MG408 The Graduate Challenge: Reflective Report on Skills Development

This report reflects on the skills developed through participation in the Graduate Challenge, focusing on three key challenges: an apprentice challenge, a presentation challenge, and a t-shirt challenge. Each challenge is analyzed from a business perspective, with reflections on the development of communication, teamwork, time management, and business skills. The report details specific instances where these skills were utilized and improved, such as managing marketing teams, delivering presentations, and launching new products. The report also includes an action plan utilizing SMART analysis for the ongoing development of communication skills. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of professional development and the role these challenges played in acquiring valuable skills.

The graduate
challenge

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Apprentice Challenge...................................................................................................................3
Presentation Challenge.................................................................................................................4
T-shirt Challenge.........................................................................................................................5
An action plan on how you will develop these skills:.................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Professional skills development plays a significant role in the life of an individual and not
only facilitate a personnel in acquiring a successful position but also helps it in getting a good
job. For making an evaluation professional skills as well as knowledge are required that provides
assistance to an individual in creating a clear vision for attaining all the pre-determined
objectives effectively and efficiently. It is very important for a personnel to develop its
professional skills with appropriate planning as well as perfect discussion if it wants to support
the professional life. Within this present report, an analysis of each challenge from the point of
view of business will be explained. Furthermore, this report also includes the reflection part on
the skills that an individual is going to develop during the challenges.
MAIN BODY
Apprentice Challenge
This type of challenge helps an individual in the development of its communication skills
in an effective way. Apprentice challenge facilitates the group of persons in developing effective
ideas with them. When I was studying in the university named London School of Science and
Technology, I was clashed with a situation. When I was facing this situation, different kinds of
skills have been developed within me. It provide assistance to me to overcome this challenge.
Below is a description of such type of skills:
Communication skills: This is very important for a student to possess such type of skills
within them in order to achieve a successful position in life. For development of communication
skill within me, several efforts have been done by me. Effective communication skills facilitate
me in conveying my opinion to others in a very easy way and for having a convenient
conversation with my colleagues. By developing communication skills within me, I am able to
overcome this problem effectively as well as efficiently and without any problem. When I was
getting academic learning, various kinds of assignments have been give to me which I have to
complete them with the contribution of my team members. Conducting effective communication
regarding the data with all the members of my team helped me a lot in sharing my thoughts and
ideas with them. Ultimately, this skill has helped me in attaining all the objectives of the
assignment.

Time management skills: This kind of skill is essential for every personnel to manage
its activities as well as time. When I was getting education in the university, such skill has helped
me in becoming a disciplined individual. By making use of such type of skill, I was able to
accomplish all my assignments that I have received in the university in a very appropriate
manner. Moreover, time management skill has also facilitated me in improving my personal as
well as professional life.
Team work skills: Such kind of skill is also considered as a significant skill that help a
person in attaining all the objectives of his life in a very appropriate way. Within a group,
various kinds of persons were present that possess different knowledge as well as skill. Not only
the knowledge has been enhanced while working in the group, but also there was development in
skills too. Team working skills have helped me in dividing the load of the work among all
members of the team effectively as well as efficiently. Initially, I had faced different kinds of the
issues as my team working skills were not up to the mark. However, by taking participation in
more and more group assignments, I was able to develop and improve team working skills within
me.
Business skills: This one is considered as the most hardest skill to develop according to
me as business skills require the adoption of set of different skills as well as capabilities. I had
developed this skill when I had faced various challenge during my study time. Now I am able to
take decisions according to the situation in an effective manner as I have developed this skill
within me. Business skills also helped me in achieving the objectives and goals of the personal as
well as professional life. Now I am able to face any kind of challenge or problem that will occur
within the business.
Presentation Challenge
The challenge of presentation is fundamentally a process in which a presentor of the
presentation has to focus on the motive of catching the attention of the audience and make them
feel more comfortable by making eye contact as well as interaction with them so that they can
easily share their message or thoughts. When I was working as a marketing team manager in
Marks & Spencer organisation, I have to give presentations frequently to the members of my
team regarding the products and related services along with their benefits as well as features. At
the time of working in the company, I have developed several kinds of skill within me by

