Exploring Personal and Professional Development

This assignment requires students to understand the concepts of personal and professional development, including their definitions, differences, and importance in career growth. Students are expected to research and provide a comprehensive list of resources related to personal and professional development, including articles, books, and websites. The assignment also asks students to identify and discuss the key takeaways from these resources, providing a clear and concise summary of their findings.

Personal and Professional
Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches to self managed learning and suitable approach for travel lodge:................1
1.2 Ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional could be encouraged......2
1.3 The benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organisation......................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Personal skills auditing and evaluation against the professionals standards:...................4
2.2 Identification of my own developmental needs and activities needed to overcome them:5
2.3 Identification of my own developmental opportunities to meet current and future goals:6
2.4 Personal and Professional developmental plan:...............................................................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 The process and activities required to implement the developmental plan......................9
3.2 Undertaking and documenting development activities as planned................................10
3.3 Evaluating own learning against the set objectives and standards:................................11
3.4 Updating the developmental plan as per feedback and evaluation:...............................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
4.1.........................................................................................................................................12
Covered in Poster.................................................................................................................12
4.2- 4.3..................................................................................................................................12
Covered in ppt......................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Today, every organisation is trying to enhance its workforce capabilities for boosting its
own efficiency and abilities. That is why they are focusing on individual's personal and
professional development. The basic aim behind these activities is to instil the self learning
concept into people which will make sure that they are able to meet future uncertainties while
maintaining the quality and productivity levels. Personal and professional development also
enhances the motivation levels of staff which drives them to work in even more productive
manner (Avalos, 2011). There are many methods which are being used by companies to establish
a system that enables people to evaluate and enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities. This
report is based on one of the biggest individual hotel brands functional in the field of hospitality
in UK, Travel lodge, Ilford. The hotel is currently ensuring that its staff is properly engaged in
self managed learning for their personal and professional development. In this report, the impact
of self managed learning, lifelong learning concept, developmental plan and evaluation will be
coved. There are certain interpersonal and transferable skills which will be addressed too.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches to self managed learning and suitable approach for travel lodge:
Approaches of self managed learning
Self managed learning is a concept which states about how an individual can manage his own
learning process and developmental plans to ensure a proper career growth. It is a method
which mirrors management concept completely. An organisation tries to instil this ability to self
appraisal into employees as to ensure that they are able to derive a path which will ensure a
proper growth and development. Travel lodge uses this method to ensure that its employees are
able to take right decision at right time in a right situation. There are various benefits of this
concept such as it enables employees in self motivating, managing, monitoring and modifying
themself.
There are many approaches which can be used by hospitality giant to boost self
managed learning:
Learning through research: This is a approach which states that a person can learn from doing
research about different concept and theories.
Mentoring/coaching: In this approach manager provides guidance to an employee, about how
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he can improve his work productivity and performance.
Seminars and conferences: This is a very common method where employees are put off their
job and taught about different methods and techniques.
Meta strategic approach: This is am approach which states about how a person mental
framework can be changed and a strategic mind can be built.
These methods have some benefits and when a company uses them in a proper manner,
they are able to change the attitude and behaviour of employees completely. For Travel lodge
hotel Meta strategic learning approach with seminars and conferences will be right. It will
ensure that with training and development the mindset of individual is also changing and they
are able to use the learning in a live environment.
1.2 Ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional could be encouraged
Encouraging lifelong learning
There are many ways by which lifelong learning concept can be encouraged within Travel
lodge hotels (Hamza, 2010). It is very vital for an organisation to have employees who look for
new learning on their own for further growth and development in their personal and
professional life. There are certain ways by which Travel lodge can encourage learning within
organisation:
Using different learning styles: These styles are used by the managers in the hotels as to ensure
that they are able to develop each and every staff member as per their need. There are different
learning styles which are mentioned by various researchers. Kolb's learning cycle states about
four types of learners according to which style is adopted:
Diverging: these are the people who like to look at things from a different perspective.
Assimilating: Their preference is for a concise, logical approach towards different situations.
Converging: They prefer technical task and use their experience to solve issues.
Accommodating: These are the people like to rely on their intuition rather than logic.
Doing (Active
Experimentation)
Watching (Reflective
Observation- RO)
Feeling(concrete experience-
CE)
Accommodating Diverging
Thinking (Abstract Converging Assimilating
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Conceptualisation- AC)
Career developmental opportunities: Travel lodge have to ensure that they provide regular
developmental opportunities to the employee's, promotion, transfer and other non monetary
ways can be used.
Planning and organisation events: The hotel management have to plan and organise proper
events which promote self learnings. Motivational lectures from personalities can be used.
Training and development: This is a best way for company to encourage employees for self
learning. They have to provide training to them for their KSA(Knowledge, skills and abilities)
development.
