Self-Managed Learning and Skills Development

This assignment focuses on the concept of self-managed and lifelong learning in the context of Travelodge employees. It outlines a personal development plan to identify weaknesses and strategies for improvement. The document summarizes key learnings from the unit, including time management strategies developed by an assistant manager to achieve goals effectively.

Personal and Professional
development

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
1.1. Approaches to self-managed learning..................................................................................2
1.2. Lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts......................................................2
1.3. The benefits of self-managed learning.................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1. Current skills and competencies against professional standards..........................................4
2.2. Development needs and the activities...................................................................................5
2.3. Development opportunities to meet your current and future defined needs.........................6
2.4. A personal and professional development plan based on identified needs..........................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1. The processes and activities required to implement the development plan..........................7
3.2. Document development activities.........................................................................................8
3.3. Learning against original aims and objectives......................................................................8
3.4. Update the development plan...............................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
Incorporated in Poster................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
For learners, this unit emphasises on accessing and developing personal and professional
skills. Travelodge Hotels is a private organisation in terms of hospitality industry. It has
headquarters in Thame, UK. It has around 500 hotels in UK, 11 hotels in Ireland, 5 hotels in
Spain. This unit outlines approaches and benefits of self-managed learning, making a personal
and professional development plan by identifying current skills and competencies. It also makes
a poster to define solutions to work-based problems and for time-management strategies
1

TASK 1
2

1.1. Approaches to self-managed learning
Self- managed learning is the process to determine aims and objectives, set target to learn and to
develop personal and professional skills which helps to become self-directed employee. There
are some approaches which are explained below:
 Learning through research- To learn new things in competitive manner, research is
required. Research can be done through internet, books, journals. It enhances learning
and knowledge of self and makes employee efficient in their work.
 Learning from seminars- By taking seminars in different fields as per the interest of
their field which improves employee performance and enhances their learning to new
concepts and technologies.
 Use of Newsgroups- Media provides all over information from all over the world. It
makes employees aware of current trends and provides innovative idea to employee for
better growth of organisation.
From the above approaches, I feel learning through research is the best approach for my
company Travelodge because it brings more customers through searching over internet and get
information about them legally (Barrow and et.al, 2015). It also gives information about current
and future trends which helps in profitably.
1.2. Lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts
Lifelong learning is act to learn throughout our life. It enhances understanding power, provides
better and more opportunities to achieve target and also improves efficiency to do work. It helps
in linking higher education with industry. There are some ways which encourages lifelong
learning which are explained below:
 Apprenticeship- I as an assistant manager provides internship to employees so that
employees gain real work experience of their field and interest areas. It enhances
individual potential and make their learning efficient. It also improves employability to
do work and get support from trainers to achieve target.
 Make learning goals as performance goals- To achieve target in specified time, I as an
assistant manager advices employee to link their goals to their performance management
(Yang, and et.al., 2015). It encourages employee for appraisal and getting rewards for
their work.
3

 Build a library of learning resources- To avail resources to employees for effective
growth of company, I as an assistant manager builds a library within organisation which
includes books, online learning platform. It encourages employee to learn new skills that
helps them lifelong for enhancement of company.
1.3. The benefits of self-managed learning
To set a goal, initiating process to achieve goal, taking self-reflection are parts of self- managed
learning. Benefits of self-managed learning are explained below:
For Travelodge
 Reduces training Costs- Self-managed learning doesn't need trainers to train
employees. I as an assistant manager motivates employee to manage their work self and
get improvement in their skills. As self-learning helps employees to enhance skills in
their own way.
 Motivated workers- Self-managed learning motivates employees enthusiastically as
they get to know their strength and weakness in their work and chances of getting
improvement in their weakness is increased (Day-Calder, 2017).
For Individual
 Courageous leadership- By managing self in company, my leadership qualities is being
improved too much. I manage my team very effectively and solve problems by working
together. It helps me to manage the work in such a manner that it gets completed on
time.
 Creative Thinking & innovation- By doing work alone, it gives creative ideas for
improvement in my work as well as for growth of Travelodge. It enhances confidence
and makes courageous towards work. It gives opportunities to get rewards and
performance appraisal.
TASK 2
2.1. Current skills and competencies against professional standards
Time and self-management Entirely Not Confide
4

