Unit 13 Personal and Professional Development Assignment Solution

Programme	Diploma in Business
Unit Number and Title	Unit 13 Personal and Professional Development
QFC Level	Level 5
Credit value	15 credits
Unit Code	T/601/0943

Introduction

Personal & professional development is considered with the development in the personal skills of an individual that gives the benefits to his life in both personal & professional way. Skills improvement means an effective way in increasing the communication, presentation, thinking skills that made the mind and attitude of the person wide open. These developed skills are used in the profession of an individual that enhances the work and also helps him in achieving the goal of the organization. These objectives are only possible by the self-managed learning that follows by the person and never gets end. Such an attitude always helps an individual in leading the life.

Task1

1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning.

Self-managed learning means to learn something new in the life either from their own past experience or by joining any of the institution like school, colleges etc. It is very important for improving the skills of the individual like communication, thinking etc. and also for the mental, learning, intellectual development. There are various other approaches which one can opt for their development that helps in the individual’s personal and professional life. In personal life a person can use his improved skills in giving the same guidance to others or in professional such development / improved knowledge through learning is used in his work. These approaches are:

• Seminars: Various seminars are arranged to improve the skills of the people like communication / presentation skills. These skills help others in speaking in the public without any fear (Atherton.JS, 2005). It also helps in creating the full confidence in them. Such confidence helps people both in their personal and professional life. Such seminars are arranged by the companies for their employees specifically or else by the other personality development companies for the public.

• Internet: It is the vast area that helps people in increasing their knowledge. It is used as the huge mode of learning now days and also helps them in improving their technological skills by using it on frequently basis.

• Conferences: It is arrange by the companies for their employees .Their main motive is to helps their employees in learning about the new technology, gaining an effective knowledge through learning from the expert so, that such learning helps in their work which helps them in giving the goods results that is beneficial for the organization. Discussion on the New Strategies that how they can be followed and continue for the achievement of the company’s goals. Learning is given to accomplish the goals.   

• Training: Training is given by the expert or an experienced person to share his knowledge with the employees for the betterment of the organization. Training sessions are arranged by the company only. It helps in improving both personal and professional skills. It is arrange by the companies on the timely basis.

• Social Groups: These are the result of the new technology only like Face book, twitter etc. where one can do learning and sharing their own knowledge to gain something new that is beneficial for both in his personal and professional life.

1.2 Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be encouraged

Learning is for the lifelong. It is never ends. It starts from birth and continues till any age. Latter an individual takes an informal education from the mother & the family and learn about his habits, etiquettes etc. and later it takes learning about academic and professional courses that helps in his professional life. Whatever the up’s and down an individual face in the life that gives some lesson that is also learning for him. Many ways that helps the person in encouraging their both personal & professional life. These are self-learning & SWOT analysis.  Self-learning is done basically to evaluate own decisions, opinions, judgments etc. (Brown. T & Jones. L, 2001). It is only possible by doing the SWOT analysis. SWOT means- Strength, Weaknesses, opportunities and Threats of the individual. One can takes the fair decision or pass the accurate judgment when one has the capability to know his positive & negative sides.

• Strength: It means the positive points which the person has after doing learning or before learning something new. A positive attitude towards life, a good learner, Life with full of aim, always curious to learn something new are the strengths of the individual. This type of attitude if anyone’s has in his life, he/ she never hesitates in learning from anyone or anywhere. Professional life needs this type of attitude in their employees.

• Weaknesses: A negative part of an individual personality is known as weakness. It lacks behind the person if it shadows the positive attitude of the person towards life. So it is very necessary to overcome form the weaknesses and opting a positive attitude towards life that helps in both the personal and professional life. Examples of weaknesses are feeling stress, impatient, anger etc. To get overcome from such weakness must be the main goal of one’s life (Cottrell. S, 2003). 

• Opportunities:  It means that the new ways which a person can get in his future to secure his life either personal & professional or that may help in fulfilling his dreams by accomplishing all goals of his life.

