Understanding Self and Others: A Reflective Journal on Personal and Interpersonal Skills

This report explores the development of personal and interpersonal skills, focusing on negotiation, time management, public speaking, and assertiveness. Through reflective journal entries, the author analyzes their current competencies in each skill, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and outlines a two-year personal development plan to enhance these areas. The report draws upon relevant theories and concepts to support the analysis and action plan.

UNDERSTANDING SELF AND OTHERS
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................3
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR NEGOTIATION...................................................4
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR TIME MANAGEMENT........................................6
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING...........................................9
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR ASSERTIVENESS/CONFLICT RESOLUTION12
SUMMARY AND ACTION PLAN.....................................................................................15
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TWO YEARS...........................................16
REFERENCES................................................................................................................17
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this report, an understanding of the range of personal and interpersonal skills will be
demonstrated that will help in better understanding of self and other. This will help in
developing self-awareness and boost the confidence of the people while working with
diverse teams through application of a range of approaches. A reflective journal will be
used that will accompany the four core skills such as negotiation, public speaking, time
management and assertiveness which will help in identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of these skills with the level of present competencies present. This will also
help in highlighting the three areas of development in the two years for self.
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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR NEGOTIATION
What is the core skill to develop?
Negotiation is the skills that help in better collaboration of the skills amongst persons.
This helps in better support and transaction level through effective collaboration that
will help in creating a win-win situation. The intellect of a person gets enhanced
through effective negotiation and conflicts can be better resolved (Valley, 2015).
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
Negotiation skill is vital as it contributes towards the structure of the organisation and
managing the relations with their workers in a harmonious manner.
Through the decision analysis negotiation can be reflected upon and through relevant
theories it will be reflected. The most appropriate theory is the Druckman Negotiation
theory that will help in agenda setting and will also help to delineate the rules and
regulations. There are other such theories which help in reflecting on the negotiation
skills such as game theory, problem-solving theories and many more (Valley, 2015).
Figure 4: Negotiation Theory
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/umbeluniverse/introduction-to-conflict-styles-
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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)
Communication is the key skills that help in carrying out the negotiation process with
ease and ensures successful negotiation. Accountability of the deal points will help to
ensure the success of the business and negotiation performance can be attained.
The coordination differences can be kept intact with the adaption of the negotiation
skills and will help in co-constructing the meanings and will help in establishing the
sequence of communication as well. Through effective negotiation, the game can be
changed and the deal can be accessed (Galegher, et al. 2014).
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?
The contradiction came in the form of the lack of confidence and the lack of ability to
define the perspective of the others. This created in a situation lose when at a
workplace in a conflict situation with peer there was lack of support from the peers as
there were fewer points in favour this helped in better understanding of the
perceptions of others.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
Through negotiation skills, even the untapped opportunity can be tapped and c
converted to the win-win situation. It will help on gaining over the compromises and
avoiding the conflict and argument situations. Through this effective understanding
can be developed to understand the peers and their perceptions and will help to
achieve the desired position at a workplace. This will help in better problem solving
and achieving successes (Galegher, et al. 2014).
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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR TIME MANAGEMENT
What is the core skill to develop?
Time management is the core skill that needs to be developed as it is the process
that helps in organising and planning the time for specific activities such that work
can be carried out smartly. Time management helps in accomplishing the tasks in
time and even at the time of pressures which will hinder the effectiveness and may
even cause stress in a time of high pressures (Kirillov, et al. 2015).
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
Time management skill is vital as it helps in better organising the activities according
to the time schedule and will help in attaining the productivity and efficiency. This will
help in gaining better professional reputation and to cope effectively with the stress.
This will help in achieving the career goals and render opportunities to tap the
important areas for advancements (Goldberg, et al. 2014).
In order to accomplish tasks and goals on time management skill forms vital part and
for the same a range of tools and techniques will be applied which will help in
prioritising the work. For effective time management, Stephen Covey theory will be
utilised that laid the time management matrix which is divided into four quadrants on
the basis of the urgency and importance (KHODABAKHSHI, et al. 2014).
