Assignment on Personal and professional development Solved

Personal and professional
development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
A. Evaluation of various approaches to self-managed learning and ways to have the
lifelong learning to encourage personal/professional life...................................................4
B. Discuss the benefits of self-managed learning to you and your organisation with
examples drawn from your experience..................................................................................5
M1 Demonstrate effective approach to study and research self-managed learning
approaches................................................................................................................................6
D1 Critically evaluate and draw conclusion on the significance of self-managed
learning at different level in your life......................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
A. Evaluate your personal skills and competencies and identify the skills needed to
develop in order to work professionally.................................................................................6
B. Identify your personal development opportunities and devise a personal and
professional development plan...............................................................................................8
M2 Personal SWOT analysis..................................................................................................9
D2 Action plan for implementation of PPD..........................................................................11
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
A. How you would proceed to implement your personal and professional development
plan............................................................................................................................................11
B. Reflect the achievements against the expected aims and objectives and the
measures to review and update the plan............................................................................11
M2 Sources of information to update the PPD plan..........................................................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
A. Explain 2 work based problems in your work environment and identify proper
solutions for people at different levels.................................................................................12
B. Application of effective time management approaches in various situations in your
own context..............................................................................................................................13
D3 New ideas of resolving work based problems in a work environment.....................13

CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development plays a deep and significant role in the setting up of a
proper work ethics and operations that supports the effective growth of an individual. The proper
learning measures that are been taken in consideration by an individual will help the firm to
grow and develop in a significant and effective way (Rønnestad, Orlinsky and Wiseman, 2016).
A proper and effective professional development will help the firm to meet the responsibilities of
organisation. For the report, Thomas Cook is been chosen which is a UK based travel and
tourism firm.
The report will evaluate various approaches of self-managed learning with the
implementation of proper models and theories. Also, the benefits of self-managed learning is
been discussed. Personal skills and competencies are been discussed. A personal
development plan and the steps to implement it will be taken in consideration. Also, an effective
reflection is been presented with proper assessment of expected aims and objectives. Also two
work based problems are been discussed with application of effective time management
approach.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
A. Evaluation of various approaches to self-managed learning and ways to have the lifelong
learning to encourage personal/professional life
The self-managed learning is the process that that allows an individual to have a good
control over the operations and activities which will help the person and organisation to have a
sustainable growth. Various approaches can be adopted and implemented that can help an
individual to improve their overall performance. Some of the approaches of self-induced learning
that is been taken in consideration by an individual are as follows:
 Conferences and seminars: This are the best way to improve one’s skill set and
communication skills. It acts as a catalyst in inducing the proper personal as well as
professional development. Such seminars and conferences helps to improve the
productivity level of an individual as well as an organisation (Keller-Dupree and et.al.,
2014).
 Internet: Internet has emerged as a vast source of knowledge and information. With
the easy access to internet and more skill sets and courses moving online, it is a very
easy and effective way to have personal and professional development.
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 Social networking: Accessibility to affordable internet and increasing popularity of
social media has become a very effective platform to have personal and professional
development. Individual and firms get the proper opportunity to meet with new people,
share their ideas and enhance their personal knowledge and skill set for a better
development (Vangrieken and et.al., 2017).
All this factors will act as the major contributor to lifelong learning and will support a
proper growth and development of an individual as well as an organisation. This will help the
firm to have a sustainable increase in the overall growth and meeting of organisational
objectives. This can be supported by various self-learning models and theories that will help a
person to have a sustainable learning such as:
Self-directed learning model: It helps in the satisfactory growth factors that help in the proper
management of the learning process that is been undertaken for improvement of skill sets
(Korthagen, 2017). It includes the four stages which will help the firm as well as an individual to
carry out the business operations and activities to greater extent. The four stages are been
explained as follows:
Stages Student Teacher
Stage 1 Dependent Authority Coach
Stage 2 Interested Motivator Guide
Stage 3 Involved Facilitator
Stage 4 Self-Directed Consultant Delegator
This will help the individual person or an organisation to have a better growth and thus will
support a better rise in the capability and lifelong learning process (Hicks and et.al., 2014).
