Importance of Key Skills in Personal and Professional Life

This report discusses the importance of key skills such as team working, focus and attention, public speaking, and negotiation in personal and professional life. It highlights how these skills contribute to effective performance and improve relationships at the workplace. The report also includes reflective journal entries that analyze the current competence of the individual in each skill and identify areas for improvement. The importance of theories and concepts such as Johari window model, Belbin team role's theory, Black & Moutan managerial grid, and Thomas Kilmann theory in developing these skills is also discussed.

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Reflective Personal Development Report and plan
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Executive Summary
There are various skills that are required at workplace and in
personal life as well. This present report will show the importance
of some skills such as: Team working skill, focus and attention
skill, public speaking skill and negotiation skill. They play an
important role in a person life as all these skills help them in
performing in effective way. Feedback and self assessment tools
sure an individual about their effectiveness regarding skills and
about their performance. Feedback is the best tool for analysing
performance as it provides suggestions and different views of
different person. Team working skill help an individual in
improving relationship with others by collaborating and sharing
views. Attention and focus skill also help an individual at
workplace because it reduces the chances of errors and mistakes
in work. Focus skill improves the concentration power of a person
by which they can consume their time and energy as well. Public
speaking skill is also an important skill that reduces the fear of an
individual and increases confidence their at work. Negotiation also
decrease the chances of disputes and improves mutual
understanding among employees.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PRO-FORMA 1
What is the core skill to develop?
Public speaking skill: Public speaking is a skill of communicating all the informations and
data in effective manner to an audience and people. I need to develop this skill at workplace
as I am not good at this skill. Due to lack of this skill I have to face various problems. Public
speaking means to communicate and share our views and opinions to another (Jackson,
2015). Ineffective communication is a big barrier and the main reason of conflicts. It happens
because of inability of public speaking.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant
theories and concepts to support your answer)
Public speaking is very useful and important for people as it helps them in their professional
life and in their personal life. It is important for people to have because with the help of this
skill they can gain trust of audience and people. With the help of Johari window model I can
improve my skill as it is a technique that focus on understanding the importance of
relationship with others (Berland, 2017.).
Reflect on your current competence regarding this skill. How did you assess your
competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor,
plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to answer this
question)
I analysed my public speaking skill and I found that I lack in this skill and I need to work on
developing and creating these skills. For knowing my weakness and about this skill I did self
assessment with the help of results. For conforming this I took feedback from my tutors and
seniors also and they told me that this is my weakness and I lack in this skill so I need to
work on improving this skill.
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a
match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?
I fell and believe that I can not speak in front of others with confident and it is my biggest
weakness. Because of this skill I have to face many problems like I can not communicate
easily with anyone that create misunderstanding and also become the reason of conflict. As
a tool kit and for conforming I used feedback from my tutors and peers that from which I got
to know that they also think the same as me. They also think that there is a requirement of
improving this skill in order to effective work and for achieving my goals.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)

The main aim of choosing and developing this skill is it will improve my another skills which
are my weakness and decrease my performance. I need to improve this skill because it has
various importance as it will improve communication skills, helps in career growth & inspire
others which increases their morale (Ramezani, Larsari and Kiasi, 2016). By using this
skill in practice I will overcome the fear like nervousness and social connection.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PRO-FORMA 2
What is the core skill to develop?
Team working skill: Team work can be defined as cooperation and collaboration between
those employees or workers who works on a same task and project. The core skills that I
want to develop is my team working skills. As I am good at these skills but I need to improve
more than this skill is very important at workplace. Collaboration and team working makes a
work easier and effective (Akman and Turhan, 2018). Team work and collaboration is
beneficial for employees as well as employers as different employees shares their different
views and opinion for same projects that make the work effective. This also create a positive
and good image of a company.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant
theories and concepts to support your answer)
Team working skills is so important at workplace as it creates a good and friendly working
environment. When employees work in good environment that it leads and increase their
loyalty and improve relationship among all the employees of a company. I selected these
skills as I just wanted to improve it more in order to effective performance. With the helps of
Belbin team role's theory I can improve this skill. This theory lay keen emphasis on using
talent for improving team performance. This theory has 3 action oriented roles that are very
effective such as: Shaper, implementer and completer finisher. Shaper is an important tool
that make sure that goals of a company and employees are made and it is passionate and
wilful (Lynch, Lynch and Clemens, 2018). Completer finisher is another tool, and talent that
leads to a lot of attention to details in order to make an individual perfect in its work.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your
competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor,
plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to answer this
question)
I am good at this skill and it is my strength that I am effective in these skills. I can work with
any type of employee in effective manner. With the helps of self assessment tool I can
assess and analyse my strength and weakness regarding these skills. After self assessing
for making sure I took feedbacks from my seniors and tutor in order to want to know my
strength and weakness in this skill. I assessed and with the help of feedback from my senior
and tutor I came to know that they also think as like me they just want to improve a little in
order to make me perfect in this skill.
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a