All the four quadrants depict something different like quadrant one depicts the tasks
and responsibilities which needs utmost prior attention and have high urgency. The
second quadrant is the one that does not require immediate action but is of
importance and is used in the long-term strategising the work. The third quadrant laid
in the matrix depicts the tasks that are urgent but are not so important and through
delegation, the tasks can be achieved. In the last quadrant, the tasks and
responsibilities are laid focus on which have no value and are also not urgent
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(Kirillov, et al. 2015).
Figure1: Time Management Theory, Stephen Covey
Source: http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2015/stephen-coveys-time-
management-matrix-explained/
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)
In order to prosper and achieve the career goals time management forms, core skills
and this will help in overcoming the stress due to lack of achievement of the tasks on
time. Through the self-test quiz, the total time can be calculated which will help in
exploring the reasons and the facts that lead to mismanagement of time. In order to
achieve the goals it is vital to say no to the unimportant things and ignores them. It
should be managed such that the interruptions can be avoided which will help in
saving the time and will enhance the skills towards the important things. Long-term
strategies should be formed so that perfect fit can be maintained between the leisure
and the demand so that career goals can be achieved (Steadman, 2017).
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is
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there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?
For effective achievement of tasks continuous management of the activities is
required with integrated schedules that will render contradictory measures for the
time management through resting (Goldberg, et al. 2014). This will focus on
enhancing the productivity and will help in resisting the temptation to overwork. Thus
help in overcoming the interruptions.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
Time management skills are the one that helps to achieve the career goals by
achieving the tasks on time and lifetime purposes. Time management will help in
managing the future workload and will mitigate the stress from the life. Better
planning will help in effective management and will enhance the reputation of the
person as it encourages the persons to be on time and accomplish the tasks before
deadlines (Goldberg, et al. 2014).
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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING
What is the core skill to develop?
Public speaking is another core skill that is essential as through effective public
speaking presentation could be made in a team meeting and will help in performing
exceptionally well. Public speaking is a skill that helps to resent oneself, ideas and
thoughts to others that help in overcoming the nervousness and becoming confident
enough (Carlbring, et al. 2017).
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
Effective public speaking will drive towards the advancement of the career
opportunities and will help in presenting the ideas to the teams in an effective
manner. This helps in enhancing the reputation and will build the self-confidence that
will put on the way several opportunities (Ting‐Toomey, 2015).
Through public speaking engagement can be gained of the audience that will help to
seek the better participation of the people and drive them towards the goals. Through
effective public speaking skills, the body language can be paid attention to and will
help in an effective engagement of the audience. The public speaking will also open
the gates to inject positive affirmations that will help to raise the confidence.
A model of public speaking known as the transactional model that was laid by Dean
Barnlund will help in better understanding the process of public speaking. In this
model, an individual sends and receives the messages at the same time and there is
an assumption in this model that meaning is co-created by both the sender and
receiver (North, et al. 2015).
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Fig: a Transactional model of public speaking
Source: http://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/1-2-the-process-of-public-
speaking/
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)
According to the self-assessment findings, the current competencies in the skills of
the public speaking stands at the strong level as by overweighing the fears perceived
effective public speaking is ensured. Through effective public speaking prospective
chances for the job promotions emerge and it has helped to generate the awareness
amongst the team members and educate others by pushing in front of others. This
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has laid the ways for positive thinking and helps to cope with nerves (Ting‐Toomey,
2015).
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?
The contradiction that sometimes arouses is the fear and anxiety that emerges while
standing in front of the group of people. There is a contradiction to be rejected by the
public due to lack of subjectivity of the ideas and thus fear overrides the confidence
and hinders the exposure of future life opportunities (North, et al. 2015).
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
Through public speaking skills, the future and the present can enrich the personal
and professional life that will help to influence the outside world. Through public
speaking, self-esteem can be boosted and will boost the social as well as
professional contracts that will render effective platform to spread revolutionary
ideas. It will render satisfaction by sharing information and useful matter with the
people outside the social circle (Carlbring, et al. 2017).
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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR ASSERTIVENESS/CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
What is the core skill to develop?
Assertiveness is the skill that is vital as it is essential in the communication skills and
in social training this skill focuses on the ability to stand up on basis of own
capabilities in a positive manner. This avoids aggressiveness and being passive.
