Title: Developing Personal and Professional Skills
Table of Contents
Task One: 1
a) Self-management Learning: 1
Benefits of Self-managed Learning to Individuals and Organization: 1
b) Honey and Mumford Learning Styles: 2
c) My Preferred Learning Style: 3
Task Two: 3
a) Developing My Personal SWOT Analysis: 3
b) Personal Skills Audit: 4
c) Role of My Key Strengths in My Future Job: 5
Barriers from My Weaknesses: 6
Addressing My Weaknesses: 6
Task Three: 7
a) My Personal and Career Plans: 7
Skills Required for my Preferred Career: 7
b) SMART Objectives: 7
c) Personal Development Plan: 8
d) Critical Analysis of my Own Learning: 8
Task Four: Memo to the Manager: 9
Apology Email to the Customer for inadequate service: 10
References: 13
Task One:
a) Self-management Learning:
Self-managed learning, as the term indicates, means individuals managing their own learning. Self-managed learners identify their own learning needs and control the contents, processes and pace of their own learning (Mumford & Gold, 2004). It allows them to explore their learning needs within the available resources. They evaluate and assess their own learning.
Benefits of Self-managed Learning to Individuals and Organization:
1. Self-managed learning concept allows managers to work on ongoing issues, problems and opportunities inherent to their particular position and to their employing organization that helps them to learn the organizational blueprint (Cunningham et. el. 2000).
2. It offers managers to explore windows of opportunities and take significant risks in order to enrich their cognizance.
3. Since self-managed learning is integrated with a job in an organizational ambience, a lot of job gets done in the process of learning.
4. It allows managers the flexibility to review their own progress and change directions.
5. It allows managers to learn their own learning process. As a result they become capable of learning new things and develop
Personal and professional developments are encouraging the lifelong learning process. Both of those helps for development, improving, apprising and affecting an individual’s skills and interests to confirm their full adaptability and effectiveness. Those qualities make an individual professional who is fit for an organization. It is about collecting their knowledge in order that they will tolerate to constrain a place in the structures of today’s organizations as well. Personal and professional development makes me as an effective planer to creating an organizational aims and objectives where want to attain. Personal and professional development can also compose to keep up-to-date mainly in IT and technical areas, nonstop learning, gaining satisfaction, structure up transferable services and positioning to enhance job opportunities as they arise. It is a common question where from we achieved and the remedy of increasing of personal development. By attaining various training session we can increaser our knowledge, skill and proficiency. To improve self-management skills, employers often organize special self-assessment training. Usually such kind of training sessions is accompanied by the HR department (Jasper, 2006).
b) Honey and Mumford Learning Styles:
Peter Honey and Alan Mumford developed learning styles based on the work of Kolb (1984). They developed four learning styles: Activist, Theorist, Pragmatist and Reflector. Honey and Mumford suggested that people naturally prefer these four learning styles. A brief presentation of the four learning styles is given below:
1. Activist: Activists learn from relatively short here-and-now tasks (Mumford and Gold, 2004). Activists learn by jumping into the job with both of their feet. They get their hands dirty. They usual activities include brainstorming, problem solving, role playing, group discussion etc. This style offers the opportunities of interactive learning, working in a group and communicating with real people.
2. Theorist: The authors found that these learners understand the theory behind the actions. Theorists develop models and stories, analyze statistics and back ground information, and apply theories in the real work. This model helps learners to concentrate on the concepts and theories while discussing and debating to finalize the opportunities.
3. Pragmatist: A pragmatist needs to be able to see their learning into practice. He needs to see a way to put the ideas into action in the real working environment. Their activities include pondering how to apply learning in reality, developing case studies and solving problems by discussing. This is a problem based learning style that offers the opportunity of interactive learning.
4. Reflector: A reflector learns by observing and thinking about the happenings around them. Honey and Mumford (2006) said that “Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives.”
