Personal and Professional Development Plan

This assignment details a comprehensive personal and professional development plan. It emphasizes the importance of self-managed learning for improving communication and leadership skills through targeted training, operational experience, and continuous evaluation. The plan includes specific criteria for success, a proposed timeframe (5 months for massage therapy, 4 months for business management & finance), and evidence of achievements (diplomas and master's degrees). It concludes by highlighting the benefits of self-directed learning for lifelong personal and professional growth.

Personal and professional development
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Table of contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches of self-managed learning...................................................................................1
1.2 purpose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged...................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and the company..................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
3.1 Processes and activities required to implement the development plan..................................4
3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned................................................4
3.3 Reflection critically on learning against company goal and target set in development plan.4
3.4 Update of development plan based on the feedback and evaluation.....................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
Self managed learning help to enhance their knowledge in the world and also help to
increase personal and professional development of an individual. There are various types of
approaches that will help to increase self-confidence of an individual. This report includes
approaches of self-managed learning, purpose of lifelong learing and benefits of self-manged
learning.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches of self-managed learning
Self managed learning help to improve and enhance a confidence in the world. From the
learning techniques the person can learn different and effective thing within the organization or
in outer environment. To enhance and improve the knowledge in the company an employee need
to take advantages from the self managed learning techniques (Hopkinson, 2014). Peoples can
learn thing from different techniques and things such as by culture, behaviour, personality and
the perceptions. These all are the ways they can enhance their knowledge in the world. Argos
firm provides different and effective methods to improve yourself in the firm. some of the self-
managed learning approaches of Argos as follows:
Seminars and conferences
Seminars and conferences are most common and effective tool to improve their
knowledge in the company. This is one of the best opportunities to provide their own knowledge
about something and also give their ideas and suggestions to the peoples. Argos firm provides
various types of seminar to enhance knowledge in the firm. By seminar and conference peoples
can increase many skills such as presentation skills, transferable skills in the organization.
Social networks
There are many types of social media in the world such as Facebook, twitter and My
space and so on. All have different and efficient features, policies for the communications.
Through these types of efficient social media the persons can chat with other peoples and also
learn various things form other peoples in another country. They can also find appropriate
information and knowledge to innovate things in the world and also can enhance a career in the
industry.
Internet
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Internet is the most common and effective tool to enhance knowledge in the world.
Person can find any type of information related to any field on google. There are different
things in internet such as google, google scholar etc. These all are the source of internet that
provide appropriate and effective information to the users. Google scholar provide data about
journals, articles and management studies that is written by expert authors. Internet is more
enhanced tool to improve personality and professional development in the industry (Hudson,
2013).
Interviews
Interviews is the most common and effective approach of self-managed learning. By
interviews peoples can interact with each other. Both parties can learn from each other. By
interviews there are many benefits such as increment in knowledge, enhancement in
communication etc.
The learning cycle that was being introduced by Kolb’s involved four stages. He was able
to give an experimental learning model. The approach is deviated towards concrete experience
and abstract conceptualization. As per Kolb’s, ideal learning has four models with respect to the
situation. The preferred learning styles are as follows:
 Accommodating: These types of people are attracted to new challenges. The common
characteristics of these type of people are, active experimentation and concrete
knowledge and experience.
 Converging: These types of people tend to solve problems and apply their learnings
practically. These people have strong imagination and prefer doing technical tasks which
helps in bringing new ideas. The characteristics of these people are that they are active in
experimentation.
 Diverging: These types of individual tends to look at things from different perspective.
They have strong imagination and hence prefer a workplace where they can interact with
people of different culture and interest.
 Assimilating: These kinds of people are good at exploring analytical models. Individuals
tend to prefer good and clear communication methods.
As a bookkeeper, the person is active experimentation and abstract learner. Hence, the
learning style applicable on him is accommodating, as per the Kolb’s learning cycle.
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1.2 purpose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged
There are different types of strategies and approaches to enhance and improve a personal
and professional development in the world. To encourage a development of learning they need to
follow appropriate tools and techniques (Little, 2012). Some of the purpose to enhance lifelong
learning in personal and professional development as follows:
Self-directed learning
This technique is more challenging for every person who is motivated or brightest. It is a
combination of four components as follows:
Being ready to learn: For successful independent study peoples need to improve their various
skills and attitudes. This step requires first they need to understand a current situation and they
need to take actions according to them.
Setting learning objectives: After knowing the current situation of the particular person or entity
they need to set desired goal. Learning contracts are highly recommended tools for successful
self-directed learning experience. Some of the learning contract as follows:
 Objective for the particular study: It is important to assess that what are the objectives of
the particular study. It helps in understanding that towards what type of aim, the
individual is working upon. Appropriate timeline for activities: It is necessary to decide a specific time period for the
activities that has been designed for the research. In that case, it helps in defining the time
line for the same. Planning: Appropriate amount of planning is required so that all the necessary steps are
taken into consideration without missing any important aspect.
Engaging in learning procedure: Peoples need to involve in the learning procedure so that they
can enhance their knowledge and also increase efficiency in the world. To reduce complexity of
learning process they must need to follow appropriate strategies and approaches.
Coaching and mentoring of learners
By mentoring and coaching of learners people and firm can easily enhance a performance
and also increase services in the market. Some of the purpose of coaching and mentoring as
follows:
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 To help individual or group to develop personally and professionally in a particular
context.
 Provide appropriate and effective support to an individual in a given context.
 It provides additional services and facilities to increase performance, learning and
development of the individual (Siemens, 2014).
 It helps to individual to develop challenges managing and handle their learning to fulfil
their potential.