1.3 The benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organisation
Benefits of self managed Learning
Self managed learning is very important for organisation as well as employee's as it provides
them an opportunity for growth and development. For travel lodge, it will ensure that it have a
workforce which is constantly learning and gaining new capabilities which will enhance their
productivity. While for employees of Travel lodge, it will assist them in learning new concepts
and applying them for their career development. The concept of self managed learning focuses
on changing perception and mental framework of an individual which changes his approach
towards a situation/problem. There are certain benefits for both employee and organisation
which are given below:
Benefits for individuals:
Improves efficiency and effectiveness: Self managed learning enhances the effectiveness and
efficiency of an employee to a higher level.
Enhanced capabilities: It increases their Knowledge, skills and abilities(KSA) as per their key
performing area's.
Better decision making: Their decision making regarding various problems and situation is
improved due to their increases capabilities.
Career development: With self managed learning individual is able to evaluate and set a path
for his future growth.
Benefits for organisation:
Customer satisfaction: Skilled employees ensures that they able to fulfil all the desires of
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customers which leads to their satisfaction.
Improved team building and working: People are able to co-ordinate and co0operate in a very
effective way due to improved idea sharing and motivation.
Higher productivity and profits: Employee's with higher level of skills and abilities gives better
results.
Employee engagement and relationship: Concept of self and lifelong learning boost employee
morale which ultimately shapes up a better management individual relationship.
TASK 2
2.1 Personal skills auditing and evaluation against the professionals standards:
It is very important for individual to evaluate themselves against organisation standards
and standards. This gives him an insight about his own strengths, weakness, opportunities and
threats. This process of evaluation is known as self performance appraisal or individual audit.
This assist the managers in setting right goals for employees (Brody and Hadar, 2011). SMART
goals and targets are set which are realistic and achievable by an employee. As a hotel manager
in Travel Lodge, Ilford, there are few skills which I think are necessary to hold for performing all
the task in a most competent manner. On the basis of these abilities, I will be auditing my own
personal skills and competencies, such as- problem solving skills, team building and working,
motivating subordinates, listening and researching skills , target achievement, quality standards.
These skills are for hotel manager post:
Sl.
No.
Skills and Competencies Score Score from
others
Variances
1 I am able to solve and sort out difficult issues. 7 8 -1
2 My team building skills 6 8 -2
3 I listen to people around and provide good advice 8 9 -1
4 My researching skills for new methods and techniques 7 5 2
5 Am I a motivation for people around me 8 6 2
6 I am able to achieve target efficiently and effectively 8 7 1
7 Am I able to maintain and improve quality standards 7 8 -1
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8 I am a good team worker? 7 7 0
9 Is the type of leadership style used by me is fine? 8 6 2
The negative values are considered good and positive values are considered bad. As per
self analysis of my own person qualities against organisation standards I have identified few
strengths and weaknesses which are mentioned below:
Skill assessment
Strengths Weaknesses
 I am a good problem solver
 My team building ability is good
 I am able to give right advice after
listening to queries
 The quality standards are also
maintained
I have to improve my researching abilities
Also work on motivational skills
Find new methods to improve efficiency and
effectiveness.
I have to change leadership style
Neutral
As per people and my evaluation we both agree that I am a good team worker
2.2 Identification of my own developmental needs and activities needed to overcome them:
A person always have to keep on learning and developing his own skills and abilities for
getting better career opportunities. There are certain area's in which I am strong and there are few
section which needs extra focus and actions. Everyone have strengths and weakness which
should be addressed for ensuring high growth and development in career. SWOT analysis will
give brief details about my personal issues:
Strengths
 I am a good problem solver
 My team building ability is good
 I am able to give right advice after
listening to queries
 The quality standards are also
maintained
Weakness
 I have to improve my researching
abilities
 Also work on motivational skills
 Find new methods to improve
efficiency and effectiveness.
 I have to change leadership style
Opportunities Threats
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 Improving efficiency and effectiveness
 Managerial capabilities
 Communication skills
 Learning
 Better skilled administrator
 Employee resentment
 Less productiveness
 High Resource intake
Following are area where I lack ability and I have to improve: Researching ability: Improving these skills will enable me to identify appropriate
strategies and technique. Motivational skills: These are those skills which will help me in creating a positive
environment around me. Efficiency and effectiveness: There are many ways (which are stated below and in
personal developmental plan) by which I can improve my efficiency and effectiveness.
 Leadership style: I use authoritarian style which is not suitable for current scenario. I
need to use a mix of democratic and authoritarian style as to ensure that I am able to
direct people in a better way. This will assist in ascertaining that all task are completed in
a proper timescale and in a efficient manner.