From Honey and Alan Mumford learning styles we are informed about four types of learning style which are significant. It is difficult to choose one because every single is verbose. But I prefer to Activist. By considering in its specific style and art i am enjoy working in teams. I like to learn new skills and desire to have something new think about. Positive of this style for my experience are Flexible, open minded, showing to new situations and optimistic about whatever new and therefore unlikely to resist change. But there is no unmixed blessing in the world. It has also contains few limitation according to my view. Those are to take the immediately clear action without thinking, to take needless risks and taking action without sufficient preparation.
c) My Preferred Learning Style:
After studying the Honey and Mumford style thoroughly, I think that I am one of the Activists, since I like to do the job first hand without reading the about it. I like to play the role as a group member to solve the problem. I like to brainstorm to understand how the process works. It is impossible for me learn how to ride a horse without actually riding one in the first step.
Task Two:
a) Developing My Personal SWOT Analysis:
SWOT is a strategic tool to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT can be used to evaluate a project or to find out the strategic position of a firm. Besides, it can be used to find out one’s personal compatibility. However, self-analysis is one of the most complicated jobs to do. If it is done in a proper way, it will play a significant role to personal progress.
SWOT Analysis
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My Strengths:
1. I am a quick Lerner and able to multitask.
2. Compulsive to my job challenges
3. Personal Distinctiveness (Strong work ethics, Hardworking, Punctual, Creative, Optimistic, Energetic)
4. Ability to be a team leader as well as a team player
5. Good Presenter with strong communication skills
6. Ability to work in a cross-cultural team environment
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My Weaknesses:
1. Compulsiveness sometimes generates considerable work stress of multiple jobs.
2. Impatient (For example: I become angry to people who do not understand.)
3. I do not handle time pressure and deadlines very well.
4. My strong feeling to get things done and off my list can cause poor deliberation.
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My Opportunities:
1. To engage others to give feedback about how they experienced my personality.
2. To learn from others in my similar job role.
3. My communications skills and presentation can help to develop a good network of people.
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My Threats:
1. Time pressure can move me from self-improvement.
2. My impatience can reflect myself from a good team environment.
3. My ingenuity can conspire against myself.
4. My confidence can prevent me from looking into details.
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b) Personal Skills Audit:
When evaluating my present skills and the capabilities are based on my learning knowledge and the personal life experience. My objective is emphasize the whole learning programme in the specific time, and moves the next degree programme. Such kind of learning will be focused to the working organizational objectives in the future.
Considering audit of skills, when I get the knowledge though personal and professional development such as team work, leadership, motivation, communication, commitment which will leader the better working standards joining in the future organization. And it will lead the organizational objective to perform better. Through the study programme also I am getting the personal as well as professional skills, this is specific support my future working environment.
Developing CV, this is my primary section of significant where I have touched in terms of education and skills that are in need of development. It will be my condition for enrolling for the BSc course. Long-term objective, I have set out my plan with the dates viewing what I want to achieve in five year time from now. Considering the theoretical view the SWOT analysis, monitoring frequently personal analysis by annoying to grow the areas where I have realized are my faintness, developing other areas where I originate I have got some occasions (Axner, 1993).
Pointing out development needs can be inspiring in every single. Annual Review is an extreme casual to deliberate development needs with the line manager. It may be talented to measure the varying requirements the role, as well as personal development aspiration. I got own my development thorough read more books, journals, newspapers such as business pages , magazines, articles and other websites which are giving the more development skills for my present and future development too.
c) Role of My Key Strengths in My Future Job:
In order to climb the corporate ladder very fast, I need to learn critical things fast. Otherwise, I will lag behind. Corporate life is full of challenges. Everyday managers face unanticipated event. They must give solutions to those events. So, my fondness of taking challenge can help me learn a lot. My personal distinctiveness is also required in a management role. While in a decision making role, I must be punctual, optimistic, energetic and vibrant. My strong ability to manage and peruse people can help me to develop strong teams to accomplish project works and assignments.