Use of continuous professional development
Continuing professional is most important because it ensures that you are perfect to
continue to competent in your profession. It is ongoing process and it will also help to enhance a
personal and professional career in the world.
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and the company
Self-managed learning provides different types of benefits to an individual or an
organization. Both have various benefits such as motivation, self-confidence, higher performance
etc. These all are the common advantages from self-managed learning. It generates a confidence
in me. I can learn from different sources to increase their knowledge. By increasing knowledge, I
can easily develop their own objective and also enhance a performance of the company in the
industry. It is the biggest opportunities for me to enhance their knowledge in the challenging
world and also helps to increase personal and professional development of an individual
(Quisenberry and Burrell, 2012). Some of the benefits of self-managed learning as follows:
 Increment in self-confidence that with the help of some practice an analysis, the present
set of skills can be increased and improved.
 It promotes the natural development of self-confidence and life satisfaction.
Experimentation is the best method of learning and skill development.
 Self-managed learning decreases the probability of children suffering from lifelong
wounds. It gives experience to the me so that I can perform all my tasks with full zest.
 It helps me to minimize the problem of transfer of learning
 It is compatible with new training programs as self-learning helps in initiating self-
practice measures
 They motivate personal and professional development of the individual or an
organization (Calinescu and et.al., 2012).
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 It encourages widening involvement and break down problems or issues for the progress
in personal and professional development.
TASK 3
3.1 Processes and activities required to implement the development plan
Aligning the training plan with the business strategies: Manager of the company has a
responsibility to provide appropriate training according to the business approaches. Based on the
required skills they need to give effective training to get desired target or objective. By providing
effective training and development to the employee so that they can easily increase the level of
their knowledge and skills in a firm (DeMonte, 2013).
Priorities the action needs: in the organization there are many tasks performed
simultaneously so manager should priorities the task based on the needs which helps to get
desired target of the firm. By priorities the task of the development for the employee they can
easily improve their skills and get desired objective of a company in the world (Zepeda, 2012).
3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned
Conduct the study groups: for the personal and professional development it is very
essential that organize the study group and provide efficient training to an employee based on
their needs.
Monitoring and supervising: It is one of the best method to improve the employee skill
and knowledge. By monitoring the employee performance in an entity the can easily find out the
issues and then manager can easily take appropriate actions. It helps to get desired target of a
firm in the world (Savery, 2015).
3.3 Reflection critically on learning against company goal and target set in development plan
By creating the development plan I can easily increase my knowledge and skills in he
effective manner. I improve my technical skills by taking the training sessions. Technical skills
are more essential for the account assistant manager. By improving my technical skills I can
easily maintain the records and easily manipulate the data of a firm. I planned to improve my
communication skills by taking the training but still I am not able to easily communicate with the
employees in the company. For the massage therapist must have good communication skills
which helps to communicate with each other. To get the objective of business management and
finance I must have good leadership skills. I should know how to apply strategies and business
policies to get desired objective. I need to change my development plan it helps to improve my
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knowledge and skills in the firm. I improve my knowledge in opera PMS and customer service
practices by taking the knowledge of new technologies.
3.4 Update of development plan based on the feedback and evaluation
From the above evaluation it can be easily concludes that I need to change and update my
development plan which helps to improve my personal and development. New personal and
professional development plan as follows:
Learning Objectives
 Massage therapist
 Business management and finance.
Current proficiency
 I have adequate amount of experience as massage therapist.
 I carry more knowledge is customer operations and strategies formation.
Area of target and opportunities
 To improve my communication skills, I should take appropriate training sessions and
programs which helps to increase my knowledge and skills.
 To improve my leadership skills, I need to conduct and participate in the operational
activities. By understand the operational policies in the company I can easily guide the
member and give appropriate instructions to them for the management.
Criteria for judging success
 Written test
 Exam
Time frame
 5 months for Massage therapist
 4 months for Business management and finance.
Evidence
 Diploma and Masters
CONCLUSION
Self-managed learning help to increase their knowledge of an individual or and
organization. There are different types of tools and techniques that provide effective and efficient
services to improve their personal and professional development. Self directing learning and
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continuous professional development help to encourage lifelong learning in personal and
professional development of and individual.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Hopkinson, C., 2014. Personal and professional development. Becoming a Nurse: A Textbook for
Professional Practice. pp.383.
Hudson, P., 2013. Mentoring as professional development:‘growth for both’mentor and
mentee. Professional development in education. 39(5). pp.771-783.
Little, J. W., 2012. Professional community and professional development in the learning-
centered school. Teacher learning that matters: International perspectives. pp.22-46.
Siemens, G., 2014. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.
Calinescu, R. and et.al., 2012. Self-adaptive software needs quantitative verification at
runtime. Communications of the ACM. 55(9). pp.69-77.
Valtonen, T. and et.al., 2012. Perspectives on personal learning environments held by vocational
students. Computers & Education. 58(2). pp.732-739.
Quisenberry, W. and Burrell, D. N., 2012. ESTABLISHING A CYCLE OF SUCCESS BY
UTILIZING TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP, TECHNOLOGY, TRUST, AND
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ON HIGH PERFORMING SELF-MANAGED
VIRTUAL TEAMS. Review of Management Innovation & Creativity. 5(16).
DeMonte, J., 2013. High-Quality Professional Development for Teachers: Supporting Teacher
Training to Improve Student Learning. Center for American Progress.
Savery, J. R., 2015. Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential
readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S.
Barrows. 9. pp.5-15.
Zepeda, S. J., 2012. Professional development: What works. Eye on education.
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