Personal and Professional Development Report for Travelodge Hotel

This report, prepared for a BTEC HND in Travel and Tourism Management, focuses on personal and professional development within the context of Travelodge Hotel. It begins with an introduction to self-managed learning, exploring different approaches like social networks, conferences, and internet resources, and discusses the benefits for both individuals and the organization. The report then includes a skills audit of the author as a manager, identifying strengths and weaknesses in areas such as problem-solving, communication, presentation, time management, and interpersonal skills. Based on this self-assessment, the report outlines a personal and professional development plan, including strategies for improvement. Furthermore, it delves into solutions for work-based problems, communication styles, and effective time management techniques. Critical reflection on learning against the original aims and objectives is also included, providing a comprehensive overview of the development process. The report aims to assist the author in enhancing their skills and achieving their personal and professional goals, thereby contributing to the success of the Travelodge Hotel.

Personal and
Professional
Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Magazine article in Personal development portfolio .............................................................1
1.1 Different approaches to self-managed learning................................................................1
1.2 Various ways in which lifelong learning could be encouraged........................................2
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organization ............................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.3 Development opportunities to meet current and future needs..........................................7
2.4 Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs...........8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1- Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan........9
3.2- Undertake and document development activities as planned .....................................10
3.3 Reflect critically on learning against original aims and objectives in development plan10
3.4- Update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation.................................11
TASK 4 .......................................................................................................................................12
4.1: Select solutions to work-based problems......................................................................12
4.2: Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels.............13
4.3: Evaluate and use effective time-management strategies...............................................15
D 1. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusion...................16
D2. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities..........................................16
D3. Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking.................................................17
M1. Strategies to find appropriate solutions ........................................................................17
M2. Design and apply appropriate methods ........................................................................17
M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings ...........................................................17
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
.......................................................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
.......................................................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Personal and Professional Development is a way by which an individual sets some goals,
strategies and plans so that they may improve their skills from the learning and training. The
outcomes of learning and training are also set up while making goals and plans. The main
purpose of Personal and Professional Development is to enhance the current skills of an
individual so that it may help in future development and growth of a person. In addition,
professional development introduces to the gaining of skills and knowledge for career
advancement and personal development. It covers all kinds of possible learning opportunities
and meetings situated in practices (Agafonova, Bryukhova and Kaigorodov, 2015). For this
report, “Travelodge Hotel” is given private organization operating in the hospitality sector
throughout the UK. Main purpose of this report is to help an individual become confident in
handling its own personal and professional skills and to attain career and personal goals. This
report divided into different section which includes effectiveness of self-managed learning in
enhancing lifelong development of person. Along with this, personal skills audit and
development plan of an individual is also cover in this project. At last, solution to work-based
problem, communication style and time management strategies also follow in this study.
TASK 1
Magazine article in Personal development portfolio
To: Travelodge Hotel
From: Staff members
Date: 21Jan 2019
Subject : Self-managed learning can enhance lifelong development
1.1 Different approaches to self-managed learning
Self-managed learning as the name suggests is defined as abilities and skills developed
through learning done by an individual. It can be helpful and essential in both personal as well
as professional life. In addition, it is an effective way in which persons can handle their own
learning systematically. This means Travelodge Hotel can have self-managed learning system
that fit in their structure and ensure staff member in developing in a different direction. As
employees can take responsibility or duty for accurate decision about what, how, where and
when they learn. There are different approaches to self-managed learning which are provided by
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the Travelodge Hotel to their staff member are determined as under:
Social networks: It refer as a most popular and beneficial way for the staff members to
learn different new or unique ideas by the assist of various types of social media. For this,
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc., are known as best platform and support a person in acquiring
and managing own knowledge (Berragan, 2013). In regards of Travelodge Hotel, business
manager suggest their workers to follow above all these sites and enhance their skills and
knowledge in field of hospitality sector. This approach also help the workers of hotel to deal
with complex situation in an easy manner. For example: employee of such hotel can also learn
how Mark Zuckerberg (Social network Owner) became successful; and following the
information or data that they obtain. As workers can apply such knowledge or experience to
their own lives thereby analysis the means of succeeding in their personal and career
development.
Conferences and seminars: This is also introduce as an effective approach of increasing
learning and knowledge of employees in specific field. For this, Travelodge Hotel have to
arrange a conferences and seminars, it will support an individual to enhance their learning
ability and achieve personal as well as professional goal within given period of time. Further,
this assist employees to become more confident or positive in speaking in public.
Use of internet: This is also refer as an effective approach used by the hotel manager
with the purpose of enhancing skills and knowledge of employees in specific areas. For this,
manager suggest their workers to read different number of journals, articles, books related to
their job. As it help them to attain their professional and personal goal as well as enhance
growth opportunity for career development (Busse, Aboneh and Tefera, 2014).
Therefore, all these approaches are more suitable but Travelodge Hotel only suggest to
their workers to use internet because there are different information available on it about any
field. As it also assist workers to gain their learning and understanding as well as achieve
personal and professional goal.
1.2 Various ways in which lifelong learning could be encouraged
Lifelong learning is the voluntary, self-motivated and ongoing which pursuit of knowledge
or skill for personal as well as professional reasons. Thus, it not only improve active citizenship,
personal development and social inclusion, but also self-sustainability and employbility
(DeGraaf and et. al., 2013). Along with this, there are different ways in which lifelong learning
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could be enhanced in regards to personal and professional development. Some are determined
as under:
Continuous professional development (CPD): It is refer as an effective way used by the
workforce of Travelodge hotel for continuous learning, enhancing skills and knowledge. This
approach also help the workers in identification of its strengths and weaknesses. This CPD is
more essential for individual to attain their personal and professional goal easily.
Self-reflective or directed learning: It introduce of actions, opinion, judgment and personal
knowings that will relate to professional development of workforce of Travelodge hotel. This
will also assist them to acquire new or unique things at workplace as well as also create
personal ability by getting the responsibility and work allotted to them (Diale, Pillay and
Fritz,2014). In addition, this approach is used by them for studying and accepting entire
challenges without any support.
Therefore, both approaches are essential for managers and employees of Travelodge hotel
to enhance their lifelong learning and attain personal as well as professional goal. As a manager
in the Travelodge Hotel I use different types of learning theory such as Kolb’s learning cycle
and reflexive modernization theory. All these are highly essential and effective for my by
increasing my lifelong learning and also assist in achieving personal and professional goal in
given time duration.
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organization
In self-managed learning workforce take the initiatives to handle and manage their learning.
Such type of learning has different positive influences for organizations as well as employees.
There are some benefits of self-managed learning to both individual and organization are
determined as under:
Benefits to Individual (Assistant Manager): There are some advantages of self-managed
learning to assistant manager of hotel which them in increasing conference level to adapt in
kind of situation within an organization (Fechter, 2012). Self-managed learning help the
manager to improve skills and knowledge about the business functions and activities in
appropriate manner. Self-managed learning is effective and more essential for manager to learn
and enhance presentation ability. As such type of learning is flexible, business manager become
more comfortable or free to learn via self-managed learning. It also aid assistant manager of
such hotel to learn various essential skills or knowledge in their own ways. For example: self-
3

