Project on Personal and Professional Skills for Management (Module)

This project report delves into the critical personal and professional skills required for effective management. It comprises two primary projects: a reflection on communication and negotiation skills and an essay on conflict management and coaching. The first project examines effective communication in the workplace, detailing its impact on team dynamics and productivity. It also explores negotiation and influencing skills, illustrating how they contribute to achieving predetermined objectives. The second project focuses on conflict management, explaining how managers resolve workplace conflicts, and the benefits of coaching, including techniques to enhance individual performance. Through these projects, the report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of essential management skills and their practical application in a professional environment.

Personal and Professional Skills for
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Project 1 (Reflection).......................................................................................................................1
1. Describing an understanding of effective communication skills and how it affect the
workplace behaviour....................................................................................................................1
2. Describing how knowledge and understanding of effective negotiation and influencing skill
applied in order to attain pre- determine objectives.....................................................................3
Project 2 (Essay)..............................................................................................................................5
3. How the knowledge and understanding of conflict management is used to resolve a
situation of conflict at work.........................................................................................................5
4. Meaning of Coaching and its benefits and how the use of appropriate coaching technique
improve the performance of individual........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
In this modern era, every business wants to stay competitive and for the same, managers
and leaders also uses own skills in order to lead a business towards success. Therefore, personal
and professional skills for the management is quite essential for the Managers to have such
specific skills such that planning, communication, decision- making, problem solving etc.
Therefore, the entire report main aim is to develop an understanding related to personal as well
as professional skills of the management. In the same way, the current report is divided into two
parts such that the Project-1 is based upon reflection in which researcher describe an effective
communication skills and how it affect the workplace behaviour. Further, the report also
understand an effective negotiation and influencing skills that is applied in order to attain some
already define objectives.
Project- 2 is an essay which helps to understand about conflict management and how the
managers resolve a situation of conflict at work. Further, it describe the meaning of coaching as
well as describe the benefits as well as describe some coaching techniques in order to improve
performance of an individual.
Project 1 (Reflection)
1. Describing an understanding of effective communication skills and how it affect the
workplace behaviour
Description: We are working in the group of 6-8 people and each of one are not well- known to
each other. But through the activity, we come to know the importance of effective
communication skill and how it affect the workplace behaviour as well. Each of the team
member have their own strength and weaknesses, but we allocate the work as per the key each of
the member's strength. Such that one of the team member have good communication skills so we
allot to present the work in front of others because of having good understanding. Even for that
we performed role play as an activity. Moreover, in this play, we all work with proper
coordination and also try to understand the work in better way. Such that in role play we are the
staff of a firm in which we have own roles and responsibilities so that we perform the work and
come to realize how the communication affect the workplace behaviour.
Feeling: through the entire activity I feel so excited and energetic because through an activity the
entire situation is different because none of us know the meaning of communication and its
importance at workplace. In that play, one of the team member play a role of manager and state
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that communication is the basic skill which help every individual to know how to avoid bashing
and criticize them when they make a mistake. Therefore, as a manager I also need to learn to
stand up for their teammates and also manage the things by complying with time. On the other
side, when I listen these, I feel so excited and curious because as per my thinking, reading only
help to learn but when a person see practical example, they may easily understand the things in
more proper way. The same was done with me. On the other side, one of the team member also
stand who play a role of HR said that there are two main types of communication verbal
communication in which the sharing of information is done between an individuals using speech
and words (Arnold and Boggs, 2019). Another type is non- verbal communication which occur
without using any oral and written words, it can be done through gestures only.
Evaluation: in the entire activity, I evaluated positive as well as negative things. Such that the
entire team perform the work by attaining the aim and describe the meaning of communication
such that it is term that is used when an individual exchange their ideas, opinions and message to
another person in such a way, that is understandable by another one. In the same tone, another
member says that an effective communication improve the worker productivity and as a result,
the entire productivity level of the company also increases. In addition to this I also evaluated
that if there is not effective communication at working area, then the employees may deal with
incorrect information and as a result, it will affect the entire working area in negative way
(Hartley, 2015). Therefore, in order to communicate effectively, the information needs to be
accurate and as a result, it will promote the positive working environment as well.
