Reflective Journal and Development Plan: M&S Project Manager Role

This assignment is a reflective journal and personal development plan prepared by a student, focusing on the role of a project manager at Marks & Spencer (M&S). The journal begins with an introduction to personal development plans and their basis on self-assessment. The student identifies core skills required for a project manager, including communication, problem-solving, leadership, and time management. The student then reflects on their own skills, highlighting strengths like understanding project objectives and dedication, while also pinpointing weaknesses in focus, time management, team working, and public speaking. The journal provides detailed analysis of these weaknesses and contradictions in skills, especially in comparison with co-workers. The student then outlines a comprehensive development plan, including specific actions to improve focus, time management, team coordination, and public speaking. The plan includes setting small goals, segmenting tasks, scheduling, and seeking feedback. The report concludes with a summary of the self-assessment, development plan, and the anticipated benefits of improved skills for both the individual and the organization, emphasizing the importance of self-assessment for project management effectiveness and overall entity's growth. Finally, a detailed schedule for implementing the plan is provided, with timelines for self-assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and feedback.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL AND
DEVELOPMENT PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1) REFLECTIVE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.............................................................1
2) SUMMARY AND ACTION PLAN...........................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Personal development plan is based on reflection and self-assessment of an individual's
skills. In this regard, on the basis of analysing current skills of an individual, further
implementation plan is created to improve more. Present report is based on understanding
reflective journal on own skills for preparing development plan for me as a project manager at
Marks and Spencer (M&S). It is retail sector organisation of UK which provides groceries, home
products and food items to a million people of the world. For this, core skills and reflection on
required skills to be developed are discussed in this report. Moreover, development plan to
reduce weaknesses and sources will be introduced in this assignment.
1) REFLECTIVE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Core skills are essential qualities which are required for an individual for team building
and working on achieving entity's effectiveness. It impacts on personal and professional
development of an individual and also encourages for better performances and improving skills
effectively (Ahmed and Ward, 2016). However, being project manager at M&S, it is needed for
me to have skills like: communication, problem solving, leadership, supervisory management
and so on. Including this, being manager of the company, it is needed to have good decision-
making, time management, tact to handle issues and workers of the entity. Along with this, I
should have knowledge to create appropriate planning and observation to meet determined goals.
Therefore, I can work effectively in group and accomplish tasks to achieve entity's growth.
Likewise, it will be good for me to enhance knowledge regarding working together with other
managers and coordinating in team to make appropriate decisions regarding further
implementations. Including this, positive and effective environment is created as of appropriate
planning and decision making.
However, it is identified that I am good at understanding objectives and strategies of
project. It is good for preparing planning and encouraging workers towards better performance in
group. Including this, my dedication is also great towards task accomplishments as I think and
work on deeply to meet goals with the support of other managers of the entity (Chien and et.al.,
2015). However, I have strong working ethics to project and meeting goals efficiently for the
entity and decision making related to its performance. On critical evaluation, it is evaluated that I
need to improve focus and be attentive towards goals and project, time management skills,
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coordination in team work and critical observation on company's performance, public speaking
as sharing information and strategies of team which are as follows also affect my personality and
professionalism:
Focus and attention: It is observed that I get distracted towards determined task and
strategies to be accomplished during project. As it remains difficult for me to handle problems
occurred in the organisation regarding project, coordination of team workers, occurrence of
conflicts among them etc. Similarly, due to multitasking and managing variety of work as project
manager, I get distracted (Driessen and van, 2013). Therefore, I need to improve concentration
towards solving out uncertain issues occurred during project. Also, I get hesitate to take initiation
and solving out the matters obtained in project. Besides this, I feel depressed and down when
issues remain uncontrollable during project also come at once. However, I need to improve to be
focused to accomplish project and solving out issues occurred to get success in project
management.
Time management skills: Other than problem solving skills, I also need to improve time
management skill to accomplish any determined task in appropriate time. On critical evaluation,
it is evaluated that I get fail in achieving tasks in specific time as with coordination of project's
team workers. Including this, I need to encourage workers for achieving task in particular time
therefore project can accomplish effectively (Henry, Holmboe and Frankel, 2013). Similarly,
setting goals to a specific task in particular time is needed to increase my time management
skills. In addition to this, it is needed for me to analyse an individual worker's efficiency for
segmenting task according to it. Thus, it is required for me to increase time management skills
and working in effectively to meet targets. It will be suitable for my personal and professional
development impacts on performance and core skills to meet goals efficiently.