conducting effective communication with the human resources and market share of the company.
The various skills that I have developed within the organisation are described as follows:
Communication skills: When I was working in the Marks & Spencer, I focussed on the
development of communication skills within me. By making use of such type of skills, now I am
able to easily communicate the benefits as well as features of the products and related services to
the customer base and workforce of the company. Along with this, I also have solved the queries
of the market base. By taking support of the effective communication skills, I am able to
overcome the challenges that are occurred when I give presentations.
Team work skills: Such types of skills plays a crucial role in the professional life. When
I was working as marketing team manager in Marks & Spencer, I had to carry out all the
assignments and tasks in a group. At the time when I was working in the firm, I was able to
develop team working skills within me by making proper coordination with my colleagues. Now
I am able to face the challenges that occurred in team work with the help of these skills.
Time management skills: It is very essential for a person in his life to complete the
given task on scheduled time. When I was working as a marketing team manager within Marks
& Spencer, this type of skill has supported me a lot in accomplishing al;l the given tasks and
assignment in a set time period. For overcoming the challenge of presentation skill, time
management skills has helped me a lot and now I am able to manage the time as well as
activities and employees alomg with the consumers in an effective way.
Business skills: At the time when I was working in Marks & Spencer a a marketing team
manager, I have developed business skills within me by meeting all the business goals as well as
objectives. With the help of such kind of skill, I am able to overcome from the presentation
challenge. Along with the development of business skills, I had also developed problem solving
skills as well as decision making skills within me.
T-shirt Challenge
A duty has been assigned to me in order to launch a new T-shirt that shows the logo of
organisation. While performing this type of duty, I had faced many challenges and to overcome
the challenges I had developed various kinds of skills within me. The skills that I have developed
while performing this challenge are explained as below:
Communication skills: A task has been assigned to me when I was working in an
organisation and that task was of launching a new T-shirt. While I was working on this type of

task, I was developed with the communication skills. Therefore, as a marketing team manager
within the organisation, this type of skill has assisted me in facing the challenge of launching a
new T-shirt.
Team working skills: When I was working with the members of my marketing team in
the organisation, I had developed this skill within me. In order to overcome the challenge of
launching a new T-shirt, I was required to coordinate as well as communicate with the members
of my team.
Time management skills: When I was working on the assignment of launching the task,
I was able to develop time management skills within me. For accomplish the given task on the
scheduled time, I had developed as a disciplined as well as punctual person.
Business skills: While accomplish the task of launching a new T-shirt, I have to interact
with my customer base as well as human resources within the organisation. For this task, I had to
persuade them to buy the T-shirt and due to which I was able to develop different professional
skills within me.
An action plan on how you will develop these skills:
For the development of communication skills, the SMART Analysis is discussed as
under:
Specific: The objective behind to develop the communication skills within me is to become a
better presentator that facilitates me in attaining all the long term professional objectives
effectively as well as efficiently.
Measurable: The goals that are set by my authorities can be met by me with full productivity.
Good communication skills have been utilised by me in order to make my professional career
better and effective.
Achievable: The respective set of skills has been attained by me through pursuing the diploma
courses that makes my communication skills better.
Relevant: For the purpose of showing relevancy, the outcome of the diploma courses and their
certificates have to be taken by me in order to ensure the authenticity as well as reliability.
Time frame: For the development of communication skills within me, I required at least 8
months.

CONCLUSION
From above explanation of report, it has been concluded that it is very essential for a
personnel to get evolved in its professional life. Because of this, they are able to grab all the
opportunities that are available to them. Within this existing report, three challenges have been
described that helped me in developing my various skills such as tea working skills, business
skills, time management skills and communication skills. Such skills play a very crucial role in
performing all the different functions such as finance, branding and production, moreover,
SMART Analysis has been conducted for developing communication skills within me to make
my future effective.

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