B. Discuss the benefits of self-managed learning to you and your organisation with examples
drawn from your experience
The SML in an organisation or by an individual will help in improving the overall growth ratio and
development level of the firm. Besides this, it helps the firm to have the additional support and
knowledge to perform a task. For an individual, it provide the opportunity to improve his/her skill
set and personal knowledge (Körkkö, M., Kyrö-Ämmälä and Turunen, 2016). On the other hand,
for an organisation, the improved skill set of employees will help in better growth. Other than
this, some of the major benefits of self-managed learning on me and my organisation are:
 Building of an effective relationship: Self-managed learning process helps the firm to
carry out the different activities and actions that has supported me to have a proper
development of relationship among the employees on interpersonal level (Komattil and
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et.al., 2016). On the organisational level, a good team bonding will lead to effective
professional growth. It has helped me to improve my confidence level and motivated me
to give out my best at work place. This will also play a crucial role in rise of overall
business activities and operations. The developed skills of staff or work force will help
the firm to meet operational requirements.
 Improving my personal skills: The self-managed learning process will help me to
develop my personal skills and knowledge. This will help the firm to strengthen their
work ethics and this will support a firm to carry out the business activities (Hayes, Fulton
and Armstrong, 2016). Other than this, the enhancement of my personal learning will
lead to rise in my confidence level. The learning process will also help me to work at the
organisation with more efficiency and preciseness.
 Meeting clients requirements: The self-managed learning activities that are been
taken in consideration by the firm will cause it to handle their requirements with more
ease, developing a better understanding and thus will assist the organisation to meet
their client’s needs in a more effective and precise manner (Beijaard and Meijer, 2017).
Other than this, the increment in motivation and confidence level of employees will
cause the organisation to have a consistent and sustainable growth in its market.
A proper training measure that will be undertaken by a coach, trainer or teacher will lead
to individual as well as organisational goals, hand in hand.
M1 Demonstrate effective approach to study and research self-managed learning approaches
Various theories and models like self-learning models or democratic leadership can be
adopted that will help the firm to carry out the business operations and activities to a greater
extent. This will help in developing an effective learning process within selected organisation
(McLeod and Julia, 2014).
D1 Critically evaluate and draw conclusion on the significance of self-managed learning at
different level in your life
Learning ids a lifelong process that takes place at various level of life. From the early
stages till professional stage, self-managed learning will help in improving confidence level and
knowledge of an individual to a greater extent.
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TASK 2
A. Evaluate your personal skills and competencies and identify the skills needed to develop in
order to work professionally
The proper assessment of my personal skills and competencies will help me to identify
and work upon the skills sets and weaknesses, in order to have a better personal and
professional development. This will also support an effective PPD plan which supports the
overall growth and development of organisation to greater extent. The evaluation of my personal
skills and competencies are as follows:
Skills and competencies Explanation
Communication skills I possess good communication skills which had
helped me to sustain and work effectively at the
work place. The good communication skills
have helped me to handle my business
operations and activities to a greater extent.
Writing skills My writing skills have been improved gradually
in past and now I can explain my views and
express my opinion properly in written format.
Team working My ability to work as a part of team have
helped me to carry out my work requirements
and action plans in much effective and suitable
manner. My excellent team bonding and
capacity to work together had assisted me to
complete many project and job roles effectively
at selected firm.
IT skills My proficiency in looking after the IT or
technology related tasks and operations have
helped me to work effectively at M&S. This has
not only helped me to complete my targets
majorly in stipulated time frame but also
supported to implement innovative ideas in my
work at the organisation.