As identified in personal auditing there are certain activities which will ensure a proper
addressing to these issues: Seminar and conferences: I will be attending various motivational presentations and
seminars where speakers will help me in understanding how I can promote a better
environment for all (timescale for this activity will be 1 week, stated in personal
developmental plan). Taking part in managerial decision making: It will expand my perception and scope of
looking at things. It will ensure better ability of solving issues and increasing productivity
levels. Also I will be able to set SMART targets for myself which will lead to realistic
and achievable goals. Simulation training: This is a training which will aid in pushing my ability to predict
future and take right decisions (timescale-3 months, stated in personal developmental
plan).
 Taking guidance from seniors: I will seek mentorship and guidance from my seniors for
ensuring that all decisions taken by me are as per requirements.
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2.3 Identification of my own developmental opportunities to meet current and future goals:
There are many opportunities available in the environment which can be used as to meet
current and future goals of my career (Kumari, 2011). As per my requirements I have to
determine all the available opportunities for ensuring growth and development. Self analysis
helped me in identifying my weakness which I have to improve. So first I have to set my current
needs and future needs:
Current Need
 Overcoming issues faced at work place: There are many issues which are faced by me
in my office (Lago, 2010). These problems are related to weakness which were identified
in above mentioned audit that include, lack of researching ability, motivational issues,
leadership style and efficiency.
Future Need
 A better growth in career: It will be only achieved when I will start self management of
learning process (Maskit, 2011). Which includes, self analysis, planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation. It is a process which assist in making plans and
implementation them for achieving better personal as well as professional growth in
future. Self analysis will provide information regarding strengths, weakness, opportunity
and threats while a plan will be prepared on the basis of all four factors. It will be
implemented, evaluated and monitored.
There are certain opportunities which has to be undertaken by me for ensuring meeting both long
term and short term goals:
 Increasing interaction with co-workers
 Taking part in decision making
 Attending brainstorming sessions for enhancing my problem solving skills.
 Visiting company library for increasing researching abilities
 Setting goals as per the SMART criteria
 Seminars and conferences
 Guidance from senior managers
 Opportunities in other hotels.
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These are few opportunities for me as to improve my skills and abilities (McNiff, 2010).
These will aid in ensuring that all my weakness are addressed and I have overcome any
uncertainties relating to them.
2.4 Personal and Professional developmental plan:
Planning is something which is very important for setting a right path to achieve all
objectives and goals in an organisation. It is an activity where we set a direction according to
which all efforts will be directed. A personal and professional developmental plan will enable me
in setting a path which will lead to right level of growth and development in my career. It will be
prepared while keeping all my strengths, weakness, opportunities and goals in mind.
My personal and professional developmental plan will address three questions:
 What are my needed skills
 How am I going to develop them
 When I am going to develop these skills.
Professional developmental plan:
SL.
no.
LEARNING
OBJECTIVE
/GOAL
CURRENT
PROFICIENCY
TARGET
PROFICIENCY
DEVELOP
MENT
OPPORTU
NITIES
CRITERIA
FOR
JUDGING
SUCCESS
TIME
SCALE
EVIDENCE
1 Leadershi
p style
I am using mix
style of
democratic
and
authoritarian
style.
To improve as
per the
organisational
standard of
being
democratic.
Learning
from other
successful
leaders,
seminars
and
conferenc
es.
It can be
judged by my
seniors who
will monitor
me while I
supervise
task.
1 week Judgemen
t by senior
managers.
2 Efficiency
and
effectiven
Currently my
methods and
technique are
Adoption of
new
techniques and
methods used
On the job
learning,
guidance
of seniors
It can be
judged on the
basis of
improvement
3
months
minim
Managers
judgement.
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ess obsolete in Hospitality
industry
and
simulation
training.
in my
performance
in a quarter.
um.
3 Motivatio
nal skills
I am not able
to create an
motivational
environment
for my
colleagues
Learning new
theories of
motivation and
ways of
promotion
Seminars
and
conference
s, lectures
from
motivation
al leaders,
articles.