• Threats: It is the fear, if it shadows on the positive attitude of an individual then it leaves the great impact on the life of the person. Threat of unemployment, losing money etc. It should be removed to get rid of from any of the impact on both personal / professional life.

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

Self-Managed learning is beneficial for both an individual and the organization .It is beneficial for an individual in improving his personality. It is improved only by increasing skills / knowledge. These are:

• Work as a Team: Self-managed learning is possible by doing learning in any of the group like group of students/ colleagues / professionals etc. where he can explore his knowledge and also learns to sit/ work as a team member and represents the group. He learns the attitude of the team work there.

• Skills of Communication: It enhances the communication skills which is very essential for an individual in one’s life. It helps the person in representing himself or his organization in front of others. If communication skills are fully developed then it behaves as an assets of an individual (Evans. L, 2007).

• Skills of presentation: Self-Managed learning helps that how to present yourself in front of the public. These skills are often used or require in an organization once the person reach to the extreme level of designation. One must have the knowledge that how to talk with others and behave.

• Self-confidence: Skills development helps in building up the confidence level of the person. Whereas over confidence is considered on the negative side by most of the people but on the other hand an organization treats it as the positive attitude. So, a person must have such behaviour that helps in meeting the goals of his life (Gansar. T, 2000).

It is beneficial for an organization: Organization considers of various employees having different types of attitude. Positive attitude is always considers as an assets for the company. So self-managed learning increases the capability of the employees to handle the various tough situations arises within the company by their own. It helps the employees in getting the below efficient qualities:

1. Problem solving attitude
2. Decision Making
3. Fulfilling the goals of the organization
4. Sharing of personal experience.
5. To give judgment.

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Task2

2.1 Evaluate own current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives

It is very important to evaluate the skills of the employee in an organization. It is done by the management of the company by doing various activities. Majorly it is possible at the time of recruiting of an individual. Various skills are used at the time of doing administrative work in an organization (Gosling. D, 2003). In an organization the major working area is related with the administrative work. An employee having maximum skills makes him the more efficient in front of the employer. Some of the skills are-
Conceptual skills: An employee who is having such skills is able to handle the new technology and also handles all the problems so efficiently, if created any. Technology plays an important role in an organization. Without it no work is possible in today’s time.
Skills of effective communication: Communication whether verbal or written is very important or necessary for working in an organization. Messages convey to superiors, subordinates or colleagues should be effective or clear.
Skills of effectiveness: Qualities like time management, problem solving, decision making, multi-tasking etc. are very essential for an organization. Every employee should have such skills. Those who already had they act as assets for the company.
Interpersonal skills: Interpersonal means having contacts with other people whether inside or outside the organization. It is also known as networking, that is used in the organization through employees for gathering various in formations related to market or their own firm.
The Major competency of the employees is their physical look, which is noticed in the first attempt at the time of an interview. Later other competencies are noticed once appointed and every effective individual should have such competencies to give the challenge to others in the organization-

• Competencies of administrative work
• Competencies of supervisory work
• Competencies of intelligence.
• Competencies of communication

If anyone has such effective qualities then he/she is the bug competitor for others in an organization. All the above skills & competencies take the organization on the heights and helps the employee in achieving their goals.

2.2 Identify own development needs and the activities required to  meet them.

Development needs means the weaknesses of any individual which needs to be developed that helps in fulfilling his/her aim in both personal & professional life. Weaknesses like lack of confidence, bad / non effective communication, No leadership quality, inefficient in managing time for completing the task, lack of knowledge in Information technology are the areas to improve or developed by an individual. It is only possible when the person participates in self-managed learning or engaged himself in various training sessions. An overcome of all such weaknesses or any other if anyone is having may become the strength for an individual himself personally or in his professional life. An organization is not interested at all in appointing such candidates as their employees who is having any of these weaknesses. Before starting any activities that helps in overcoming from such weaknesses, a proper strategy requires. Strategy made by an individual that how to developed his skills or lack points so that he can meet his objectives. It is possible by enrolment in various ways: First is, self-effective learning means when a person reads newspapers, journals, magazines or any other text to improve their communication skills. A person can also explore himself through internet (Priest. C, 2010). To gain knowledge or explore him by his own is an example of self-effective learning. The improvement in the skills related to personality or communication increases the self-confidence if the person. Different types of training sessions are given to the new employees and existing employees i.e. on job/off job training that helps the organization to get the chance of making their employees more capable those help in achieving the goal of an Organization. Training is arranged by the employer itself to increase the professional knowledge of the employees. To increase the personal skills one can go and enrol in other training sessions which are started by the different personality development organizations.