Although there are some skills which I need to develop in order to work professionally at
Thomas Cook. proper enhancement of these skills will help me to have a better growth and
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development of business operations and activities at the work place. Some major skills or
attribute which I require to develop are:
Skills Explanation
Time management This is the major attribute which is required to
be possessed by an individual to effectively
work at an organisation. The lack of proper
time management skills have affected me to a
greater extent and thus I require to have a
good control over the implementation of this
attribute.
Resource management This is another attribute on which I require to
work upon. My inability to manage the
resources that are been allotted to me is the
major issue that can hinder my growth. Thus
the proper management and sorting out of this
factor is very important for me.
B. Identify your personal development opportunities and devise a personal and professional
development plan
As per the assessment above, this can be said that, I have certain development
opportunities like improving my time and resource management skills. This will help me to carry
out my operations and activities and actions to a greater extent. My extensive quality to have a
good IT proficiency, communication skills and a better command over writing is very beneficial
to have a better growth in travel and tourism sector. However certain measures are required to
be taken in consideration that will help me to improve my performance to a greater extent. For
this, a personal and professional development plan (PPD) is required to be developed.
Skills Current status Measures to be
taken
Time taken
Time management Needs improvement Developing a better
and effective time
schedule that helps in
proper management
of different sort of
business operations
6 to 9 months to
properly implement
the time management
plans that are been
developed.
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and activities related
to travel and tourism
firm. Besides this,
breaking down a
complex task and
effectively planning
about it is the major
factor that is required
to be taken in
consideration. Other
than this, various
seminars and
conferences related to
time management can
be taken.
Resource
management
Needs improvement Making a proper
inventory and
following it with
discipline is one of the
step that can be taken
in consideration for a
better resource
management. Other
than this, following
various approaches
and effective
communication will
facilitates a good
resource
management at
Thomas Cook.
4 to 6 months using
various tools and
techniques.
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Fulfilment of this measure will help me to fulfil my personal and professional objectives
within travel and tourism sector. Also, it will facilitates a good and effective increase in my
knowledge and skill sets.
Own learning against original aims and objectives set in the development plan: I have
learned time management for all kinds of activities or business operations that I need to
complete or undergo. However it was a bit difficult for me to learn time management as it took
me almost 6 to 9 months to completely learn time management.
Updated development plan based on feedback and evaluation:
Skills Current status Measures taken Time taken
Time
management
Ongoing Development of effective time schedule
helped in proper management of different
sort of business operations and activities
related to travel and tourism firm. Besides
this, breaking down a complex task and
effectively planning about it is the major
factor and various seminars and
conferences related to time management
also helped in improving and learning time
management.
6 to 9 months
Resource
management
Completed Proper inventory making and following it
with discipline helped in better resource
management. Other than this, effective
communication also helped in good
resource management at Thomas Cook.
4 to 6 months
M2 Personal SWOT analysis
SWOT analysis
Strength Weaknesses
 Communication skills: My good
communication skills are the major
advantage for me that will help me to
have a good control over the activities
 Time management: This is the major
weakness which I require to sort out in
order to have a sustainable growth in
travel and tourism sector.
 Resource management: Proper
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that will be followed by Thomas Cook.
 Writing skills: Writing skills plays a
deep and important role in carrying out
of the operations in travel and tourism
sector.
 Team working: Team working is very
necessary in handling the quality of
business operations and activities that
will help in the better management of
work functions related to travel and
tourism sector that are been
undertaken by me at Thomas Cook.
 IT skills: With the advancement of
technology, IT is been used profoundly
in travel and tourism sector. In such
case, my IT skills will be of great help
to me in order to meet the
organizational requirements of Thomas
Cook.
management of various resources are
been taken in consideration by me in
order to meet the operational
requirements of selected business
entity in an effective way.
Opportunities Threats
My effective IT skills, communication level
and ability to work in a team will enhance
my chances to succeed on the
professional and personal level and will
help me to work effectively at selected
travel and tourism firm.