entirely nt
I comfortably meet all my deadlines for goals yes
I reach office or in meetings on time yes
I focus on future targets by keeping in mind yes
verbal communication Entirely Not
entirely
Confi
dent
I have healthy group discussion by listening and giving self-
points.
yes
I interact with customers with good communicating skills yes
I confidently explain to explain new policies and new ideas yes
I give presentation efficiently. yes
Critical thinking Entirely Not
entirely
Confi
dent
I search different new methods to solve problems yes
I find expectation of raising problems before. yes
I find alternative solution by bringing new concept yes
I give innovative ideas to employees for their improvement. yes
My Current
Skills
Professional Standards (Inc.
Academic sources)
Travelodge and Job Role
Objectives
Time and
self-
management
I arrive in
office on time
Managing time for tasks given and
complete them on time. “Time is
money” (Dent, 2016).
Scheduling time table to
achieve goals which brings
more customer.
5

but I can't
meet
deadlines of
my goals on
time.
Verbal
communicati
on
With full
confidence
and right
information, I
explain new
concepts to
employees
with skilled
language. But,
I cannot give
presentation
easily.
Communicate in such a way that it is
valued by employers and makes them to
understand in effective manner.
To meet customer
expectation.
Critical
thinking
I manage
problems by
making
strategies but I
can't bring
new concept
or alternative
solution.
Bring new concept and technology.
“New ideas are new scopes”.
Working in a team gives
innovative ideas.
2.2. Development needs and the activities
Skills to be developed Improvement methods
To meet deadlines on time I will distribute work between employees according to their field
or area of interest. I will take feedback from employees regarding
issues which came in between.
To focus on future tasks I will develop a plan for future tasks in advance and aware
employees about their work (Vovides and Inman, 2016).
Scheduling a time table I will observe seniors that how they are managing their time for
6

achieving goals
Presentation skills I will take conference more and more to get clear voice tone.
Problem solving skills I will become a good listener then, reach to a judgement to take
an action against problems raised.
2.3. Development opportunities to meet your current and future defined needs.
 Time management- Having good time management for achieving goals, scheduling time
table is much essential. This is done by taking advice from senior management that how
to set a target. Taking feedback from employees that where they are consuming time.
Then, time management will be done effectively.
 Verbal Communication- Good communicator plays a very important role in success of
company. It improves by sharing information and presenting ideas comfortably. Meeting
new people is opportunity for me to improve my presentation skills. Presentation skills
require understanding, clear voice tone, expressive ideas.
 Solving problems- It leads to success of company. Being problems raised in between
work require ideas to solve them. Doing research is opportunity to solve problem and
then reach to a judgement and makes it effective in such a manner that it did not rise
again in the future.
2.4. A personal and professional development plan based on identified needs
What are my
goals?
Priority How can I
improve?
Resources Time
Required
Reviews
Time
management
high Scheduling time
table to set a
goal and by
distributing work
between
employees
according to
their skills.
Taking advice
from senior
management
3 months From seniors
to manage
time crucially
and implement
them in work.
Presentation low By participating From online 2 months From team
7

skills in conferences
more and more
to have clear
voice tone (Chen
and et.al., 2015).
resources like
social
networking
members to
enhance voice
loudly and
make it clear.
Solving
problems
high By giving new
concepts by
having
alternative
solution.
From books
and journals
and also from
experience
4 months From seniors,
that to analyse
first and then
go to a
judgement.
Focus on
future tasks
low By having
feedback from
employees about
project and make
a plan in
advance to set a
goal.
By books and
from seniors.
6 months From team
members, to
make
strategies to
achieve future
tasks by
developing a
plan in
advance.
TASK 3
3.1. The processes and activities required to implement the development plan
 Aligning activity plan with business strategy- In this step the person aligns the activity
plan in accordance with the business strategy. Activity plan includes mentoring, tutorials,
formal learning and training etc. through which a person learns and develops new skills
and implement them.
 Highlight certain skill gaps- After the analysis of the training plan with business
strategy and analysing the development plan I highlighted that some skills are not perfect
in me (Parisi and et.al., 2017). This step helps in knowing what is lacking in a person and
what skills are need to be developed in the manager.
8