Analysis: During the entire activity, I analyse that workplace communication have a positive
effect on the absenteeism and turnover rates and it is so because proper communication flow is
quite important for the workers and employees have to feel secure and by getting proper
information from their superiors will help to leads the turnover rates as well (Lai and Chen,
2019). In addition to this, I also analysed that a strong communication helps to grow the business
and the manages makes sure that there is a consistency of the externally delivered message.
Therefore, I realized that the entire session and activity is strong enough to understand the deep
meaning of communication and their importance at working place. During the role play, one of
the member said that an effective workplace communication inspire innovation because
information is passed not only one person to another but generation to generation, therefore, new
generation people may easily identify the gap in the information which others can't able to see.
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Conclusion: at last, during the whole session, I concluded that communication plays an
important role at every workplace. It is so because when an employee who are working at
company are clearly communicate the information with each other properly then they helps to
increase their productivity level which directly helps the company to attain the defined aim and
objectives. Moreover, I also learn that If the manager have an effective communication, then
they are easily handle the situation and achieved goals as well. Though due to weakness, some of
the team members are not able to present the topic in better way and therefore, they need to take
some action in order to improve the same.
Action Plan: if the same project will be done again then, I will make sure that I develop
communication skill and even, learn how to present myself in front of others. On the other side,
due to communication error, some wrong decisions are taken and thus, it affect the entire system
in the company. For that effective training session needs to be used so that it will be help to raise
the verbal as well as non- verbal communication. In this way, future plans will be perform in
better way and I make sure that this can be done or act differently in next time.
2. Describing how knowledge and understanding of effective negotiation and influencing skill
applied in order to attain pre- determine objectives
Description: the overall experience of this play is too good and I also learn so many new things
which may be applied in my future as well. we are working in a group of 5 people and we all did
not know each other but still, we have to work in a team. The group is build for understanding
negotiation skill that help to attain pre-determined objectives. For the same we also play an
activity name Knot or No knot in which who negotiate or influence other will be declared won
and who did not are known as no- knot. Further, my team have skilled members who are able to
work accordingly and also delegate the task as per their strength. Therefore, the whole situation
is describe so that we all will easily understand the situation and then develop strategies that help
to deliver the project in better way.
Feeling: while working with a team, I feel so good and curious to understand the influencing
skills because it is the ability in which the members discuss an issues with one or more than one
people in order to identify the solutions so that they will reach an agreement through mutual
satisfaction. In the same way, when I come to understand the term I feel so excited to know more
about this and thus, I feel that managers and senior authority of the company also influence each
others in order to achieve the pre-determined objectives. Therefore, one of the team members
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state that using negotiable skills, the entire workforce of the company will perform better
through effective collaboration (Liddle, 2017). Thus, I feel the importance of having negotiable
skills even in the personal life as well.
Evaluation: while playing an activity, I evaluated that there are so many negotiable skills such
that among all, problem analysis is consider one of the effective influencing skill because it will
help to determine the problem and and then solve the issues so that it will not leads to creates
clashed personally. Moreover, I also evaluated that if the manager at working place did not have
negotiable skills then the environment of the company is not positive and as a result, the parties
are one-sided only that leads to generate wrong results as well. On the other side, I also evaluated
that to solve the issues, every manager and person must have an negotiable skill. Therefore, a
negotiation may have successful outcomes, but when parties may have unequal power which
leads to wrong results. Therefore, I critically evaluated that the same skills may also be applied
while building team and as a result, it will help to understand and meet the defined aim and
objectives too. The entire team make their positive contribution in order to deliver the deep
understanding of negotiable skills.
Analysis: the overall experience during the play is too good even I also analysed that working in
a team is better and it will also help me to share own experience and ideas with other in order to
reach to a proper conclusion. Therefore, as my experience is good but I also eel some loopholes
as well such that when one of the team member is not ready to perform the assigned task and as a
result, it affect the project in negative way. At that time, one of the team members negotiate or
influence in such a way that he is convince and ready to perform the work (Horton, 2016).
