Understanding Self and Others: A Reflective Personal Development Plan

This reflective journal explores the importance of understanding oneself and others in a professional context. It examines four key skills: time management, public speaking, teamwork, and conflict resolution. Through self-assessment, peer feedback, and theoretical frameworks, the author identifies strengths and weaknesses, setting out a personal development plan to enhance these skills. The journal provides insights into the impact of these skills on individual and team performance, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and interpersonal skills in a dynamic and competitive environment.

Understanding self and others
1

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
1. Reflective Personal Development Plan Journal..................................................................3
2. Summary and Action Plan..................................................................................................8
Reference list............................................................................................................................12
2

Introduction
In this present volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) socio-economical
scenario, it has become essential to understand and recognize personal skills and
sharpen up effective skills, so that the individuals can effectively work with others
and adapt his or her circumstantial changes. Understanding self and other has
become inextricable part in modern generation, due to the fast changing market
scenario and the increasing competitiveness among workers and organizations as
well.
The following section would be beneficial for developing a vivid understanding of a
range of personal as well as interpersonal skills and the required knowledge that is
essential for working in a group. In this following section I would evaluate four major
skills that that is essential for working with others and understanding of self and
others. The skills that would be evaluated in the following section are “time
management”, “Public speaking”, “team working” and “conflict resolution”.
3

1. Reflective Personal Development Plan Journal
Journal entry 1:
What is the core skill?
The core skill is time management that is of prime importance for developing the
individual’s ability to manage professional life and personal life as well.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
I have found that this skill is important as it will help to manage the increasing
workload in processional life. I face dilemmas in managing time for completing my
tasks in professional field. Due to lack of ineffective time management, I am
incapable to spend time in fulfilling my personal desires and passions. Time
management has become essential as with the help of effective time management, I
can easily accomplish my desired goals within the given time frame (Meyer, 2017).
The tight schedule of everyday life in grasping my personal life and making me less
socially active. Therefore, I have selected this skill so that I can complete more tasks
in a limited time and uplift my lifestyle and be more productive in professional area.
According to the Parkinson Law theory, work expands to fill the available time (Hill et
al., 2014). This theory states that above a Concentration threshold indicates work is
produced and below this level indicates no work is produced. I want to develop my
time management skills in such a way so that I can achieve all my goals in the right
way.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess
your competence?
I have learned managing my time from my educational life. My family members and
tutors have helped me to understand how I can divide my time in an efficient
manner. However, as activities are increasing significantly and the professional life
has come into the scenario, I face challenges in managing my time. I have to work
with others and this requires time management as I have to communicate effectively
4

with them. I have bulging complains from colleagues, my friends and family
members that I do not spend quality time with them, while my tutor and assessors
also think that I need to give more time in productive works. During my last
assessment on January 3, I identified the lack of this skill as my peers and assessor
did not give positive feedback regarding this.
Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above?
I cannot contradict with my peers as I can hardly manage time for my personal life.
However, I have a contradictory the opinion to that of my assessors. I invest huge
amount of time in work based activities.
How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
According to Joseph Juran, a famous quality consultant, in order to complete 20
percent of works, 80 % time is required (Kane, 2014). Therefore, the important tasks
have to be priorities first and include in the first 20 percent of works. This skill would
enable me to be more productive in future. This would enable me to complete the
important tasks within time and would help me to initiate proper work life balance.
Journal Entry 2
What is the core skill?
The core skill is public speaking which is essential for becoming an effective worker
and future leader.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
This skill is important for enhancing persuasive power and improving communication
with team workers. According to the theories of team work, like Tuckman theory,
relationship among the workers in a group is essential for ensuring higher group
5