Team working: It is also analysed that I have lack of knowledge to use company's
specialist portal to contacting with other managers and coordinating for appropriate decision-
making process. However, I need to improve this skill for improving my working style and
managing project more effectively. Including this, I need to learn to prepare project plan tools as
Gantt chart, network diagram and time scheduling frequently (Englander and et.al., 2013).
Therefore, tasks determined in project can be accomplished in right time to meet goals
efficiently. Along with this, it will be suitable to improve my skills and appropriate decision
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making regarding further implementations. Thus, I can coordinate in decision making with other
managers of the entity to meet goals. Including this, I need to learn to maintain records of
workers' contribution in team as well their working efficiency on which tasks segmented among
them. Hence, I can increase knowledge to handle team as well creating its positive environment.
Public speaking: One more skill, I need to learn is public speaking as sharing
information and strategies of the project with team workers. As I get hesitated during sharing
project including plan, strategies and other tools in public or during sessions. Including this, I
feel loss of confidence towards public speaking also affects coordination with other departments'
managers regarding decision making and accomplishing tasks. In addition to this, improving
observation power in respect of project, company's performance and workers' contribution in
supporting team. However, I need to learn critical evaluation as which action is right or wrong
for the entity in terms of meeting goals. Including this, I required working on observing the tact
as critical for which effective decisions can make to implement planning to accomplish project
effectively. Along with this, it is required to me to increase self-assessment in context to skills
and knowledge to be an ideal project manager (Hwang, Hung and Chen, 2014). Besides this, I
need to enhance observations towards what is going on and what will be appropriate for the
entity and own development as well. Therefore, I need to work on improving observation to
make appropriate decisions regarding project and team management as well. It will be effective
to improve skills and further implementations in my performance as well to accomplish any tasks
and gaining entity's effectiveness at higher level.
Contradictions in skills: Contradiction is misunderstanding between self assessment and
perception of other peers of the M&S. As differences between skills what one is observed and
others opposes on it. However, there are some contradictions between me and my co-workers in
context to leadership quality. It is because I observe that I have good leadership skill to take
initiate and team building towards meeting goals. But, my colleagues feel like I need to work on
it for accomplishing project and supporting team as well (McBrien, 2015). Including this, they
also express their views that I should be confident for taking step according to determined plan
and meeting goals for the project. However, it is required for me to work on these contradictions
and supporting team to achieve targets as well. Other than this, for discussion with top level
managers of the entity, it is evaluated that I need to improve time management skills as get fail in
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achieving tasks in appropriate time. Thus, I should improve these skills and tact for project and
meeting goals as contributing in project management to achieve entity's effectiveness.
Requirements of reducing weaknesses: According to analysing differences in skills as
essential and actual. Therefore, it is needed to increase focus on project planning deeply as well
working for meeting goals efficiently. It will be effective to improve my personal and
professional development to make appropriate decisions regarding business operations and
coordinating with other managers of the entity (Moon, 2013). However, I will be able to
encourage team members towards effective contribution in team as well. Therefore, I can work
more efficiently to get success in project and creating positive environment of the organisation.
In addition to this, I can enhance knowledge in relation to team building and sharing ideas during
decision making for the company as well. Thus, it is required to work on reducing these skills
and implementing ideas for appropriate decision making regarding further implementations for
the entity.
2) SUMMARY AND ACTION PLAN
On self assessment of my skills as a project manager of M&S, I analysed both positive
and negative aspects which impacts on my personal and professional development. In order to
this, it is identified that I need to improve focus on project, team working, time management and
public speaking skills (Moore and et.al., 2013). Therefore, my working style and coordination
with other managers regarding decision making can be enhanced appropriately. However, these
skills can be reduced through implementing below mentioned plan as:
Table 1: Development plan for personal development
Skill Requirement Source for improving skill
Focus and attention For reducing
distraction towards
tasks accomplishment
and meeting goals
Setting small goals and concentrating on it
deeply.