match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?
I think that I ma perfect in team working skill. My tutor also think that I am good at in this skills
but they just want to make me perfect in this skill so they want me to improve this skill. When
I work with my colleagues then I able to submit my all the projects on time with perfection
and effectively. MY seniors think that I am not that much perfect as I see my self. There is a
little difference between my thinking and my tutor's thinking.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)
Team working skill will help me in my future in my personal like and in my professional life. It
is the key and important element that makes me able to work together with others. The main
importance of this ability is to get ahead in life. It will make me able to handle all type of
situations and handle in effective manner. It will also make me able to work with any type of
people as most of the people take time to interact with others so I will not have to face this
type of problem (Paguio and Jackling, 2016).

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PRO-FORMA 3
What is the core skill to develop?
Focus and attention skill: Attention is an ability to concentrate on one and specific work or
task for a continuous amount of time without getting distracted. Focus is another main skill
that allow individuals to complete and begin a task without procrastination and maintain
attention until completing task. I am good at these skills but I feel that I need to improve
these skills as there are many distracting things which confuse and disconcert me from my
work (Cottrell, 2017). It is very important at workplace to complete task without procrastinate
and without getting distracted. It is important for reducing errors and mistakes in tasks and
work.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant
theories and concepts to support your answer)
There are various importance of this skill as it can help me out in controlling my thoughts
while working. Without getting distracted and this skill can help me in reducing and
decreasing errors in given task and improving my performance (Amponsah, B., 2019). The
another main importance of having this skill is it can save my time and energy by which I can
do another work and achieve successful results. With the help of the Black & Moutan
managerial grid tool I can develop this skill. This model help's manager in order to analyse
leadership style through grid training. The main aim of this theory is to increase leadership
style to concern of production and people.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your
competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor,
plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to answer this
question)
I think that I am good at focus and attention skills as I do all the work with concentrate in
order to improve my performance and doing all the work effectively and accurately. I do not
think that I require to more develop this skill. For knowing the views of my tutors and peers I
took feedbacks from them. From feedbacks I got to know that they require me to develop this
skills more. From self assessment tool and through assessing my self with the help of
outputs and results I found that I am doing the best job so I think that I am very good at this
skill.

Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a
match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?
For knowing my effectiveness at work and knowing about my focus and attention skills I took
feedbacks from my seniors. From that feedback I found that there is a difference between my
thinking and my seniors thinking. My seniors think that I am not good at this skill. I need to
more improve this skill. They said that they noticed me and also analysed my results, on the
basis of that result they told me that I do not work with concentrate. I lack in attention skill. I
waste my time on mobile which distract me from my work and given task.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)
With the helps of this skill I can improve my performance by delivering lasting and good
quality products rather than poor quality and short term solutions. By focusing on work only
Poor quality and short term solution can decrease my performance and can also lead
dissatisfaction among employees and customers. Focus and attention skill will also help me
in building will power as it will make me able to avoid errors and saves my extra time (Singh
and Pathak, 2017). At workplace it will be beneficial for me as it will satisfy customers
needs and demands by providing them satisfactory results and products.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PRO-FORMA 4
What is the core skill to develop?
Negotiation skill: Negotiation is a skill and a way of settling differences. In another words it
is a process by which an individual try to avoid dispute and argument and compromise on a
particular topic and subject. I am not good at this skill and I want to increase and create
these skills. These skills help individual at workplace and in personal life as well. So it is very
important for me to develop these skills as the lack of this skill become the reason of dispute
(Corken and McGreevy, 2016).
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant
theories and concepts to support your answer)
There are much importance of having and creating this skill as it improves and help in
decision making process, improves problem solving in effective manner and deal with difficult
situations. The another main importance of this skill is it reduce misunderstanding and also
reduce the chances of conflicts. With the help of Thomas Kilmann theory I can create and
develop my negotiation skills (Koley and Rao, 2018). This theory focus on handling and
solving conflicts by collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating. This theory
can help in improving this skill by concentrating of its 4 main elements.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your
competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor,
plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to answer this
question)
I lack in this skill as I am not able to compromise on a topic. This lack of skill create a barrier
in the growth of my career in professional life as well my personal life. Disagreement
becomes the reason of conflicts at workplace that make me unhappy and it directs impacts
on my concentration power. For knowing more about my this skill I took feedback from my
seniors and tutors they also told me that I am very poor in this skill. This is my weakness that
creates problems for me in present as well as in the future.
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a
match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?

I think that my biggest weakness is I lack in negotiating skill. I do not have the ability to
compromise with someone on a specific topic. My seniors and peers also think the same. I
agree with their views and thoughts (Atze and Vallery, 2018). They noticed me several
times that I do not agree and compromise with anyone views that creates unhealthy and
unhappy working environment. I want to develop my negotiation skill in order to become
successful and achieving my aims. It also creates a bad image of mine.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)
Negotiation skill will help in the future as it will help in improving better relationship. I can
also avoid future conflicts and problems that will keep me happy and motivated. It will help
me in the future as I can deal with difficult situations in effective manner. It will save me from
unnecessary conflicts and arguments which will create a happy environment. Strong
agreement will help me out in the future in reaching my determined objectives through
mutual satisfaction.
Summary and Action Plan:
The concept of this analysis is provided the employer with a clear idea of the work and
their improvement area. It is important to analysis the strength and weakness of self
because this help to know about the area of improvement in ourself. According tom the
theory of Johari window, it is help to better understand the relationship in themselves
and others (Amponsah, 2019).
Strengths:
Team working and focus or attention is my strength because according to me team work
is help to generate the lots of thinks which are important for the work in better ways.
According to the Belbin theory team work is the tendency of behave, contribute and
interrelate with others in the effective way. Focus and attention of work is help to gibe
better result of work in positive way. This measures the team roles and their
responsibilities are in proper manner.
Weaknesses:
Negotiation and public speaking is my weakness because according to me public
specking and negotiation are not easy and difficult to maintain. Negotiating is depended
upon the people behaviour and way. According to Thomas kilmann theory, it is the
conflict mode style and inventory. Public specking is also my weakness because I have
fear by specking in front of huge peoples.
Personal Development Plan

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
Development
Area 1
Focus and
attention
As per to me
is want to
exactly work
on focus and
attention.
I target to
the skills
that are
working
memory and
also clear for
achieve
goals.
I can
measure the
improvements
by the
achieving
fewer goals of
work and
evidences are
come from
the senior
and also with
the best result
of work.
I can make
attention at
the time of
work and
give proper
attention on
work.
Actions are
relevant to
the skills
because at
the times of
work and
any situation
is required
to give
attention.
This help to
achieve
goals when I
give proper
attention on
work then I
understand
the proper
direction and
result is
good.
Within the
week.
Development
Area 2
Negotiation
I exactly
work on
my
negotiation
skills
because it
so weak
and that is
not goods
for my
future
relations
either in
corporate
and in
personal.
I can
measure
this
improveme
nt by the
performanc
e with the
employees
and other
peoples.
Monitor and
presentatio
ns.
The action
for the
negotiating
are
engaged
with
peoples,
observe,
network,
read and
take
classes
(Koley and
Rao, 2018).
That
actions are
relevant to
my
negotiation
skills
because
when I
meet with
the person
and make
big
network
with the
peoples
then I am
able to
negotiate
easily.
2 to 3
weeks
Development
Area 3
Public
speaking
I exactly
work on
my public
speaking
skill
because I
I can
measure
improveme
nt in my
public
specking by
The action
for that I
make
notes and
do practice
for speak
The
actions are
relevant to
the skills
because of
practice is
5 to 6
weeks

