Personal and Professional Development

This document discusses personal and professional development, including skills audit, tools for enhancing skills, personal SWOT analysis, and a personal and professional development plan. It is based on ALDI, a leading retailer. Get study material and assignments on Desklib.

Personal and Professional
Development

Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.......................................................................................................................................3
TASK A................................................................................................................................................3
Evaluation of Skills audit...................................................................................................................3
Tools and techniques for enhancing interpersonal and transferable skills..........................................4
Personal SWOT Analysis..................................................................................................................6
Individual Appraisal..........................................................................................................................7
Personal and Professional Development plan....................................................................................9
TASK B................................................................................................................................................9
Reflective essay.................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is referring to the activity to gain skills and
knowledge with the aim of attaining better career growth within the business organization.
This is the reason that individual is responsible for acquiring all the necessary skills and
knowledge so that they can easily give their best efforts for attaining their set goals and
objectives. With the help of this, company can easily enhance their productivity level by
managing employee’s performance at working area. For attaining the same, organization is
also responsible for providing better training and development so that employees get
motivated and encouraged towards their set targets and perform their best to attain the same
(Beijaard and Meijer, 2017). Current report is based on ALDI, is famous and leading retailer
operate their business in over the world. Along with this, it has over 8000 stores worldwide
through which they offer their quality products and services in wider market place to attain
higher customers satisfaction. Company focus on recruiting more than 4000 new workers in
the upcoming 12 months in order to increase the overall sales of the company at market
place. In this, company also tries to attract as well as recruit people along with right skills and
knowledge that help them in enhancing overall performance. This report is going to evaluate
skills audit of an individual that help in analysing the actual performance of workers at
working area. In addition of this, various tools and techniques is also discussed in this report
that help in enhancing interpersonal and transferable skills of employees within the company.
Apart from this, personal SWOT analysis is discussed in this assignment. At last, personal

and professional development plan is also develop by management of team that support
people in improving performance of employees within the business organization.
MAIN BODY
TASK A
Evaluation of Skills audit
Skills audit is referring to the systematic assessment of individual that help them in
regard developing personal and professional development. In this regard, internal skill audit
is also helpful in analysing the actual activities of individual at working area (Sanz, Molt and
Puerta, 2015). As it is important for organization to provide better training and development
activities to its workers at working area. Apart from this, determination of training needs is
also important as it can be effective in improving overall performance of the employees at
workplace. In context of this, Aldi is focus recruiting capable and skilled candidates who are
able to execute their task activities as per allotted targets.
Skill Audit:
Skills Bad Average Good Excellent
Communication
skill
✓
Time
management
skill
✓
Leadership skill ✓
Team working ✓
Decision
making skill
✓
Problem solving
skill
✓
As per skill audit, there are various skills of employees along with some specified
categories through which company can easily evaluate the overall effectiveness and
efficiency level of workers at working area by analysing their skills towards the set criteria.
In this regard, communication, time management skill, leadership skill and problem-solving

skills is not much effective and also required to improvement. By developing all these skills,
employees can easily accomplish their targets and also enhance their productivity level at
working area. Apart from this, decision making skills and team working skill is good that
help employees in executing their task activities with better coordination. As they also able in
making best and appropriate decision so that they can easily eliminate all kind of confusion
that arise at working area. With the assistance of this, employees of Aldi can easily attain all
the set goals and objectives in most suitable period of time.
Tools and techniques for enhancing interpersonal and transferable skills
In business organization, there are various key interpersonal and transferable skills
which required by individual at working area (Lee and Choi, 2015). As a management of
team, it responsible for improving their overall performance level at working area. With the
help of this, Aldi can focus on hiring talented workers within their business activities with the
aim of attaining higher success. This is the reason that employees of management team are
also required effective and appropriate interpersonal and transferable skills that support in
managing or evaluating the entire task activities in an effective manner. In this manager of
Aldi is also focus on improving employee’s efficiency by developing their skills so that they
easily meet their set targets in stipulated time frame. As firm is also use appropriate tools and
techniques to develop all the interpersonal and transferable skills that make employee more
productive towards the company and set objectives as well. In this context, some important
skills are there that help individual in enhancing their entire activities within the business
organization. All these can be understood by following points:
Interpersonal skills:
These types of skills are the important that are related with the behaviour and
tactics of an individual that they use to interact with others in more effective manner. In
organizational context, it is based on employee ability to perform well with others in order to
attain set targets in allotted period of time (Swain, 2016). With the help of this type of skills,
employee can easily perform their task activities and at the same time also may improve their
practices at working area that directly support in enhancing overall performance of workers
within the company. In relation to Aldi, employees are with strong interpersonal skill and
also pleasant demeanour and positive. This will directly contribute in developing as well as
enhancing the entire performance of workers within the business organization:

 Communication skill: It is one of the important skills that should have employees
who are hired within the company. By this worker can easily share their views and
opinion with others and also maintain positive relation with their manager and top
authority as well. In this regards, manager of Aldi needs to encourage their workers
to communicate with their team members and also share their view points. This can
be beneficial in developing positive and healthy working environment within the
company.
 Decision making skill: At working area, taking right and best judgement is important
because it may aid in eliminating the possibilities of arising any kind of negative
aspect at working area. As, employees is also ensuring that they have best decision-
making skills so that thy may analysis the activities and take right decision within the
business. With the help of this, they can easily accomplish their set goals and
objectives in a stipulated time frame.
 Team working: Performing task in a group is one of the effective activities as it helps
in accomplishing all the set goals and objectives in systematic manner. In this, team
working skill is also crucial that needs to have an employee who perform within the
business organization. Through which, workers can able to accomplish their common
goals and targets as well. If employees are known how to perform in a team them,
they can capable in managing positive relations and at the same time also develop
possibilities of attaining their predetermined targets.
Transferable skills: It is also an important skill that help individual in improving
their overall performance at working area (Chretien and et. Al., 2015). Mainly, these are the
qualities that can be easily transferred from one job to another. By having these types of skill
support in developing growth of employees within the business and also may enhance their
abilities to do their best. As there are some important transferable skill that help individual to
develop their value and positive performance as well:
 Time management: This type of skill is also crucial for employees because it support
in performing a specified task in a specified time frame. Mainly, it is referring to the
effective process of organizing as well as planning about how to how to divide and set
the time between particular activities. Thus, a good time management skill enables
employees to work effectively and smarter without any kind of issues or obstacles.
 Problem solving: It is important for employees to have creative thinking and also able
to resolve all the issues by evaluating appropriate ways. Solving problems is

beneficial for workers to improve their efficiency level to perform their task activities
in an appropriate manner.
Personal SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis is one of the important tools that used to effectively
understand the actual performance of an individual within the business organization. Mainly,
it helps in determining strength, weakness, opportunities and threats so that individual can
easily plan for better career success at working area. In context of Aldi, as a member of
management team I am enough aware about working activities along with specified roles and
responsibilities. By this I can develop my overall efficiency level within the company (Rowe,
2017). For this, I also use Swot analysis as an analytical tool that is more useful on a personal
level because it helps in determining the area for further development. With the help of this, I
can easily develop my performance at working area. For better understanding, there are some
strength, weakness, threats and opportunities are as follows:
Strength: Team working is my biggest strength as I am able in performing task activities in a
group. This can be put positive impact over my career growth as team working support me in
managing time, develop positivity in managing relation with team members and many more.
Along with this, I also capable in influencing others to perform in a team so that all the
predetermined goals and objectives can be easily achieved. Mainly, it also provides better
support me in developing my confidence level at the time of accomplishing all the set target
in systematic manner.
Weakness: There are some major weakness is also there that put negative impact on my
performance level at working area and my career growth as well. As, I am not able to
communicate in front of people because I felt less confidence and also hesitate in sharing my
view points in-front of group. This is the reason that I also fail in influencing others towards
the working activities. Along with this, I quite less productive in resolving problems arise at
working area as it reduces my confidence level while analysing the alternative ways to
address the problems.
Opportunities: As my team working skill is excellent that provide me huge opportunities in
managing positive and interpersonal relation with my team members. With the help of this, I
can also develop positivity within the group activities and at the same time also build strong
relation. This is the reason that my team working enable me in attaining all the predetermined
goals in allotted period of time. It also supports me in my personal career growth because it