The lack of time and resource
management can impact my performance
and may have serious consequences.
Hence, resolution of issues related to it is
very important form me.
D2 Action plan for implementation of PPD
Effective following of the PPD plan with regular assessment of growth level will help the
organisation as well as the individual to have a better growth and development ratio that will
help in increasing the quality of services that are been followed by the firm.
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TASK 3
A. How you would proceed to implement your personal and professional development plan
Different measures are been taken in consideration by the firm that will be followed in
order to have an effective implementation of my personal and professional development plan at
Thomas Cook. Various steps will be followed out that will help in suitable management of
business activities and operations which will help in suitable rise in business activities and
operations. Some of the major processes that are been followed by organisation are as follows:
 Conferences and seminars: Taking part in various seminars and conferences will be of
great helps and will help the organisation to carry out the business activities and
operations to a greater extent. This will help me to increase my knowledge and hence
will support the proper planning of various business activities and action plans that will
help the organisation to meet the functional capabilities and operations that will be
followed by selected travel and tourism firm (Vetere and Stratton, 2016).
 Developing an action plan: Proper planning about the measures related to time and
resource management will be looked after by selected organisation. Also, I will
personally see through the development of proper implementation of this plan in order to
get the proper outputs and improvement in my skill sets and knowledge. A proper
development of an effective action plan will help the firm as well as the individual to take
the suitable measures in order to have the proper implementation of PPD plan (Brody
and Hadar, 2015).
B. Reflect the achievements against the expected aims and objectives and the measures to
review and update the plan
On the basis of operations, that are been undertaken by me for updating my skill set and
knowledge and the proper development of a travel and tourism organisation will help to meet
the operational requirements to a greater extent. The implementation of this PPD has helped
me to improve my time and resource management skills and assisted me to increase my
knowledge regarding it. This allowed me to adopt suitable measures to improve my work
performance.
Besides this, proper alterations can be made within PPD on the basis of assessment process
and measures that will help the firm to improve my skill set. Assessment process is very
necessary as it helps the individual to determine the extent of improvement that is been made.
Besides this, it helps to identify the measures and significant approaches that will be undertaken
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by me for the personal and professional improvement purpose. This will help in updating the
PPD.
M2 Sources of information to update the PPD plan.
Various sources are been undertaken in consideration like peer feedbacks, personal
SWOT analysis and self-assessment processes that will help an individual at selected travel
and tourism firm to make the suitable changes and improve its personal knowledge and skill set
to meet the business operations and activities.
TASK 4
A. Explain 2 work based problems in your work environment and identify proper solutions for
people at different levels
Various problems occurs at the work place that are required to be taken in consideration
by the firm and its management. The two major work based problems that are been taken in
consideration are as follows:
 Lack of proper communication: Many work places don’t have a good communication
culture. This impacts the overall functionality and carrying out of business operations to
a greater extent (Gregersen and MacIntyre, 2017). Existence of a proper and effective
communication will help the selected organisation to undertake the suitable measures
and reforms to handle the business operations and activities that will help the firm to
meet the operational quality of organisation as well as improved the work performance of
an individual.
 Absence of skilled and knowledgeable work force: This is the major issue that has
occurred in recent time to a greater extent. The proper skilled and well-informed staff is
very difficult to find. Thomas Cooks has to look after the proper management of business
operations that will impact the overall operations of the organisation (Williams, Carpenter
and Timms, 2015).
Various measures can be taken in consideration by the selected travel and tourism firm
to mitigate this issues. Some of them are as follows:
 Providing proper training to employees: This will help the firm to improve their work
process and thus will enhance their work quality to a greater extent. However, training
the new employees and increasing their skill set is one of the hectic task that has to be
looked after by management of firm to develop a good behaviour on inter departmental
level and with customers (Davies, Curtin and Robson, 2017).