Now a day, good managers must be a good presenter. He needs to present a lot of things to customers, board members and to other stakeholders. So, I think my strong presentation skill will help me a lot in this context. I like working in cross cultural team environment. I like people from different cast and creed. My long term future goal is to be a unit head or venture head of a large multinational organization. So, I strongly believe that my ability to cope with a cross cultural team environment will give me enough flexibility to manage the business overseas.
Barriers from My Weaknesses:
My compulsiveness can prevent me from achieving my future goals. Compulsiveness must be controlled; otherwise, it would generate significant amount of work stress which may create a disturbance in my personal life. My impatience can repel clients and other people from me. If i am not a good listener, i will never be a good manager. I must develop the skill to make people understand my beliefs in a simple way. I am very much afraid of time pressure. However, in my career path, i will have to take responsibility and perform within a stipulated time frame. So, I need to develop myself in order to manage time efficiently. My strong feeling to pending works can cause poor deliberation. I must learn how to prioritize jobs.
Addressing My Weaknesses:
This is my internal negative factors that will always try to prevent me from achieving objectives. I will have to work relentlessly to improve my weaknesses such as- lack of experience, lack of motivation, fear of public speaking etc., in such a way, so that my they get suppressed. Moreover, in order to overcome my weaknesses, I will take following initiatives:
1. Have fun in my actions and work to remove stress.
2. I will try to listen first, and then will try to make people understand my point of view.
3. Always try to get exposure in project managements and assignments and to prioritize my works to develop time management skills.
4. Continuously learn, so that whatever I produce becomes a quality work.
Task Three:
a) My Personal and Career Plans:
I would like to have a career that requires analytical, driven, perceptive, ambitious, and creative people. I want to see myself in a position where I will be able to make decisions and strategies. My personal plan includes visiting my family in my home country and supporting them. I need to support my siblings for higher education and in developing themselves. After that I will confirm my commitment to a long term relationship. I will be then supporting my family situations.
Within the short term, after finishing my Diploma, I would like to work in a small firm to gather some real experience. In the meantime, I would like to enroll myself in an MBA program majoring in finance. I believe that working in a small firm will help me to secure a position where i will get the opportunity to progress and demonstrate my ability. After finishing my MBA within next two to five years, I want to see myself in a senior role. Then, after gathering a lot of experience, I want to be the head of a business unit or venture of any large multinational firm.
Skills Required for my Preferred Career:
Since I want to be a manager of a business organization, I need to have certain skills to be successful in my career. In order to be a manager, I need to have following skills:
1. Written and oral communication and presentation skill
2. Time Management
3. Problem Solving
4. Teamwork and leadership skills
5. IT, information and financial skills
6. Independent Learning skills
b) SMART Objectives:
SMART objective refers to goals and objectives that need to be specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and time bound. After finishing my Diploma, I will go back to my home country and start supporting my family members, I will start a job in a small business firm, and I will enroll myself in an MBA program majoring in finance within December, 2016. After that, I want to see myself in a decision making managerial position within December, 2021.
These objectives are specific, since they clearly state what I expect to achieve and what has to be done. These objectives are measurable, since they include a clear reference of position. These objectives are agreed since my reviewer has ensured that they are relevant and appropriate. These objectives are realistic, since they are challenging yet achievable. My objectives include a time reference and a specific deadline.
c) Personal Development Plan:
Since I want to see myself in a senior position within the next five years after completion of my diploma, I will need to have some experience of the real working environment that demonstrates responsibilities and challenges. To fill up my experience gap, I will join a small firm. Again my career path requires higher education and financial skills. To enrich myself, I will get enrolled in an MBA program major in Finance. In order to develop teamwork and leadership skills, I will try to gain exposure to company strategy. I will try to provide decisions related to day to day management to lay my foundation to the future goal. I will participate in project management activities. I will take challenge to manage a business unit or to set up a business unit in a new market.
d) Critical Analysis of my Own Learning:
The aims and the objectives are essential for the personal development and also important factors will achieve the individual organizational concert. The personal skills like problem solving, time management and communication has been considered. Communication is very operative today and shows a significant role in our life. Time management helps to manage time effectively and build on it. So, this will make the aims and the objectives of the development plan (Williamson, 2009).