Also, recommending other members to aware
with information and be attentive as well.
Time management
skills
To accomplish goals
appropriately and
Segmenting work between two or more team
workers to meet any goal in appropriate time.
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managing project in
right time.
Preparing time to accomplish any particular
task in specific time.
Scheduling time to accomplish project's
activities in an appropriate time.
Team working For sharing
appropriate ideas with
other managers
regarding decision
making and creating
positive environment
of the entity.
Reading articles and watching online links to
enhance knowledge in relation to work
performance and gaining methods to
implement business' effectiveness at higher
level. Therefore, suggestions and ideas can be
shared effectively for project planning and
coordinating with other managers of the
company.
Public speaking To gain participation
of team workers and
emerging their
interests towards
project and
accomplishing goals
effectively.
Being prepared for all information and related
factors regarding public speaking and sharing
ideas with team to accomplish goals. However,
public speaking skills can enhance at high level
impacts on team building efficiently.
Personal development plan: Following plan is to be implemented for improving my skills
as:
Table 2: Development plan schedule
Plan Time frame
Conducting self-assessment 1-2 weeks
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Planning and analysing sources of development 2 weeks
Implementing plan 5-6 weeks
Performance evaluation (Critically evaluate on performance and
contribution in team effectively regarding decision making)
3-4 weeks
Taking feedback from co-workers and managers as mine
contribution in team building and decision making
2 weeks
Working for implementing plan for reducing weaknesses 2-3 weeks
Therefore, by implementing this personal development plan will be effective to improve
skills and better contribution in decision making for entity. It will be good for me as build up
confidence towards dealing with issues and coordinating in team efficiently (Personal
development, 2016). However, knowledge can enhance to share ideas and decision making
appropriately. Thus, I will be able to create good understanding with other managers of the entity
as well supporting team and reaching to an appropriate decision as well.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that self assessment is essential to analyse own skills and working
efficiencies as a project manager of Marks and Spencer. In this regard, both strength and
weaknesses are identified which impacted on my personality and professionalism. However,
personal and professional development has been discussed for in terms of improving skills and
effective coordination with other managers for appropriate decision making. Including this, areas
for development and planning to improve skills as focus, time management, team working and
others are evaluated in this assignment. Moreover, various tools and sources are determined for
own personal and professional development which impacted on my performance and team
building efficiency. However, methods to increase self understanding and others has been
discussed in this report for project and enhancing entity's effectiveness at higher level.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Ahmed, E. and Ward, R., 2016. Analysis of factors influencing acceptance of personal, academic
and professional development e-portfolios. Computers in Human Behavior. 89(5).
pp.152-161.
Chien, M.E. and et.al., 2015. iCAN: A tablet-based pedagogical system for improving
communication skills of children with autism. International Journal of Human-
Computer Studies. 78(4). pp.79-90.
Driessen, E. and van Tartwijk, J., 2013. Portfolios in personal and professional development.
Understanding medical education: Evidence, theory and practice. 67(5). pp.193-200.
Englander, R. and et.al., 2013. Toward a common taxonomy of competency domains for the
health professions and competencies for physicians. Academic Medicine. 88(8). pp.1088-
1094.
Henry, S.G., Holmboe, E.S. and Frankel, R.M., 2013. Evidence-based competencies for
improving communication skills in graduate medical education: a review with
suggestions for implementation. Medical teacher. 325(5). pp.395-403.
Hwang, G.J., Hung, C.M. and Chen, N.S., 2014. Improving learning achievements, motivations
and problem-solving skills through a peer assessment-based game development
approach. Educational Technology Research and Development. 62(2). pp.129-145.
McBrien, B., 2015. Personal and professional challenges of nurse prescribing in Ireland. British
Journal of Nursing. 24(10). pp.90-112.
Moon, J.A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice.
Routledge.
Moore, P.M. and et.al., 2013. Communication skills training for healthcare professionals working
with people who have cancer. The Cochrane Library. 8(5). pp.90-99.
Online
Personal development. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/key_stages_1_and_2/areas_of_learning/pdmu/
PD-Guidance.pdf>.
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