productivity (Natvig and Stark, 2016). I want to see myself in the position of a leader
in near future and this requires the skill of public speaking. Therefore, I have
selected to reflect on this topic as this is in line with my expectations from myself.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess
your competence?
According to some of my peers, I am introvert in nature and less expressive. My
tutors have shown concern regarding my lack of initiative to speak up my
perceptions and to let them understand my quarries.
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 agree with the perceptions of my peers and my teachers as well. I face difficultly
while conversing effectively with my team members and conveying my concerns and
opinions. Due to this, much of my quarries remain unsolved. This also impacts on my
authoritative skills.
How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
I need to develop this skill in order to resolve my dilemmas. Gaining this skill would
help me further in improving my leadership skills and authoritative skill. In this way
this skill would help me become a leader and an effective worker in the professional
area.
Journal Entry 3
What is the core skill?
The core skill I have selected to reflect on, in this journal, is team work.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on?
6

Team working is essential for completing a work in a time bound and comprehensive
manner. This also paves the way for knowledge transfer which is further essential for
managing improving skills and gaining knowledge from other experienced worker.
According to Tuckman’s theory, there are mainly four major stages of a team
building process (Natvig and Stark, 2016). The major stages are forming, storming,
norming and performing. Effective team work skill is required in each of these
stages. Therefore, I want to develop this skill so that my performance remains
effective from the first stage to the last one and i can take my team to the performing
level.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess
your competence?
The opinions of my peers help to assess my team working skills. I have completed
several projects working with my team members and they have stated that they are
quite satisfied working with me. I have accessed my competency by understanding
their opinions. According to them I am quite helpful as a team member.
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 do not find any contradictions with their perceptions. However I need to develop
further as my introvert nature comes in the way of my ability for team working.
Therefore, I need to find out the dilemmas that have impacted my team working skill
and need to evolve them further.
How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
In future, this skill would help be become an effective leader. The theory of
democratic leadership states that group work is essential for completing a task in
more efficient manner. This would improve my effectiveness as a worker and I would
be able to adapt the positive aspects of the workers of my team.
7

Journal entry 4
What is the core skill?
The core skill on which I would reflect in this journal is “conflict resolution”.
Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use
relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)
Group work requires understanding and collaboration among the workers. However,
due to variety in opinions, conflicts among the workers have become inevitable.
According to Chaos theory of management, chaos and conflicts are inevitable part of
a system (Li et al., 2016). Therefore, I need to learn conflict management so that I
can work in a conflicting situation by accepting the fact that conflict among the
workers is inevitable. By enhancing this skill I would be able to create effective
solutions for managing conflicts while accepting the inevitability of conflict situations.
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
behaviors to answer this question)
My peers have appreciated my skill and ability for managing different complicated
situations that have risen due to conflicts among the workers. The assessment of
this skill depends on the perceptions of the coworkers. Conversation is an effective
way for managing conflict and this skill provides the ability for being an efficient
leader who can manage coordination among its team members and resolve conflict
in a very short period of time. Conflict can significantly hamper the progress of a
project and according to my team members, my collaborative nature has come to aid
several time for resolving conflict among the workers.
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 have noticed a significant development in this skill over the past two months. In my
8

last assessment on 3rd January, I found out that I had faced major conflicts several
times. However, since my last assessment I have not faced any single instance of
conflict and from this it can be assumed that I am able to develop this skill to a
considerable extent. Therefore, I don’t find any contradiction with the opinion of my
peers.
How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your
argument)
This skill would be beneficial for group work and for improving situational leadership
skills. Conflict can occur quite often in an organization or among a group of people
workers, working with same interest. This further hinders the productivity of an
organization. Therefore, this would help me in dealing with the conflicting situations.
9

