Understanding the Skill Sets Required for Development in the Tourism Sector

This essay explores the skill sets required for development in the tourism sector and how they impact team performance. It discusses factors such as leadership, motivation, and graduate attributes. The essay emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and continuous improvement in the industry.

PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY..............................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................5
REREFENCES................................................................................................................................6
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................................7
ACTION PLAN...........................................................................................................................7
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Understanding of the skill sets required to develop people within the tourism sector
ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
Self- reflection is a process through which an individual can grow their understanding of
who they are, what their values, what they think in a personal analysis form (Self- reflection,
2020). Self- reflection is important to be conducted as it helps an individual to understand skills
sets that they have and that are required to be developed within them which will help them to
enhance their as well as their team performance. This self- reflective essay will focus on
understanding of skill sets that are required to be developed within people working in tourism
industry by focusing on factors that affect team performance, influence that can impact team
performance and factors that are required to be developed in future in order to work more
efficiently within tourism industry.
MAIN BODY
While working in any industry it is important for an individual to understand their
strengths, weaknesses, area of development in a better manner as it helps an individual to bring
improvement within themselves, develop skills that are required to be developed in order to
enhance their performance in a better manner. Change and development within travel and
tourism industry is increasing skill set and knowledge requirement within employees as it not
any affects overall performance of individual employees but it can also affect overall team
performance as well which directly or indirectly impacts overall performance of the employees.
According to me there are various factors that can impact overall performance of a team but one
of the main factors that can affect overall performance of a team is leadership. Leadership and
management play a vital role in overall performance of a team as they have both positive and
negative influence on all the team members. In travel and tourism industry it is important for all
the employees and team members to focus on enhancing their performance in order to achieve
their desired results as it will affect overall satisfaction of their customers. Team leaders are
responsible for influencing and motivating their team members. They are also responsible for
defining team goals, develop overall team structure and manage all the task in an appropriate
manner. There are various kinds of leadership and management styles that can be used to explain
role of team leaders and how they affect overall team performance. One of the most effective
theory that can be used to explain role of leader is transactional style is a managerial leadership
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style as this style focuses on group performance and supervision of team (Impact of Leadership
on Team’s Performance, 2018). This leadership focuses on specific task and is completely based
upon performance results. Leaders provides both awards and punishment to the team members
for their performance. As per my view it is important to have leadership skills within an
individual as it not only helps them to achieve desired goals but it also helps them to enhance
overall performance of the team members. Leaders are also responsible for increasing collective
efficiency of the teams this is mainly because if the team thinks that they are capable to achieve
desired or defined team goal then that goal can be achieved effectively. Team leaders are also
responsible for distributing task and responsibilities among team members in such a manner that
all the required task are managed and completed within the team in an appropriate manner as
management of all the activities of task within the team can help in achieving desired goals and
objectives in a timely manner with more accuracy. So, these are some of the main factors that
can affect overall team performance.
According to me in order to enhance overall performance of the team members it is
important to influence the team members so that they can work on developing required skill sets
and enhance their overall performance. In travel and tourism sector it is important for employees
to continuously work on their knowledge and skill sets in order to bring improvement within
themselves and other team members. There are various factors that can influence and impact
overall team and individual performance. One of the factors that can include team performance is
motivation. Motivation can be defined as an experience of desire or want within an induvial. It is
a kind of process that stimulate people so that they can accomplish their goals efficiently. As per
my views if an individual is motivated then they can achieve their desired goals in an appropriate
manner. There are various kinds of motivational theories but according to me Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs as needs, demands and desires of customers are increasing from tourism
industry organization in terms of products and services and in order to fulfil satisfaction of
customers, employees to work on enhance their overall skill sets and knowledge. Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs can help the organization to motivate their employees by fulfilling their
higher- level needs. Fulfilment of needs will help tourism industry organization to motivate their
employees so that they can work on developing additional skills in order to enhance their overall
performance. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs there are five basic needs of employees
that are: physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization (Maslow’s hierarchy of
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needs, 2020). As per this theory these needs are required to be fulfilled in the similar order. I
think that there are other factors as well that can influence overall performance of team i.e.
division of roles and responsibilities within the team. Roles and responsibilities of team members
are required to be divided in an appropriate manner as per the strengths and weakness of the
individual. I think Belbin Team Role Theory is one of the most appropriate theory that can be
used to divide roles and responsibilities among all the team members so that overall performance
of the team can be increased (Belbin Team Role Theory, 2020). As per this theory there are nine
roles that are required to be present within team. These roles are divided as per the strengths and
weakness of the team members. It is not important that a team should consist of 9 members in
fact on team member can perform more than one role. This helps all the employees to fulfil their
task in an appropriate manner which further helps them to enhance their overall performance.
Graduate attributes are skill sets and qualities that organizations feel that are required to be
developed within their employees over a certain time period (Graduate Attributes, 2018).