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 Developing a proper and interactive work environment: Thomas Cook has to look
after the proper handling of the communication or interaction process that helps the
organisation to have a sustainable development. For this, the democratic leadership
model can be taken in consideration that will help in proper development of different sort
of work processes (Kroll and Dussias, 2017).
This approaches helps the organisation to handle the conflicts and differences that
occurs at various level in an organisation, from top to bottom. This will help in effective
management of differences in personal and professional behaviours.
B. Application of effective time management approaches in various situations in your own
context
There are various sort of time management approaches that can be undertaken in
various situations at selected travel and tourism firm. Some major approaches of time
management that can be taken in consideration are:
 Setting up the priorities: This will help in identifying the important tasks that are been
undertaken within the organisation and thus getting the better outputs from the
employees. This will help management to finish the important and urgent tasks
immediately. This will help me to finish off my work in more effective way (Olsen, 2015).
 Elimination of distraction: Distraction or diversions are the biggest hindrance that can
impact and affect the performance of an individual and the organisation as a whole.
Proper management and avoidance of distraction will lead to development of a focused
behaviour, which fosters growth and development of firm.
D3 New ideas of resolving work based problems in a work environment.
Various measures can be undertaken in consideration by the organisation that will help
the firm to meet the business operations to a greater extent. Measures like avoidance of
distraction, setting appropriate priorities and developing a proper work plan will help Thomas
Cook to resolve its work based behavioural problems.
CONCLUSION
Hence, on the basis of the report, this can be concluded that the personal and professional
development is depended on various sort of behaviour that helps the organisation which helps
the firm to carry out the business activities and actions. The different approaches to self-
managed training and lifelong learning is the major factor to encourage personal and
professional development Also an effective PPD is been presented that will help in suitable
14

growth and development of the organisation. Personal analysis and proper reflection is been
provided on development measures that are been undertaken to carry out personal
development. Also, the work based issues and their proper resolution measures are been
analysed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Beijaard, D. and Meijer, P.C., 2017. Teacher identity development: On the role of the personal
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Brody, D.L. and Hadar, L.L., 2015. Personal professional trajectories of novice and experienced
teacher educators in a professional development community. Teacher
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Davies, K., Curtin, M. and Robson, K., 2017. Impact of an international workplace learning
placement on personal and professional development. Australian occupational therapy
journal. 64(2). pp.121-128.
Gregersen, T.S. and MacIntyre, P.D. eds., 2017. Innovative Practices in Language Teacher
Education: Spanning the Spectrum from Intra-to Inter-personal Professional
Development (Vol. 30). Springer.
Hayes, C., Fulton, J. and Armstrong, P.A., 2016. Facilitating the Articulation of Personal and
Professional Development with Metaphors: Harnessing Culture and Celebrating
Difference in Postgraduate International Student Support.
Hicks, P.J and et.al., 2014. Domain of competence: personal and professional
development. Academic pediatrics. 14(2). pp.S80-S97.
Keller-Dupree, E.A. anmd et.al., 2014. Collaborative learning: The effects of service learning on
personal and professional development for school counselors-in-training. VISTAS
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Komattil, R. and et.al., 2016. Evaluation of a personal and professional development module in
an undergraduate medical curriculum in India. Korean journal of medical
education. 28(1). pp.117.
Körkkö, M., Kyrö-Ämmälä, O. and Turunen, T., 2016. Professional development through
reflection in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education. 55. pp.198-206.
Korthagen, F., 2017. Inconvenient truths about teacher learning: towards professional
development 3.0. Teachers and teaching, 23(4), pp.387-405.
Kroll, J.F. and Dussias, P.E., 2017. The Benefits of Multilingualism to the Personal and
Professional Development of Residents of the US. Foreign language annals. 50(2).
pp.248-259.
McLeod, J. and Julia, M.J.M., 2014. Personal and professional development for counsellors,
psychotherapists and mental health practitioners. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
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