2. Summary and Action Plan
Summary and Action Plan:
The Personality Theory developed by Sidney Blatt, focuses on self criticism and
dependency (Luyten et al., 2017). According to this theory the characteristics of
personality and self criticism is beneficial for developing won interpersonal
interactions and self identity.
Self criticism is one of the most effective measures for understanding the loopholes
and strengths that one has. Analyzing the strengths give one the motivation for
further improving his skills. On the other hand, determining the loopholes is
beneficial for resolving with the dilemmas one face in self management. It is said that
a person knows himself the best and therefore, analyzing my strengths and
weaknesses would enable me to determine the goals that I would have to
accomplish for achieving my life goals. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of
one’s personality is one of the most effective ways for self criticism. In the following
section I have initiated identifying my strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
 Efficiency in conflict management
 Cooperative and collaborative nature
From my experience in group work, I have come to know that I posse certain
qualities that provides me the ability to accomplish my tasks in an effective and
convent manner. My peers have also agreed with my ability for conflict management.
According to situational leadership theory, a leader must know to work instinctively in
different situations and form effective solutions for managing changes and conflicts.
Therefore, my strengths would enable me to cross a long way in my professional and
personal life and an efficient leader.
Weaknesses:
 Lack of ability for time management
 The lack of efficiency in public speaking
 Introvert nature
Every human personality comprises of some merits and demerits. I must accept that
I have certain weaknesses and try to reduce them as much as possible. The
10

weakness may hider my ability for group work and reduces my importance and
therefore I have planned the following action plan so that I can reduce these
dilemmas.
Personal Development Plan
Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
Development
Area 1
Improve the
efficiently in
public
speaking
I want to
improve my
public
speaking
skill my
reducing my
introvert
nature and
initiating
conversation
with others
and
participating
in group
discussion
I am going
to measure
this by
gathering
feedback
from my
peers and by
participating
in group
discussions
This is
attainable as
initiating
more group
discussion is
beneficial
for making
one efficient
in public
speaking
I would
attend events
of group
discussions
I would
invite my
friends at
home and
this would
open up
scope for
casual
conversation
This would
improve my
skill for public
speaking and
additionally
improve
communication
skills
I would
initiate my
next
assessment
on 15 of
July 2018
Development
Area 2
Developing
the ability to
identify the
In order to
measure the
progress of
This is
attainable
with the help
This is relevant
ad this would
help me
I would
initiate my
next
11

The ability
for task
segregation in
an efficient
manner
important
task and
segregate
between the
important
and less
important
tasks
this plan I
would
measure my
productivity
in a selected
time period
of my co-
workers,
tutors and
senior
workers in
professional
field
improve my
time
management
skill
assessment
and
complete
this
objective in
the month of
July 2018
Development
Area 3
Identifying
effective
solutions of
critical
situations
I would
develop my
ability of
identifying
difficult
situations
and
analyzing
the possible
solutions of
the problems
This would
be measured
by the
success that
my decision
would bring
to the
difficult
situations.
For
example, I
would
analysis the
conflicts or
probability
of conflicts
that I have
mitigated
with a
selected time
period
This is
attainable
with the help
of
collaboration
of the
workers
This is relevant
and this would
help me to
develop my
skill of
“conflict
resolution”
I would
complete
this goal
within the
end of July
12

Reference list
Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014. Strategic management: theory: an
integrated approach. Cengage Learning.
Kane, G., 2014. Accelerating Sustainability Using the 80/20 Rule. Do Sustainability.
Li, J. and Ye, X.D., 2016. Recent development of chaos theory in topological dynamics. Acta
Mathematica Sinica, English Series, 32(1), pp.83-114.
Luyten, P., Lowyck, B. and Blatt, S.J., 2017. Mechanisms of change through the lens of two-
polarities models of personality development: State of the art and new directions.
Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 37(3), pp.179-190.
Meyer, G.W., 2017. The Importance of Time and Bedside Skills. The American journal of
gastroenterology, 112(8), p.1343.
Natvig, D. and Stark, N.L., 2016. A Project Team Analysis Using Tuckman's Model of
Small-Group Development. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(12), pp.675-681.
Natvig, D. and Stark, N.L., 2016. A Project Team Analysis Using Tuckman's Model of
Small-Group Development. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(12), pp.675-681.
13