Therefore, I clearly analysed that an individual must have a negotiable skills. Similarly in the
case of company, if there is a clashed between the employees and at that time, managers should
take decision and try to convince both parties so that they reach to an agreement and as a result,
they attain the aim and objectives easily. Thus, this shows that working in a team will help to
analysis different situation and then take proper action in order to resolve them.
Conclusion: from this, I concluded that having an effective negotiation skill contribute to
success and that is why, the manager must have good negotiable skills that helps to build the
relationship because its aim is to retain the goodwill and leads a business towards success. In the
same ways, while performing the activity, I also concluded that the skills helps to solve different
problem and even, this will further help to build a rapport as well. Further, during an activity, I
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faces both positive negative situation but these were solved and if the same will held in future
then I will take better action.
Action Plan: in order to overcome my weaknesses I start attending training session so that it will
help me to develop some negotiable skills so that I will also influence others easily. Even when
the same project Is done but at that time I will choose another strategy in order to deliver the best
so that it will also help to enhance my current knowledge as well.
Project 2 (Essay)
3. How the knowledge and understanding of conflict management is used to resolve a situation
of conflict at work
Conflict Management: It is the process of confining the unsupportive aspect of conflict
and to increase the positive aspect of conflict. Therefore, its main aim is to raise learning and
group outcomes that also includes the effectiveness of a performance in the firm. In the same
way, for every organization, the strong conflict management skills are consider as an advantage
in most of the position, in order to avoid the conflicts, as Folger, Poole and Stutman, (2017)
stated that generally, the conflict arises between employees, co-workers supervisors and
subordinates as well as external stakeholders. Sometimes due to poor communication and
interpersonal tension leads to conflicts and it is the duty of manager to manage and diffuse
conflicts. Further, it is observed that when the conflicts go unaddressed, they may creates
negative impact on the productivity as well as teamwork. For instance, in Tesco, the company
wants to solve the issue of delegation because, due to workload, manager did not delegate the
duties and as a result, it leads to creates conflicts among the co-workers which affect the overall
working performance of the employees. That is why, it is necessary to use some conflict
resolution strategies so that it will help to maintain the healthy working environment. Moreover,
the managers should posses different conflict management skills such that effective
communication skills, listening skills so that they will easily understand the main root of having
conflict, further, they must bear a positive attitude towards the work and have patience so that
they will provide ways to let other understand related to conflicts. It is recommended to the
manager that in order to resolve the conflicts, they may use Thomas- Kilmann Model which was
designed by Thomas and Ralph Kilmann and they suggested 5 basic types which can be taken by
the management in order to resolve conflicts, which are as mention below:
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Competing: It is the option in which one side win and other people losses. This type of
strategy majorly work in sports as well as war, but is not consider a good strategy for group
problem solving (Strategies to resolve the conflicts, 2018). Therefore, it clearly shows that
competing is used by the people who go into the conflicts who have a plan to win, thus it shows
that they are assertive, nor cooperative.
Accommodating: It is the where one party a chance to another party, this shows that they
are being cooperative but not assertive. Therefore, this strategy clearly shows that in order to
avoid the disruption, one party accommodate another simply to domain. On the other side, too
much accommodation also results in the group where the most aggressive parties commands and
also take control of most of the conversation.
Avoiding: it is the strategy that is most of time used by the managers in order to resolve
the personal clashes such that avoiding is when both parties just ignore and withdraw from their
conflict and generally this method is chooses when discomfort of challenge exceed. But when
this strategy is used it means that nothing is resolved.
Compromising: It is another s strategy that is used by manager in which both the parties
are partially assertive and cooperative. Basically, its concept is that everyone gives their small
contribution and no one get everything they want. Therefore, it is also analysed by Safeena and
Velnampy, (2017) that working with compromise splits the difference and everyone being happy
and help to complete the work and in order to gain the final outcome as well. Hence, it is
analysed that as per the situation, the manager wants to solve the issue and so that they will
attain the defined aim and objectives.