This will be
judged on the
report from
subordinates
1
month
Colleagues
judgement
TASK 3
3.1 The process and activities required to implement the developmental plan
There is a specific process which is required for improving and modifying the abilities of
an individual. In order to enforce a developmental scheme, every single individual needs to
follow some process which will assure that it is implemented in a proper manner (Mwalongo,
2011). If plan of execution is not properly developed then it will result in failure of whole
learning event. It will be based on the person learning style and if possible a proper theory will
be used as a basis to ensure that he adapts every thing imparted to him in a event. As per the style
is concerned, according to Kolb I am a assimilating type of learner who like to approach
everything in a different way. The steps followed in implementing developmental plan is as
follows: Setting up time scale: As identified in the derived developmental plan, I have to set a
timescale for various activities which have to be conducted for ensuring efficiency
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(Nicholls, 2014). All goals and objectives have to be based on SMART way so that time
consumption is at minimum. Assessment of KSA: A person have to keep on assessing his KSA(knowledge, skills and
abilities). With a proper analysis, employees will be able to formulate ways which will
boost their ability to do work and ensure higher level of productivity. Individual can use
tools such as SWOT analysis to evaluate his own capabilities, opportunities and threats
which needs to be overcome. Learning strategies: There are different strategies and styles derived by researchers. As
per Kolb learning cycle and style, I am a assimilating type of person, as I approach
different situations and problems with a logical and concise approach. So for me
interactive and strong theory based strategies are required. Resources: There are different types resources which will be required for conducting
different types of learning events (Olsen, 2015). Such as, management permissions,
finances, research material, internet, etc. There is need to organise these resources, so that
various activities can be conducted for enhancing personal and professional capabilities.
Management permission will be taken for conducting learning events, they are the ones
who will clear bills and other resources for these events.
 Evaluation and feedback resolution: There is requirement of constant monitoring and
measuring for ensuring that all the developed learning events are being impactful or not.
The feedback system ensures that there are no gap's left in the actual and standardised
learning.
3.2 Undertaking and documenting development activities as planned
There are various activities which take place while developmental plan is implemented.
There are few activities which will be undertaken, such as:
Training, this is the main event which will be taking place for facilitating change and
implementing developmental plan for individual. It will include different types of training such
as, simulation, role play's, etc. Basically training is given as per requirement and need of
individual. If a person is having issues in operational functioning then he will be put into
simulation training and if he needs to improve his decision making then he will need to go
through role plays, as it will put him into a real time environment and force him to take right
decision. Learning event, this is considered to be a complete event which will be taking place.
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Whole process of planning, organising, implementing and learning is considered as an event.
Change management, individual have to map out the phase of transition so as to ensure that
there are no gaps left in the actual change and standardised change. Research, for conducting a
successful event, there is a requirement of research which will enable person in knowing
different type of methods and techniques. Monitoring and evaluation, this is a continuous
process which will be conducted by person and authority as to ensure that learning is resulting in
a positive result or not.
These activities have to be documented in a proper manner so that they can be measured
(Shortland, 2010). It will make them accessible for the user and can be used in future also.
3.3 Evaluating own learning against the set objectives and standards:
It is very essential to evaluate self learning skills after going through different
programmes. The best way to identify learning is to evaluate against the standards and objectives
. By conducting this activity, we will be able to identify the level of change which has occurred
in knowledge, skills and abilities (Stenberg, 2010). If they are not found at par with the set
standards then the whole process will be changed and new techniques will be used. That is why
there is need of monitoring and review of all activities for ensuring improvement. There are few
activities which will be conducted to help senior members and employees in reassessing the
developmental plan: Evaluation meeting and presentation: It is very important to ensure that all content and
problems are ready to be presented in front of all members. Using experience and knowledge: Seniors members of organisation have experience and
knowledge to analyse and understand how events can change person abilities (Sutherland,
Howard and Markauskaite, 2010). That is why they are asked to reassess the
developmental plan to identify and remove any issue in it which might hamper
performance in future.
 Motivation and anticipation: This is a personal factor which states about individual
motivational level regarding improvement. If he is motivated enough then he will pursue
all opportunities for development and if he is not interested then it will be a waste of
resources. Basically it is a internal factor but it can be developed by managers and
various training and incentive methods.
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3.4 Updating the developmental plan as per feedback and evaluation:
It is very important that developmental plan is updated as to ensure its effectiveness
against change in dynamic of market. In a case of failure too, it needs updatation. Hence if the
plan fails to deliver required effectiveness levels then it will be reassessed and according to
feedback and evaluation certain changes will be made: Motivational requirements: If individual motivation level is found to be low then
approaches to enhance the levels of motivation will be utilised. Use of different approaches: There are times when managers use approaches which are
not suitable for individual (Van Driel and Berry, 2012). It results in failure and needs to
be changed.
 Change in training methods: These are the methods which are used as a event where
individual is taught about various issues of concern.
TASK 4
4.1
Covered in Poster
4.2- 4.3
Covered in ppt
CONCLUSION
Today, it is very important for people to focus on their development and growth on their
own. This is what concept of self managed learning and lifelong learning states about. There no
time limit of learning and organisation want a workforce which is every ready to learn something
new which improves there effectiveness. In hospitality industry, it is more important as
employee are the face of organisation. If they will not act properly then it will damage the image
of hotel. This is the reason, organisations are opting for training which instil self managed
learning in individuals.
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REFERENCES
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