am so
weak in
speaking
in front of
the public
and most
of the
peoples.
the reading
and
prepared
the notes.
in alone
and also at
front of my
friends.
This help
to improve
my
specking
skills.
help to
improve
speaking
skills.

Reference List
Books and journals
Akman, I. and Turhan, C., 2018. Investigation of employers’ performance expectations for new
IT graduates in individual and team work settings for software development.
Information Technology & People. 31(1). pp.199-214.
Amponsah, B., 2019. The role of leadership for gay black practitioners: How do we craft
authority from micro-aggressions and multiple identities? A personal story. Leadership
and Diversity in Psychology: Moving Beyond the Limits. p.22.
Atze, E. and Vallery, G., 2018. Social skills based approach in the workplace during a union
negotiation process: methodological development in an industrial environment.
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH. 12(2). pp.2764-2782.
Berland, A., 2017. Using the Johari Window to explore patient and provider perspectives.
International Journal of Health Governance. 22(1). pp.47-51.
Catmur, C., Cross, E. S. and Over, H., 2016. Understanding self and others: from origins to
disorders.
Corken, R. and McGreevy, P., 2016. Good negotiation and land-use planning: the status of
negotiation in the NSW planning profession. Australian Planner. 53(3). pp.201-210.
Cottrell, S., 2017. Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Jackson, D., 2015. Employability skill development in work-integrated learning: Barriers and
best practice. Studies in Higher Education. 40(2). pp.350-367.
Koley, G. and Rao, S., 2018, October. Adaptive Human-Agent Multi-Issue Bilateral Negotiation
Using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. In 2018 IEEE/ACM 22nd
International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-
RT) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.
Lynch, D. S., Lynch, M. J. and Clemens, C. M., 2018. Belbin Team Roles. The Handbook of
Communication Training: A Best Practices Framework for Assessing and Developing
Competence.
Ninomiya, T. and et.al., 2018. Performance monitoring in the medial frontal cortex and related
neural networks: From monitoring self actions to understanding others’ actions.
Neuroscience research.

Paguio, R. and Jackling, B., 2016. Teamwork from accounting graduates: what do employers
really expect?. Accounting Research Journal. 29(3). pp.348-366.
Ramezani, R., Larsari, E. E. and Kiasi, M. A., 2016. The Relationship between Critical Thinking
and EFL Learners' Speaking Ability. English Language Teaching. 9(6). pp.189-198.
Singh, P. K. and Pathak, I. P., 2017. How to Listen at Workplace: Lessons from Ten
Mythological Stories. IUP Journal of Soft Skills. 11(1). p.35.

Appendices
Team work
Question: Is my team work and collaborative skill are good or not?
Feedback: My senior give feedback in that, my team work and collaboration is goods but need little
improvement for the great work with best result.
Focus and attention
Question: Is my focus and attention of on work is proper or not?
Feedback: My staff colleagues says it is not good because I am distracted from my work most of time
and done wrong work. They are advised me to make improvement in this.
Public specking
Question: How is my public specking is good or not?
Feedback: This is my biggest weakness and my staff members says this is not good. They I have lack of
confidence at the time of specking because of that I make lots of mistakes. At that I have to make and do
improvement in my public specking for growth and share knowledge and information to others.
Negotiation
Question: What am I going to do for improve my negotiation skills?
Feedback: I know this my biggest weakness and my seniors are says I have to improve this negotiation
skill and this so poor. Senior says it is very important for my future relations in the corporate world and
also in the personal.