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

Current needs which are require to be satisfied at present that may be used to make the present work more effective and the needs those are to be satisfied so that they can implement in future it meet the goals of the life is known as future needs. In personal and professional life of the person it is very necessary to be educated, technology savvy, Communicative personality, imaginative etc. so these skills and development helps in the future and present life of the person. Those people who does not have such qualities they join the various personality development courses and also gain the knowledge shared by experts (Nichols. N, Nichols. G & Nichols. P, 2007). Development in the communication, presentation, personality gives lots of the opportunities to an individual. There are various extracurricular activities which are offered to the children at their school level only. These children already have the developed skills as they are grooming by the school from their initial stage but those who have not got such chance they can join the various activities started by the outsourcing companies for developing the skills.

2.4 Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs.

Personal development plan means planning done by any individual like student that what is his aim in his life and what are the objectives which he has to fulfil after following all strategies/ planning made by him. Example: A student who is studying and having future plans to go for masters’ education & training then last is job. So to meet his personal aim in the life he has to follow strategies. Professional development plan is done by the employees and follows strategies to achieve the goals of an organization and their own life regarding their promotions, increments etc. personal aim are considered as short term aim and professional aim means long term objectives. Various strategies are made after analysing the SWOT or PEST.SWOT analysis is considered in both personal and professional development plan. Once an individual comes to know about his positive/ negative points then strategy made by them will be more effective. PEST analysis is basically for the organization to meet its goals. It also helps an individual to get aware that how the political, economic, social factors effects on the organization and related to this what qualities an organisations behaviour demand from their employees (Mason. J, 2002).

Task 3

3.1 Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan

An individual considers all the below points in implementing the development plan in their personal and professional life are:

Commencement: whatever the work they are going to assign, before commencing it be sure that they are confident enough in completing it and always be positive. It is very necessary to get aware with all the pros & cons of the task.
Behaviour: Analyse the behaviour /nature of his own by an individual to check his strength and weakness. It is very essential to get aware about this. On the basis of SWOT one can accept the task and continue with it.
Be familiar with the task: Before taking any task it’s better to get familiar with the nature of it that what it is demanding and what are the expectations of the company from an employee or if its personal work so, whether one can use his full potential to complete the task or not.  .
Steps to be taken: Strategy is must. Proper planning needs to be done after understanding the nature of the work that how it should be performed.
Assign of work: Once the work is assigned then an individual should move further according to the strategy only. It will act as guidance in completing the task and chances of doing mistakes are also very less.
Priority: If more than a work is assigned or different activities are there in performing a single task then it’s better to set the priorities. Always, perform the essential activity first or that activity which is less time consuming. It will reduce the stress or chaos of the person which may be created in the last due to the extra work load.
Specific time period: Task should be completed within the time limit. Its shows the efficiency of an individual.
Budget: some amount of money should be fixed which can be used only for completing the task.
Implementation: continue with the work till it is completed and use the whole potential or efforts to meet the objective.
Review and evaluation: After completion of the task then evaluation is must. It must be done by an expert or other colleague / friend. Other person can judge better and also gives the feedback. Implementation of the feedback is always a good sign of an efficient employee (Schostak, J., 2009).

3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned.

Planning is very essential in any work. An individual should make a proper strategy in completing the task whether personal or assigned in his professional life by an employer. Strategy always made after analysing the Strength, weaknesses opportunities & strengths of the person. This affects both his personal and professional life. After getting familiar with his all strengths he can take fair decision in accepting the task. Information is must in making strategies. Information related to the person’s strength & weakness or related with the market that is PEST- political, economic, social & technological helps an individual in reaching to its goal. There are many steps which he needs to perform.