Being assertive in all situations is not appropriate so the assertiveness
communication should be effectively ensured (Boket, et al. 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)
Assertiveness is the skills that help in identifying the assertive behaviour of a person
and there is a fine line that differentiates between the aggression and assertiveness.
Assertiveness and the conflict resolution are vital as it helps in assuring oneself so as
to draw over in a firm, fair and empathetic manner. Assertiveness will help to gain
many benefits in the workplace as it will help in becoming better managers by
treating the co-workers with fairness and respect. It will also help in effective conflict
resolution by negotiating successfully to create a win-win situation. Through effective
conflict resolution skills, the opponent’s position can be quickly judged and the
problems can be solved (Riasi and Asadzadeh, 2015).
A model designed by Thomas-Kilmann demonstrates the options to handle conflicts
on the basis of two dimensions one is cooperativeness and other is assertiveness.
These offer five options for conflict resolution that includes, competing,
accommodating, avoiding, compromising and collaborating. In the accommodating
style, there is the high degree of cooperation and works against the objectives and
focuses on preserving the future relations (Boket, et al. 2016). In avoiding style
conflict resolution is carried out through emotionally handling the situation and
avoiding for a short term. Another style s collaborating where a partner is paired up
with other to accomplish the goals with the high level of trust. Competing is a style
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that renders win-lose situation when one acts in the assertive manner and this style
best suits in case of emergencies. In case of compromising there is the lose-lose
scenario and there is no accomplishment on part of both parties (Riasi and
Asadzadeh, 2015).
Fig: Conflict resolution model
Source: http://sourcesofinsight.com/conflict-management-styles-at-a-glance/
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)
Through the feedbacks of the peers, the current competencies in the core skills of
the assertiveness and the conflict resolution are such that there is the balance
between the power and treatment in a fair and empathetic manner (Ting‐Toomey,
2015). There is the hike in the self-confidence and this has led to a hike in the
personal ventures. Through effective conflict resolution and assertiveness skills, the
bad habits are better to be able to rid off and have helped to accomplish more. This
has led to the development of the positive self-image through which relationships
gets enhanced and strengthened.
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is
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there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?
Some of the contradictions that may be faced include the fear to stand as boss which
may hinder the career path (García-López and Gutiérrez, 2015). Sometimes the
contradiction may appear with friends and families that cannot be avoided which
always demands harmony that is not possible when one become assertive. In
situations which demand peace and agree, anger may outrage and tough situations
handling becomes difficult.
How might this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
Being assertive will help in reducing the stress level and will help to inject the abilities
to cope with difficult situations. This will help in rendering more choices and will
render free time as it is easier to accept and decline the offers according to priorities.
Through assertiveness, more confidence can be injected and assertiveness will add
the credibility in the behavioural pattern which will help in earning respect. Another
benefit that assertiveness will lay in future is the conflict resolution that becomes
easy to analyse the situations and regulate the emotions (García-López and
Gutiérrez, 2015).
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SUMMARY AND ACTION PLAN
The strengths and weaknesses identified from the above four entries will be analysed
that will be focussed on negotiation, assertiveness, time management and the public
speaking skills. These all competencies will be evaluated by analysing the strengths
and weaknesses as under:
STRENGTHS
NEGOTIATION
Through effective negotiation,
communication is better ensured which
helps in effective management of the
desired tasks (Tasker, 2015)
TIME MANAGEMENT
Skills of effective prioritisation have been
built which helps in utilising the free time
and achieving desired goals
PUBLIC SPEAKING
It helped to gain effective engagement of
the audience and helped to boost the self-
confidence (North, et al. 2015)
ASSERTIVENESS
It helps by focusing on the future relations
and helps in effective conflict resolution
(Boket, et al. 2016).
WEAKNESSES
NEGOTIATION
Lack of support of peers and the difficulty
in understanding the perceptions of the
peers created difficulty in negotiation
(Valley, 2015).
TIME MANAGEMENT
Due to lack of time management, the
schedules get disturbed and the
productivity gets disturbed (Goldberg, et
al. 2014).