Collaborating: This is the last strategy in which the people are both assertive and
cooperative such that if the manager uses this strategy then a group may learn how to make
contribution in order to defined the shared solution so that everyone can support. Moreover, the
managers must have the skills of empathy so that they can easily feel what others feel and
provide solution to clearly sort out the misunderstanding as well.
Moreover, Khun and Poole' is a model of conflict management which describe how to
resolve the conflict at working place. Therefore, it is divided into two model such that:
Distributive: In this, one side will end up by winning and other is loosing. Therefore, in
this, manager have to take clear strategies in which one part may win and other looses
(McKibben, 2017).
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Integrative: In this, the managers have to take care of both parties and take the decision
by concerning with both. Therefore, this model mainly relies on the compromise situation. But
the author realized that integrative model is resulted to provide better result as compared to
distributive. Therefore, it is mostly used by the managers in order to resolve the issues.
In addition to this, it is analysed that by solving the conflicts and if the manager have
good conflict management skills, then it definitely leads to creates a positive working
environment. Therefore, it is quite important in today's market to solve every conflicts and
everyone is striving to show how valuable they are for the company and as a result, this may
leads to disputes with other team members as well (Young and et.al., 2016). On the other side,
there are some other techniques which also helps the manager such that Promote teamwork is
the best strategy that may be used in which they have to encourage and motivate their
employees. As a result, it will help to lead a team and promote their working as well. That is
why, it is consider one the best effective conflict resolution technique that helps to make the
employees think that they are also an important features for the firm.
4. Meaning of Coaching and its benefits and how the use of appropriate coaching technique
improve the performance of individual
Coaching: It is the process whose main aim is to improve the performance and also focus
on present condition rather than past and future situation. Therefore, it is the form of
development in which an experience person helps to support the learner to attain the specific aim
and objectives (Black and Falk, 2019). Thus, by providing effective coaching will leads to
generate the positive results and it is so because coaching is participative and even people tend to
learn as well as adopt new thing with the motive of learning. Moreover, the main aim of
coaching is to develop those skills through which the employees may helps their seniors to attain
the predetermined goals and objectives. In addition to this, coaching is well known technique
that helps to boost up the confidence and also help to improve the performance as well as build
an effective communication skills too.
Therefore there are different benefits of providing effective coaching to an individual
such that, it helps to improve the individual's performance their target as well as goals. In
addition to this, through coaching, an individual have an greater ownership and responsibility, as
well as they may improve some specific skills as well as behaviour too. While on the other side,
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through coaching, an individual improve their performance and as as result, it directly raise the
company's productivity level too (Greenberg, 2015). In addition to this, coaching also motivate
the people and increases the creativity as well as raise their knowledge too. Therefore, it clearly
shows that coaching provides quick and positive results and even by constantly using this, the
employee or an individual increases engagement which directly increase the retention rates of the
company as well as its productivity level too. Beside this, in the coaching, a coach provide
different ideas and ways to improve themselves and as a result, it helps to build personal
awareness by using personality assessments. For instance, the managers are immediately
presented with the employees who are struggling with low confidence. Therefore, it is the
traditional approach to provide them the best training or coaching in which the effective
communication is used that helps to improve their confidence.
GROW Model of coaching: It is the simple method that helps to set a goal and solve
different problem. The model defines 4 stages of coaching such that :
Goal: It is the end point where an individual wants to be and that is why, it is quite
necessary to define the goal in clear way so that they will achieve. For this, the managers wants
to improve the performance up to 30% within next 6 months.
Reality: In this stage, the coach or trainer provide them a reality where they are now. So
that the employee gain awareness of the current situation what is actually going on. Further, at
that time, the coach or trainer should use active listening skills so that they will take better
decision as well (MacLennan, 2017).
Options/Obstacles: In this stage, trainer should analyse the obstacles such that may be
the trainee have low communication skills and low confidence. For that, the trainer develop the
strategies in order to deal with the situation. Because by providing variety of solutions, an
individual automatically finds the solution.
