ‘transferable skills’ relevant to your

current job, and An assessment of whether your performance meets the recognised

management standards.

Documents

Personal Development Plan - Stellar Leadershipstellarleadership.com/docs/Knowing and Managing Yourself/assessme… · Personal Development Plan 1 Analysing Your Competence A wide