PUBLIC SPEAKING
A difficulty arose as to face the public
which created anxiety and fear in the
minds of the public speaker (Carlbring, et
al. 2017)
ASSERTIVENESS
Anger and the fear may stand at its
weakness as being assertive may also
hinder the relations with relatives where
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saying no becomes difficult.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TWO YEARS
Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
Overcoming
anxiety and
fear
To be a good
public speaker
it is vital to be
fearless and
overcome
anxiety
(Carlbring, et
al. 2017)
After
effective
training
confidence
can be
witnessed
It can be
achieved
through
attending the
personality
development
training
programs.
By
strengthening
the
presentation
skills and
seminars
(Tasker,
2015)
Should be
achieved
within 2 years
Managing
time
Integrative
schedules
should be
followed that
will drive
towards
effective time
management
(Kirillov, et al.
2015)
Time can be
managed
through
schedule
preparation
and is
measured
when people
learn to say
no to
unimportant
things
This can be
solved by
laying the
schedules
and guiding
them to
accomplish
tasks on time
(Tasker,
2015)
Proper time
management
activities
should be
injected that
helps in
effective time
management
(Steadman,
2017)
Can be
learned within
6 months
Managing
conflicts
Through
effective
conflict
management
skills the
conflicts can
be overcome
(Tasker,
2015)
When there
is a timely
achievement
of the goals
and effective
communicati
on the
conflicts can
be solved
Conflicts
resolution
can be
attained by
gaining
assertivenes
s skills and
handling
situations in
a fair manner
Assertivenes
s will help in
conflict
resolution
and will help
in handling
the situations
(KHODABAK
HSHI, et al.
2014)
To manage
the conflicts
the
assertiveness
can be
learned within
2 years.
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REFERENCES
Boket, E.G., Bahrami, M., Kolyaie, L. and Hosseini, S.A., 2016. The effect of
assertiveness skills training on reduction of verbal victimization of high school students.
International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IJHCS) ISSN 2356-5926, 3(2).
Carlbring, P., Lindner, P., Miloff, A., Fagernäs, S., Andersen, J., Sigeman, M., Furmark,
T. and Andersson, G., 2017. In session virtual reality use for public speaking anxiety: A
randomized controlled trial. In 9th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for
Research on Internet Interventions, Berlin, Germany, 12–14 October 2017. Elsevier.
Galegher, J., Kraut, R.E. and Egido, C., 2014. Technology for intellectual teamwork:
Perspectives on research and design. In Intellectual Teamwork (pp. 15-34). Psychology
Press.
García-López, L.M. and Gutiérrez, D., 2015. The effects of a sport education season on
empathy and assertiveness. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 20(1), pp.1-16.
Goldberg, S.B., Sander, F.E., Rogers, N.H. and Cole, S.R., 2014. Dispute resolution:
Negotiation, mediation and other processes. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.
KHODABAKHSHI, K.A., Meherara, M., Navidian, A. and Mossalanejad, L., 2014. THE
EFFECTIVENESS ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS TRAINING ON STUDENTS’MENTAL
HEALTH-RELATED FACTORS.
Kirillov, A.V., Tanatova, D.K., Vinichenko, M.V. and Makushkin, S.A., 2015. Theory and
practice of time-management in education. Asian Social Science, 11(19), p.193.
North, M.M., North, S.M. and Coble, J.R., 2015. Virtual reality therapy: an effective
treatment for the fear of public speaking. International Journal of Virtual Reality (IJVR),
3(3), pp.1-6.
Riasi, A. and Asadzadeh, N., 2015. The relationship between principals’ reward power
and their conflict management styles based on Thomas–Kilmann conflict mode
instrument. Management Science Letters, 5(6), pp.611-618.
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Steadman, R.H., 2017. Design of a Screen Based Simulation for Training and
Automated Assessment of Teamwork Skills. University of California Los Angeles United
States.
Tasker, F., 2015. How to prepare a personal development plan. BMJ, 351, p.h4603.
Ting‐Toomey, S., 2015. Identity negotiation theory. The international encyclopedia of
interpersonal communication.
Valley, K., 2015. Social Distance and Negotiation.
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