An objective is a secondary goal. It gives a clear specific target. There are two different objectives that are short term and long term. Short- objectives are made to achieve in 2 years whereas long- term objectives are prepared to achieve in 5 years.
An evaluation should include a critical analysis of what went well and not so well. This should be a collected description that comprises negatives as well as positives. Evaluations can contain advantages and disadvantages. Elements of justification can also be included.
There are a number of feedback areas that would cover within the evaluative descriptions that will add to development plan evaluation, including: what skills have been enhanced and how evidence of what skill levels have been talented and how feedback from mates and line managers feedback from events attended as part of the development activity(Williamson, 2009).
Future personal development plan is that plan which will help in future prospective personally and professionally. Professional forms try to inspire ongoing updating their record for professional and development for the purpose of maintaining registering or professional status that organization prefers to future development. Developing Curriculum vitae (CV), this is my first stage of expressive where I have extended in terms of my education and skills that need to be established more, short-term objective, I have set out my action plan with the dates inspecting what I want to attain in five year time from now.
Task Four: Memo to the Manager:
Dear Sir,
Please accept my sincere apology about the inability of my team to serve the guests properly.
This for your kind information that we have received e-mails from our customers reporting a poor or inadequate service at our premise. One of them reported that he had to wait for fifteen minutes before having the service at the reception. Some of the customer reported that they noticed gossiping and a lack of technical knowledge in the reception staffs.
As part of my investigations I found out some issues that needs immediate attention of the management. One of our reception staff, indeed, has lacking in technical skills. Moreover, I noticed indifference in the service providing. In the past week, the reception was understaffed since one of my experienced staff was sick due to a recent accident while another one was on holiday.
In order to address these issues I have some suggestions. First, we need to hire more employees to meet the service demands of our guests at the pick hour. We need to set up a separate wing that will deal with emails and telephone calls only. We can hire part time employees to run that wing which will minimize our costs. Second, I have given some thought about the service quality of our employees and feel that we need to modify our hiring requirements. We need to raise our experience requirements to attract potential employees with stable work histories. Besides, we can arrange short training programs to enrich the technical knowledge of our existing employees and to tech how to provide the best service at the shortest possible time.
Third, I suggest that we need to set a smart rotation plan to provide customers service relentlessly. While any employees are on sick leave or on holidays, the others need to work overtime to meet the customer demand. Besides, we can set rules that the emails will not be answered at the pick hours. We can set up automated emails response systems that will notify the customer that when their requests will be addressed. We can assign staffs with specific job responsibility. This means assigning a staff with phone answering only.
If we follow the above mentioned suggestions, we can restore the best customer service in the shortest possible time. We should keep in mind that bad customer experiences are deteriorating to the hotel’s reputation. As a result, I am looking forward to your sincere response and authorizing the suggestions to restore best customer service.
Best Regards,
Apology Email to the Customer for inadequate service:
Dear Sir,
Please accept sincere apology from Star-Tel Hotel, London.
Firstly please let me apologize for the service quality during your visit. We want our guests to enjoy their time at the hotel with a dazzling experience. We understand that how frustrating it is to have plans for an elegant visit unexpectedly go awry. As a result, your report of a disturbing service at the reception has become serious concern for the management. Let us express our earnest apologies. You definitely deserve the best service from Star-Tel, especially when you are at our premise. We are questioning our staffs and investigating the situation to take appropriate actions. In order to solve the problem, we are placing additional staffs to serve at the peak hours and we are building a separate unit to answer the e-mails and telephone calls.
However you need not worry as I have honor to offer you a 25% discount on your next booking at Star- Tel. Moreover, we can ensure the best of the best services during your nest visit. Thank you very much for bringing this incident to our knowledge.
Once again our sincere apologies for the trouble this has caused you.
With warm regards
For Star-Tel Hotel
Verus Pereira
Sales Executive
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