provides me an effective way to manage and influence team members to achieve set targets in
an effective manner.
Threat: The major threat of mine is fear of presenting my view-points in-front of others that
may reduce my confidence level at working area. Along with this, another threat I fail in
taking quick decision due to which me and my team members face issues related with delay
in completion of the task and activities at working area.
Individual Appraisal
Analysis overall performance of individual is crucial as it help them in evaluating the
actual performance towards the predetermined objectives. In this regard, individual
performance appraisals are related to the traditional appraisals that help in analysing or
evaluating employee’s performance as compare to measurable task and objectives. Mainly, it
provides opportunities for workers in which they easily share their ideas with their seniors in
order to evaluate their actual progress at working area. Along with this, it also focusses on the
skills which required to execute or perform current job within the business organization. This
type of appraisal helpful in providing feedbacks and at the same time also support in
recognition of towards the employees within the business (Patton, Parker and Tannehill,
2015). As a member of management team in Aldi, it is important for employees to analyse
their appraisal at working area by evaluating their abilities and skill in order to develop the
same. With the assistance of this, workers can easily achieve their targets within the specified
duration.
Personal Appraisal
Individual
personality
Bad Average Good Excellent
Skills
Communication
skill
✓
Team working ✓
Attributes
Honest ✓
Compassionate ✓
Knowledge
Tactics
knowledge
✓
HR policies ✓

According to the above-mentioned personal appraisal of employees it has been
evaluated that there are some skills, attributes and knowledge are there which keep
employees able to perform their task and activities at workplace with an effective way. For
analysing the overall capabilities of employees, it is significant for individual to develop their
plan wherein they determine their skills, knowledge and attributes along with some specified
criteria like bad, average, good and excellent as well. By using this, as a member of
management team can determine the actual performance and at the same time also develop
alternatives ways to manage the same. Mainly, communication skills and tactics knowledge
are average that are required to be improve so that employee can easily share their views with
others and also develop best tactics to manage entire performance. Furthermore, team
working is excellent that leads in enhancing productivity level of workers within the business
activities. This is the reason that personal appraisal is important for an individua who perform
in Aldi as a management team so that they can develop further and attain their set targets in
an effective way.
Personal and Professional Development plan
PPD is one of the important documents that focus on sets out the goals, objectives,
strategies and outcomes of the entire learning and training as well (Olsen, 2015). One of the
main advantages of preparing this document is to improve the necessary area that required to
be further improvement. With the help of this, employees can easily enhance their
performance level and at the same time also develop their necessary skills and attributes. This
can be beneficial in enhancing efficiency level to do their best at working area.
Skills Current
proficiency
Target
proficiency
Development
opportunities
Criteria
for judging
success
Time
Scale
Sources
Required
Communication
skills
According to
the current
proficiency I
have an
“average”
remark and
this I want to
improve for
better future
Unlike others,
I want to be
excellent in
communication
skill so that I
can easily
present my
views and
thoughts in
In order to
develop my
communication
skills, I will
have many
opportunities
and first thing I
have to so is to
grab that
In order to
get the
feedback
for my
progress I
will ask my
subperiods
and
For
improvin
g this
skill, I
will take
a time
period of
around 6
months
Seminars,
Meetings,
Debates
etc.,

growth. front of others
without any
kind of
hesitation.
opportunity.
For example:
I am taking
part in various
kind of
seminars
where I can
interact with
other
intellectual
people and
moreover,
improve my
confidence
level.
colleagues. and this
will be
sufficient.
Time
Management
In terms of
this, my
current
proficiency is
average
My target
proficiency for
mastering time
management
skill is to
become
excellent. As
this will help
in making a
proper plan
and doing my
activities on
time.
So as to
develop time
management
skill I will take
part in various
activities
where
performing an
action requires
limited time.
Staying away
from
distractions
will be my
prior action as
most of my
work hampers
because of this.
I have
downloaded
an
application
with the
help of
which by
tracing all
my activity
it will tell
me about
my
progress
whether I
am
improving
lagging
behind.
Duration
for about
3-4
months.
Proper
planning,
setting some
boundaries,
removing
distractions.
Problem Current To become a Within the Taking 2-3 Participating

Solving proficiency is
bad and
requires
improvement
.
professional in
this field i.e. to
attain
excellence.
organisation, if
there are
situation than
as a
development
opportunity I
will try to
participate in
every activity
and if require I
will present my
views.
suggestions
from my
team mates
and
superiors.
months in different
activities
based on
problem
solving.
Leadership
Skills
In relation to
this, my
current
proficiency is
average.
To take
average mark
to excellence.
By engaging
myself in
different kinds
of activities.
By asking
my fellow
worker.
4-6
months
By guiding
people and
by leading
the team
from front.
TASK B
Reflective essay
Professional Development Plan, is said to be a document which includes goals, required skills
and competency that are needed be developed so as to remain in the competition for longer
period of time. A person can enhance his/her professional development by closely work with
the managers and person who are influential staff members who are eligible in doing their
activities in an effective manner.
On the basis of my personal audit I have analysed that there are different factors on
which I need to work so as to overcome the same and rise above all. But in some element, I
am excellent like team work. Team work, in today’s working scenario, plays a crucial role
because this helps in accomplishing goals and objectives in a better manner. It motivates and
encourage unity at workplace, Moreover, helps in developing a close-knit relationship. While
working in a team I gets an opportunity to communicate with other individuals and help me
in offering a different perspectives and feedbacks. As a result, my ability of working in a
team under an umbrella for attaining company’s goals and objectives are appreciated by my

