Professional Development Plan and Review

This study material is about to develop and produce a PDP (Professional Development Plan). It is a document that helps improve from where you are to where you want to be in the future. The first part is the Plan for Professional Development using SWOT Analysis.  The second part is a Progress Review that presents an evaluation of advancement toward achieving developmental goals. 

Luigi Aluyi
Student ID: 1328736
Essay
Tutor: Dawn Bradbury
Professional Development
Plan & Review

Introduction
This essay aim is to develop and produce a PDP. It is a document that helps
improve from where you are to where you want to be in the future. The essay
has three different parts. The first part is my Plan for Professional
Development. The skills I aim to develop should contain both strengths I mean
to build on and weakness I wish to enhance. The second part is a Progress
Review that presents an evaluation advancement toward achieving
developmental goals backed with evidence and academic theory. Lastly, the
essay should end with a Long-term Plan of Action that lays down my future
development goals.
Section 1
Swot analysis
“Swot Analysis requires asking what are our strengths, weakness,
opportunities and threats? (Amanda Long)
Strengths: Weaknesses
-I can multi-task -little nervous when speaking in public
-teamwork -not good at IT skills
-positive attitude -delegation
-determined -not very good communication in English
-hardworking -planning skills
-self-discipline -numbers
-time-keeping -writing
Opportunities Threats
-wider career prospects -unused to work that specific environment
-experience in different environment -no managing experience
-better earnings prospects -no specific training qualification
-more autonomy -fear of failure
-new challenges -lack of focus of development
-knowing how to deal with people
Self-goal
Nervousness while speaking in public:
Fear of public speaking is an ordinary form of anxiety that can go from being
nervous to being paralysed with dread. Action steps I will take to not be
nervous and defeat the fear are trying to remain calm, comprehend better the

topic I am going to talk about and be perseverant as this will give me chances
of making fewer mistakes. So far, I have already done some presentation in
front of my classmate and this made me more confident. (appendix 1)
Improve IT skills:
IT skills can help you enter a variety of services and resources, such as online
banking and online shopping. Action steps I will take to improve my IT skills are
using more the computer, by taking free online courses. I will know I have
achieved it when I will be able to use well PowerPoint, Word, Excel and other
IT techniques. The resource I need to help me is buying a personal laptop, that
I can use anytime I want to get better. So far, in place I am using my mom’s
laptop to research and learn new things.
Improve English communication:
English is a global language. Can help me get a better job, meet new people. It
is the language of the media and important for business. Action steps I will
take to improve are surrounding myself of English speakers, listen to music and
watch movies and not be scared of making mistakes while speaking. I will know
I have achieved it if I can answer to question perfectly. I need the support of
my friends to tell me with the pronunciations and learn new words. At the
moment I am already watching movies, reading and having conversations.
Group working Goal
Teamwork
People tend to be more open when are together and build good and strong
relationships. Action steps I will take to improve are communicating every day,
focus on roles and always express my ideas to show I am active and I care
about the team. I will know I have achieved it if the team has achieved the
common goal. I need the support of the team members to motivate me. So far,
in place I have already done some team works and I have always got on well
with everyone. (appendix 2)
Delegation
Delegation is important because it helps a group to grow and allows a sharing
of ideas. Delegation makes sure there is continuity of work and if you delegate
well, your team feel motivated and perform better. Action steps I will take to

enhance my delegation skills are trying to gain as much as possible knowledge
on what I am doing, not be afraid of taking a leading role and have a clear
communication. I will know I have achieved it when I will become a leader and
leading the team to the pursing goal. I need the support of my team members
to spur me on. At the moment I am already speaking out in front of a mirror to
gain confidence.
Multitask
Multitask is when you do multiple things at the same time. Action steps I will
take to achieve it are doing a do-list, avoid distractions and put priorities. I
know I achieved it if I can do every task at the best. The resource and support I
need are having a notebook to write down the tasks and my team mates. So
far, my daily day is filled with tasks, such as taking my sister to school, cleaning
the house, do the cooking and studying for University.
Academic Goal
Writing skills (in a business way)
Writing skills is vital because as it ensures effective business communication
and it can be more influential. Action steps I will take to achieve it are
practising every day, avoid jargon words by instead striving for clarity by also
learning new words. I know I will achieve it depending on the feedback
received from the tutors. Currently, I am already writing essays for my
assignments and reading newspapers. (appendix 3)
Improve Numeracy skills
Numeracy skills lead to better jobs and it incorporates a variety of abilities to
use numbers to solve problems in all aspect of life. Action steps I will take to
improve are by taking the National Numeracy Challenge free online learning
tool that helps improve every day your maths skills and start believing in
myself. I will know I have achieved it if my finance exams result is good. I need
the support of my finance tutor to help understand better the tasks. At the
moment I am already learning to memorize formulas to be able to complete
maths problems.
Hardworking
Hardworking is essential because it teaches you discipline, dedication and
determination. Actions steps I will take to achieve it are becoming less lazy, not