Graduate attributes can help us to identify skill sets that are required to be developed within
people of tourism industry. According to me there are various kinds of graduate attributes that
are required to be developed within people working within travel and tourism industry as these
attributes swill not only help the individuals to succeed in travel and tourism industry. Some of
the important skill sets required to develop people within the tourism sector are: critical thinking,
effective communicator, knowledgeable, innovative, imaginative, potential leaders, influential
and many more. Critical thinking ability is one of the most important ability which is required to
be developed as it identifies, analyse and face conflicts or confront any kind of issues. With the
help of this ability they can easily confront any issue, analyse impact of all the available
solutions so that an appropriate and effective solution can be used to resolve any issue.
Communication is another important skill which is required to be developed in order to
communicate with team members, leaders or with customers in order to enhance their overall
satisfaction. Knowledgeable is one of the most important skillsets which is required to be
developed in order to understand and resolve any kind of issue and enhance others knowledge as
well. Innovative and imaginative are another important skill sets as these skills helps in bringing
improvement within current products and services offered by tourism industry. But most
importantly leadership skills are extremely important as it helps in motivating, influencing others
which will further help travel industry organizations to enhance overall performance of their
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employees. According to me these are one of the most important graduate attributes that are
required to be understood and developed within people of tourism industry.
CONCLUSION
From the above essay it has been summarized that there are various kinds of factors that
can affect overall performance of a team as well as of individuals. It is important to focus on
these factors in order to enhance overall performance of team members. It has also been
observed that there are various such factors that can influence individuals and team members to
give their best and enhance their overall efficiency and performance. Working on such factors
travel and tourism industry organizations can successfully influence their employees which can
further help them to motivate them to develop skills sets that are required to survive in this
industry and increase overall performance as well. It has also been observed that there are
various kinds of Graduate attributes that can be focused and developed within people working
within travel and tourism industry.
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REREFENCES
Online
Belbin Team Role Theory. 2020. [online]. Available through:<
https://www.belbin.com/about/belbin-team-roles/>
Graduate Attributes. 2018. [online]. Available through:<
https://www.mun.ca/engineering/undergrad/graduateattributes.pdf >
Impact of Leadership on Team’s Performance. 2018. [online]. Available through:<
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=2911&context=etm_studentprojects>
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 2020. [online]. Available through:<
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760>
Self- reflection. 2020. [online]. Available through:<
https://www.aconsciousrethink.com/10258/self-reflection/>
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APPENDIX
ACTION PLAN
There are various kinds of areas in which I am quite good at. Some of these areas are my
strengths that I will be using in developing area of improvement:
 One of my major strength is to come up with creative ideas. I can critically analyse any
situation and think of creative ideas in order to resolve that issue or bring improvement. I will
be using creative ideas in order to bring improvement within managing technology and
carrying out any task easily and quickly.
 I am also good in listening ideas of others. I will use this strength in order to take lead within
the group. I will also use this strength in asking for feedback from others.
 Another one of my main strength is considering all point of views before taking decisions. I
will use this strength to carry out research, carrying out task quickly and easily and providing
plenty of time for preparation.
Activities that require future
development
What further actions can be taken
to improve these activities
Timeframe in which
action can be put into
practise
To type up report/findings  I will attend various kinds of
online test so that I can improve
my typing speed
 I will try to type without looking
the keyboard
 I will research for best technique
that can be used to increase
typing speed
 Within 10 months
 Within 4 months
 Within 3 months
To manage technology  I will try to attend training
sessions in order learn technology
management. I will also attend
paid training sessions for the
same.
 I will try to learn different kinds
of tools by watching videos from
 Within 4 months
 Within 6 months
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online sources such as YouTube.
 I will try to focus on achieving
mastery in most commonly used
tools.
 I will also try to participate in
activities that involve usage of
technology.
 Within next 16
months
 Within next 18
months
To take lead within groups  I will try to get to know strengths
and weakness of my team mates
so that I can understand who will
be able to fulfil which role or
responsibility.
 I will also try to get to know my
team members to try to build
relationship with them so that I
can motivate or influence them in
order to achieve desired team
goals and objectives.
 I will try to take the lead every
time whenever I get an
opportunity and will focus on
rewarding team members so that
they can work on enhancing their
performance complete specified
task on time.
 Within 8 months
 Within 10 months
 Within next 4
months
To carry out task quickly so
that you do not waste time
 I will try to attend time
management seminars so that I
can learn different ways to
manage and complete all the take
within time and quickly without
wasting time
 Within 2 months
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 I will also ask for feedback from
seniors so that they can help me
in learning ways in which
assigned task can be completed
within defined time period.
 I will also try to learn by
observing people and learn the
way in which they complete their
task quickly without wasting
time.
 Within next 8
months
 Within 10months
To carry out research (gather
data statistics etc.)
 I will try to focus on learning
ways in which online research is
conducted in order to collect
more data, statistics etc.
 I will try to read more books,
articles, research papers and
journals so that I can carry out
research in a much better manner.
 Within next 6
months
 Within next 10
months
To be given plenty of time to
prepare.
 I will get help from people so that
I can get to know ways in which
task assigned to us are managed
so that plenty of time for
preparation can be provided.
 I will watch online tutorials or
videos so that I can learn ways in
which time is managed and plenty
of time for preparation can be
provided.
 Within 5 months
 Within next 10
months
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