team mates and superiors. Therefore, this however improves my efficiency and productivity.
Other than this, my decision-making skill is good and this allow me having a critical thinking
to problems that needs an appropriate solution. In critical situations it saves time and fosters
respect, most importantly, it prevents me from conflicts and keep me focussed in increasing
my productivity level. Therefore, both the factor helps me doing all my task in an effective
manner. But there is some drawback which need to be considered in order to develop my
professional skill so that in future actions I can make a proper use of that.
Communication, is very important to inter-change our thoughts and having a good
communication skill can endear a person among peer groups and can raise the value. While
working in a business organisation, it is required that a person has good communication
skills. This helps in minimising the level of stress and expressing things in a right manner.
First thing which I identified was my communication skills as I am average in this. However,
while talking with people who are close to me or are known to me, I feel comfortable. But
when comes to interacting with other members I feel discomfort. It is not that I don’t know
the medium of communication but it is because of lack of confidence. Thus, I need to
upgrade this skill because it is one of the most important factors for get into a better position.
However, in order to improve this skill, I am taking guidance from superiors and attending
different seminars where I am participating to speak for a specific topic. As a result, it will
help me in boosting my confidence level which will further assist me in interact to other
individuals. Besides this, I am over-communicating and using the right communication tool
for interacting with others.
Time management skill, is determined as a most important skill in every factor of
life. No one can afford wasting time because everyone wants to be successful in life in quick
time and for this time management is must. Managing time, itself solve a lot of problem as it
makes the person responsible and make a person understand what things are in priority and
what can be done later. While talking about myself, I am average and need to take this to
excellent. Therefore, to achieve the same I am working on it and on a prior basis I have
started developing plans and doing all my task accordingly. Now I can have an idea what
activities are to be done in what time. As a result, it has made a clear insight about things that
needs to be done on a prior basis. Moreover, I am doing a single task at a time and not
rushing to perform multiple activities. Earlier I use to face a lot of distractions while
performing my assigned work but now I am trying to cut off all distractions and learning to
completely focus on desired work. Moreover, according to the global environment it is very

easy to have a check on whatever activities a person is performing so I am using a tracking
software that defines me how much work I have done and what things are left to be done.
Therefore, by accepting my limitations I have schedule by break time so that unnecessary
things can be avoided and I can remain productive for rest of the day.
Problems may arise on daily basis and encountering them requires problem solving
skills. It makes the life easier and moreover, can provide success. While in terms of business
operations, developing a problem-solving skill helps in providing creative solutions and
empowers an individual in professional life. Thus, problem solving helps in having an
understanding between different factors and then assist in figure out the things for a better
solution. This is the last factor which I have identified and needs an improvement as I am bad
in this. In some instances when it is asked, I am unable to give proper solutions because of
which I face embarrassment. Therefore, I am working on it to improve the same and thus,
developing a systematic approach due to which it is enabling me in identifying the problem
first. After this, I will eliminate multiple issues that are associated with the problems. So, it
will help me in minimising the unrequired solutions. Other than this, I will be changing my
mindset and thinking with different perspective. As a result, I will have different ideas and
thoughts for solving an issue. Moreover, for developing this skill I am taking part in different
kinds of activities where different situations are provided and with the intellectual thoughts
you need to answers like, what would you do I you stuck in such kind of situations.
However, for further improvements in my skills although I have developed a plan but
along with this, I am taking feedbacks from my superior and colleague.
CONCLUSION
From the above-mentioned report, it has been concluded that every individual wants
to develop their personal and professional career. In this they also required some important
skills and knowledge that help them in effectively executing their task and activities in an
effective manner. For this skill audit is also required that contributes analysing the current
performance of employees at working area. Furthermore, Swot analysis is also an effective
tool that determine the area that required to the improved. This will contribute in enhancing
overall performance of company and its employees as well. Apart from this, PPD is also
prepared on the basis of area that needs to be improved. It may support employees in
developing their skills and abilities to accomplishing their predetermined targets in an
effective manner.

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