• Take suggestions of others / experts
• Understand the need.
• Gathering Information.
• Set the goal.
• Make strategies
• Follow plan into action.
• Use other resources that help in to an action.
• Evaluation & monitoring
• Follows Feedback

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

Learning is a lifelong process. It starts from the birth and one can take it till his death. Learning can also be done from his own or other’s experiences. School gives the chance for learning at the initial stage of the life. Such education which is taken in the school that can use for the personal development like development in communication skills, behaviour, thinking skills that reflects on the personality of an individual. Later the learning at the senior level at the time of graduation or more such education is used in the professional life. In an organization learning is possible from anyone’s experience or from your own. Learning can be done from the mistakes also. A person should clear with his all personal and professional objectives that what he exactly wants to achieve and how he/she will use his/ her learning in fulfilling the aim in the life. Proper planning should be require and act accordingly (Stefani. L., Mason. R and Pegler. C, 2007). The critical situation arises when the learning is not positively used or after facing any errors the correct solution will not be given. To make a differentiation in all the alternatives and choose the right solution is and efficient capability which everyone does not have and that all depends on the learning. It makes an individual quite independent in taking decisions.

3.4 Update the development plan based on feedback and Evaluation

Evaluation means to examine the quality of the work and also feedback is given in the basis of it. It is done by own that is known as a self-evaluation and also done by an expert/ superior person who have a great knowledge about that work. Feedback should be followed by an individual in his both personal & professional life. A proper procedure follows for the evaluation. The following are the steps-

• Revise the objective of the task.
• Evaluating the task.
• Highlight all the barriers in the whole task.
• Observe the positive outcomes.
• Monitoring the task consequences & its impact.
• Measuring whole cost.
• Overview of all results from the evaluation.

Different types of evaluation are done on the basis of an appropriate task (Starke. I & Wade. W, 2005).

• Assessment of requirements.
• Evaluation.
• Evaluating procedures
• Analyse the total cost
• Evaluation of satisfaction
• Evaluating the results.
• Evaluation of profits / revenue.

Feedback is always given after the evaluation and it should be followed always for the better outcomes.

Conclusion

Learning plays an important role in an individual life. It is used in birth personal & professional life. Without education nothing is possible. It makes the mind of the person wide open and makes him/her capable enough in taking the independent decisions. Important steps like planning, making strategy, appropriate selection of the solution from various alternatives, making decisions, Giving judgments all these are essential in an organization and in the personal life. Learning only makes an individual capable for taking all such above decisions that can help him in his personal & professional development.

References

Atherton.JS, 2005. ‘Learning and Teaching’: experiential learning. http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm [accessed 03.09.08]
Brown. T & Jones. L, 2001. Action research and postmodernism. Buckingham: OUP.
Cottrell. S, 2003. Skills for Success: The personal development planning handbook, Palgrave.
Evans. L, 2007. ‘On teaching professional attitudes in medical schools” in Med Ed 41: 830-832.
Gansar. T, 2000. An Ambitious Vision of Professional Development for Teachers. NASSP Bulletin, 84/6, 6-12. (SAM).
Gosling. D, 2003. Personal Development Planning, SEDA Paper 115.
Mason. J, 2002. Researching your own practice. London: Routledge.
Nichols. N, Nichols. G & Nichols. P, 2007. Professional ethics: The importance of teaching ethics to future professionals. American Society of Safety Engineers, July, 37-41.
Priest. C, 2010. The benefits of developing a professional portfolio. Young Children 65 (1): 92–96. www.naeyc.org/yc/pastissues/2010/January.
Schostak. J, 2009. Effectiveness of Continuing Professional Development: a literature review. London: College of Emergency Medicine.
Stefani. L., Mason. R and Pegler. C, 2007. The Educational Potential of e-Portfolios Supporting Personal Development and Reflective Learning.  Routledge.
Starke. I & Wade. W, 2005. Continuing Professional Development: Supporting the Delivery of Quality Healthcare in Annals of Academic Medicine, Singapore 2005; 34: 715.