Improving Skills for ASDA

Personal and Professional Development

Contents
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 3
TASK 1 .................................................................................................................. 3
a) Approaches of self managed learning and different learning styles...............3
b) Ways to encourage life-long learning in the personal and professional
context............................................................................................................... 4
c) Evaluating the benefits of the self managed learning to the individual and
organization........................................................................................................ 4
d) Identifying one work based problem..............................................................5
e) Implementation of the learning style which can overcome the work based
problem and communicating the benefits of it at each level of organization.....5
f) Evaluating the different time management strategies to manage the time
more efficiently................................................................................................... 5
TASK 2................................................................................................................... 6
a)Evaluating the current skills and competencies against the professional
standards and organizational objectives............................................................6
b) Personal and professional development needs and activities required
meeting them..................................................................................................... 7
c) Identifying the development opportunities to meet the current and future
needs.................................................................................................................. 8
D, e and f) Personal development plan...............................................................8
g) Critical evaluation of the learning against the aims and objectives...............9
h) Updation of the personal development plan...................................................9
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................... 10
REFERENCES........................................................................................................ 11

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is a key which helps individual in achieving
success in the dynamic business environment. Professional development can be defined as a
process which helps individual in learning the skills and competencies which helps them in
building the bright career in the desired field (McLeod and Julia, 2014). In addition to this,
personal development refers the development of self awareness, skills and abilities which
helps individual in achieving their set goals and objectives. It also helps individual in
maximize their potential to a great extent. The present report is based upon ASDA which is
the largest supermarket of UK. The present report will discuss the approaches of self
managed learning and life-long learning in the personal and professional context. Besides
this, it also highlights the benefits of the self managed learning to the individual and
organization. It also states the effectiveness of time management strategies in the competitive
business environment.
TASK 1
a) Approaches of self managed learning and different learning styles
There are several approaches which individual can use to develop their skills and
competencies which are enumerated below:
 Use of social networking site: Internet is the best tool which individual can use to
develop their potentials. In the present scenario people spends their lot of time on the
social networking sites. It provides opportunity to the individual to interact with the
large number of people (Abraham and et.al., 2015). In addition to this, by using social
networking sites individual are able share their views, ideas and suggestions with
numerous people. This approach proves to be more beneficial for the individual who
widened their knowledge base and skills.
 SWOT analysis: It is another most effective approach or technique which individual
can use to develop their proficiency level. By conducting SWOT analysis individual
can assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Lee and Jo, 2014). It
enables individual to convert their weaknesses into strengths by undertaking effective
measures.
 Learning from mistakes: Further, individual can also learn from their mistakes which
occurred in the previous performance of them. It provides assistance to them in
preventing the mistakes in the current work performance.
As per the Flemings VAK model there are various types of learning style such as
auditory, audio-visual and kinesthetic learning style which individual can use to build
competencies among them. In auditory learning style, individual learn only through hearing
the aspects without any visual presentation. Where as in audio-visual learning style individual
get deeper insight about the respective area with the help of chart and graphs. It facilitates
better understanding towards the subject area. In addition to this, kolbs learning style includes
four learning stages such as concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract

conceptualization and active experimentation. This stage provides assistance to the individual
in developing the competencies among them.
b) Ways to encourage life-long learning in the personal and professional context
In order to assess the suitable learning and development method I undertake research
activity. It provides assistance to me in the selection of best method which aids the
development of my skills and abilities. Besides this, I take suggestions from my family and
friends who helps me in indentifying the best learning and development method.
Improvement in skills of an individual are highly depends upon the effective learning
methods which helps individual in achieving success. Along with it, individual can learn the
development method with the help of training session (Visser, Evering and Barrett, 2014). It
develops understanding regarding the learning methods and style through one can easily
select the suitable method of learning in accordance with their developing needs.
Lifelong learning can defined as a activity undertaken by an individual throughout the
life in order to improve the potential, skis and competencies (Lifelong learning, 2015). There
are several several ways through which I can encourage lifelong learning in the personal and
professional context. Internet surfing is the best tool and technique which makes contribution
in the life-long which helps me in the both personal and professional life. Internet is the huge
collection of books, journals, research paper and articles. It provides information to the
individual about the current trend of the business area. Through this individual is able to
coping up with the ever changing business environment (Haarhoff, Thwaites and Bennett‐
Levy, 2015). Besides this, coaching and mentoring is also one of the best way through which
individual can develop their skills and competencies. It helps individual in getting expertise
in their desired field and there by fulfill the dreams of them. Thus, it plays a significant role
in the lifelong learning of the individual.
Along with it through apprenticeship and technological coaching or classes also helps
individual in learning the skills and abilities. Apprenticeship provides opportunity to the
individual to get practical exposure of the work. In addition to this, it also give chance to the
individual to get revenue during their learning. Further, by attending the technological
training session individual can also develop knowledge in relation to the technical field or
area. It enables individual to build the bright career in the eever changing business arena.
c) Evaluating the benefits of the self managed learning to the individual and organization
Self managed learning provides several benefits not only to the individual but also to
the organization. Through self managed learning individual is able to perform their activities
more effectively and efficiently which proves to be more fruitful for ASDA. It reduces the
possibility of high level of mistakes. Besides this, if personnel possess the complete
knowledge in relation to their field then they do not face any difficulties in serving the
customers. Along with it, employees of ASDA are encouraged to deliver the satisfactory
services to a large extent.
In the retail industry, success of an organization highly depends upon the skilled and
efficient workforce (Shaw and et.al., 2014). If individual have the expertise then they are able