 Prioritize action needs- After getting knowledge about the skills which are to be
developed the person has to prioritize that which skill has to be mastered immediately
and what skills are to be developed a little later.
 Measurable work- After prioritizing the skill development series the person has to
develop those skills and apply these skills in the workplace to examine whether the
person has grabbed those skills or not.
3.2. Document development activities
The activities documented will be helpful in development and implementation of plans
are as follows:
 Mentoring- It is a professional relationship in which a person who is experienced and
knowledgeable assists another person in developing specific skills and knowledge that
will enhance the less experienced person and helps him in growing.
 Tutorial- It is a method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of learning
process. This method is more interactive and specific than a book or a lecture and it
teaches with the help of examples (Salajeghe and et.al., 2017).
 Formal learning and training- It is a type of learning program in which the goals and
objectives are defined by the training department. This type of learning is more structured
and every learner receives the same standard of training.
3.3. Learning against original aims and objectives
In accordance with learning over set aim and objectives I feel I managed changes and
improvement in my time management and critical thinking skills. The first skill is time and self-
management with the help of which I am certainly able to meet deadlines and targets but still I
feel I need to work on setting goals and prioritising work. This skill is good overall but I need to
improve the ability to meet all the deadlines. Also, the I need to focus on future targets. With
these drawbacks I have one quality which is reaching office and meetings on time. This skill can
be developed with the help of training.
Another skill is communication in accordance with this I learned about this deficiency
from my feedback from my colleague. I needs to have a healthy group discussion and also I
needs to improve my presentation giving skills and need to focus on understanding the nonverbal
communication also. This skill can be improved by informal networks.
9

Last skill analysed in personal and professional development plan is critical thinking.
According to this skill I am very good in searching different new methods for solving the
problem. But I need to focus on giving more innovative ideas to employees and to find
alternative solutions by bringing in new concepts. It can be enhanced by mentoring and
supervision. As per feedback from my peers and seniors I feel I lack oral communication which
is my new aim of PDP plan (Barnlund, 2017).
3.4. Update the development plan
After knowing the abilities and deficiencies in me with help of the personal and
professional development plan I have updated my earlier plan to a new one which is as
follows:
What are my
goals?
Priority How can I
improve?
Resources Time
Required
Reviews
Time
management
High This can be
improved by
prioritising
workloads and
setting work
objectives
Taking advice
from senior
management
2 weeks From seniors
Presentation
skills
Moderate This can be
improved by
taking
professional
training on
English and
grammar and
understanding
the concept of
plagiarism.
From tutorials
and online
sources.
4 months From team
members
Oral
communicati
High With help of
development
By getting
training from
1 months From peers
10

on plan, I came to
know that I need
to improve my
oral
communication
(Latham, and
et.al., 2018). It
can be improved
by increasing
confidence level,
contributing
ideas to group
discussion etc.
personality
development
classes.
Information
Literacy:
Reading
Moderate This can be
improved by use
gathering
information from
a wide variety of
sources such as
books, journals,
online data base
etc.
By reading
books,
newspaper etc.
3-4 months Form top
management
TASK 4
Incorporated in Poster
CONCLUSION
This unit summarised about how self- managed and lifelong learning will affect personal
and professional skills. It developed a personal development plan to identify weakness and
methods to improve them. After learning aims and objectives, This unit updated development
plan and funded solutions to work based problems which help in improving skills of employees
11

of Travelodge. Assistant manager of Travelodge developed time management strategies to
achieve goals on time.
12