postponing tasks, focus on what I want to do at a specific time, convince
myself I can do it and remain positive. I know I have achieved it if my efforts
will get me good grades. The support I need is being surrounding by hard
workers. So far, in place I am motivating myself to work harder at University.
All of the goals listed above will mostly be achieved over the three years of
business course.
Section 2
In addition to understand more my personality I decided to take different tests
such as learning styles, motivators tests and Belbin’s Team Role tests.
Learning styles
Kolb (1984) identifies 4 learning styles:
1 Diverging (feeling and watching). Divergers are both concretes and
reflectives. They search for the answers to why and how. They learn best by
observing, gathering information and they avoid conflicts.
2 Assimilating (watching and thinking). Assimilators prefer the logical action.
They benefit most when given time to reflect on new information.
3 Converging (thinking and doing). Converters prefer to work alone with their
own ideas, they search for well-defined tests. They learn by trail and error. This
type of learners are expert problem solvers.
4 Accommodating (feeling and doing). Accommodators are very creative in
their thinking process. They have feeling and rely on intuition. They are
attracted to new challenges and experiences.
Furthermore, Honey and Mumford (1986) develop a comparable learning style.
They are categorized as:
1 Activist. They learn by doing, enjoy new challenges and they do not learn well
from teaching and theory. They prefer activities such as competition, puzzles
and problem-solving.
2 Theorist. These learners like to understand the theory behind actions. They
benefit from statistics, stories and quotes. They not good when instructions are
ambiguous.

3 Pragmatist. They are people that need to see the link between what they are
doing and the real-world problems, so they can put it in practice. They do not
like unclear objectives and instructions.
4 Reflectors. They learn through observation and reflection on the situation.
They prefer to observe, listen and watch from the side-lines. They are not good
at leading activities.
Moreover, Walter Burke Barbe suggested three learning styles called VAK.
1 Visual. These learners learn better by seeing and observing things, using
pictures, charts, handouts, films.
2 Auditory. These types of learners learn best by listening through lectures,
recordings and group discussion.
3 Kinaesthetic. They are the people that learn most by touching and doing.
Activities that help them are projects and experiments.
Kolb, Honey and Mumford and Barbe’s learning styles are substantially the
same even though they use different words to describe the learning styles. I
have done two learning styles the VAK and Honey and Mumford
questionnaires. The results were that I am an Auditory and a Reflector.
(Appendix 4)
Motivators
In theories of motivation Maslow applied a hierarchy need. Maslow believes
that people have five main needs that goes from lower to higher.
Physiological- ex. Food, water, sleep
Safety- ex. Safety, security stability
Social- ex. Love, affection, family
Esteem- ex. Self-esteem, self-respect
Self- actualisation- ex. Growth, advancement, creativity.
I have done a motivational behaviour test and the result was that I have a
strong drive for completing important task but I will often not be driven if I do
not feel the task is important enough. I actually seek out activities that makes
me happy. I am very motivated if there is a reward. (Appendix 5)
Belbin’s Team Role

Belbin observed that people that assume different roles were the ones in a
team, so he identified 9 team roles:
Plant-creative and imaginative people that solve difficult problems
Resource investigators- they are extrovert, communicative and develop
contacts
Coordinators- they are mature, confident and delegate well
Sharpers- they like challenges and good at overcoming obstacles
Monitors- they are evaluators, strategic, see all option and judge well
Team workers- they are cooperative and good- listeners
Implementers- they are disciplined and turn ideas into practical action
Completers/Finishers – they pay attention to details, searching out errors and
omission and meet deadlines
Specialists- they are single-minded, provide knowledge and specific skill.
I have taken Belbin’s Self Perception Inventors Analysis test and the result
shows that my primary role is team worker and my secondary roles are
completer/finisher and implementer. (appendix 6)
Section 3
To finally conclude my Professional Development Plan and Review I will
produce a S-M-A-R-T action plan for my future. SMART stands for:
Specific-the goal should be clear and precise.
Measurable- it should be able to measure your progression towards the
achievement of the goal.
Achievable- it should be possible to achieve.
Relevant- it should be realistic to my life purpose.
Timely- it should have a target date.
This is important because it gives you a sense of direction and a clear focus.
My achievement at the moment is medium and requires to be enhanced by
the end of the three years business course. So, to make sure I graduate with
the highest mark I need to be great in my work, keeping an eye on the

evolution of managerial skills. My Long-term Plan of Action is to work in a
business company which will enable me to accomplish the final goal of
becoming a business manager. I want work either in France or in Spain for 5-6
years before going back to the UK or even try to the USA. My intention is to
not only to improve my language skills in French/Spanish, but also gain
knowledge and experience. To be able to manage a company I also need
training to meet the professional business world requirements. Additionally, I
would like to work and meet with successful business people around the
world.
Conclusion
In conclusion the PDP has helped me understand that I am on the right
direction to tackle my weakness and improve my strengths. I want to be on the
right path because I want succeed in future and start my own business. Based
on the various personality tests (learning styles, motivator) completed, I want
to use the outcome to enhance myself in the future. Each and every one of
them have helped to identify personalities that I have not developed yet.
Finally the SMART will change my life in a positive way because it allows me to
make small and realistic tasks that can be completed.