Way forward: in this stage, the options and solutions need to be converted into action
and steps so that it will take an individual towards goal. Such that by providing effective
coaching related to performance improvement will help to increase the productivity level within
6 months.
Appropriate Coaching techniques: There are four main techniques that must be used by the
managers of the company with regards to coaching. These are as mentioned below:
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Listening: It is consider an important coaching technique and the managers should listen
effectively. Moreover, it is an essential aspect for managers to understand that coaching is not
only about the coach, but to learn things and implement those into their own life. That is why, it
is important to keep focus on them and also listen their thoughts, and demand in their respective
coaching sessions (Lancer, Clutterbuck and Megginson, 2016.).
Questioning:asking question is another important technique and in order to be on the
same page with the employees, coaches needs to be master the skill of asking question. It is so
because it is the only way of measure that worker's attitude so that they will determine which
training material they need the most.
Clarifying: Another technique In which the coach have to be clearly understand their
trainee's aim and objectives. For that, they need to have clear communication and also making
good use of time. Therefore, it is the duty of coach to keep clarify the issues and this can be dine
by involving best and effective communication styles that is best suited for their employees.
Feedback: At last, by analysing the need and then implementing different strategies,
coach should regularly take proper feedback (Harwell-Kee, 2019). Even they must be available
to monitor their employees in order to understand as well as implementing new skills so that the
coaching will be successful.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report, it has been concluded that effective communication plays
an important role in the working place such that it helps to increase the working environment as
well as productivity level. On the other side, by using different activities , it as been further
analysed that the if the manager have a negotiable and influencing skills, then they can easily
manage the work and also attain pre-determined objectives too because through negotiable skills,
the manager may easily resolve some conflicts between the employees and motivate them for the
better work as well. Further, it is also analysed that conflict management is the confining the
unsupportive aspect of conflict and by adapting one strategy from Thomas & Kilmann Model,
manager of the firm will easily resolve the issues and provide positive working environment as
well.
In addition to this, it is also concluded that coaching helps to improve the performance
and also raise their working abilities. Such that study also concluded that by using GROW
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model, the coaching is used to improve the performance of their employees so that they may
accomplish the defined goals.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Arnold, E. C. and Boggs, K. U., 2019. Interpersonal Relationships E-Book: Professional
Communication Skills for Nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences..
Black, C. E. and Falk, R. A. eds., 2019. The Future of the International Legal Order, Volume 3:
Conflict Management(Vol. 5367). Princeton University Press.
Folger, J., Poole, M. S. and Stutman, R. K., 2017. Working through conflict: Strategies for
relationships, groups, and organizations. Routledge.
Greenberg, L. S., 2015. Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their
feelings. American Psychological Association.
Hartley, P. 2015, Business Communication. Oxford, Routledge
Harwell-Kee, K., 2019. Coaching. The Learning Professional.40(4). pp.66-67.
Horton, S. 2016, The Leader’s Guide to Negotiation, Harlow, Pearson
Lai, J. and Chen, Y., 2019, May. Communication Process and Information Systems in HSBC.
In 2019 International Conference on Management, Education Technology and Economics
(ICMETE 2019). Atlantis Press.
Lancer, N., Clutterbuck, D. and Megginson, D., 2016. Techniques for coaching and mentoring.
Routledge.
Liddle, D. 2017, Managing Conflict, London, Kogan Page
MacLennan, N., 2017. Coaching and mentoring. Routledge.
McKibben, L., 2017. Conflict management: importance and implications. British Journal of
Nursing.26(2). pp.100-103.
Safeena, M. G. H. and Velnampy, T., 2017. Factors influencing integrating conflict
management. Journal of Business Studies.4(1).
Young, J. C. and et.al., 2016. A conflict management tool for conservation agencies. Journal of
Applied Ecology.53(3). pp.705-711.
Online
Strategies to resolve the conflicts. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://theparticipationcompany.com/2016/06/5-conflict-resolution-strategies/>.
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