managed learning help me in increasing my communication skills. It help a person to become
strong and effective in the communication quality. It is most essential skill needed in the actual
professional environment, by accomplishing this, I can ensure better respect and position in
workplace and increase confidence level in presenting tasks and activities.
Benefits to Travelodge hotel: One of the most essential benefit and advantage of self-
managed learning for company is that Travelodge hotel can decrease their costs of organizing
formal learning program by inspiriting self-managed learning for workers (Floyd, 2012). It also
supports employees to understand the values and culture of hotel in a short duration. As they
can be capable to apply all rules and regulations in proper manner, so organization is highly
benefited by having knowledgeable and disciplined workforce without learning program for
them. It also enhances the skills and knowledge of workers ultimately hotel are benefited as
skilled or efficient workers help them in increasing profitability of them. There are different
benefits of self-managed learning to the Travelodge hotel such as to retain employees long time,
better level of customer services, reduction of recruitment cost and many other. All these are
essential for the growth of hotel.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluate own Current Skills and Competencies Against Professional Standards and
Organizational Objectives
As the Manager of Travelodge Hotel, I am doing an evaluation of my own skills and
competencies. It is because it will give me the grounds for improvement. I will come to know
about my strengths and weakness so that I may work upon them. Also, these improvements are
also necessary for the successful running of an organization (Grima-Farrell, 2015). Every
Organization wants that their objectives must met within time and give them expected result, and
for this like every other organization Travelodge also do have SMART Objectives. So for these
objectives to be achieved it is necessary to evaluate my skill as to know how much I am capable
of in order to improve the current working of Travelodge. In my best qualities, I would like to
include my friendly nature, respecting other people, good listening. A table of my Audit Skill is
provided below:
Serial
No.
I am Capable of Score Score From Other
People
Differences
4

1 Problem solving skill 7 8 -1
2 Communication skill 6 4 2
3 Presentation skill 5 6 -1
4 Time management 5 8 3
5 Interpersonal skills 6 9 3
In this, negative variance are shown my strength and positive are describe my weakness.
From the above Audit Skill, it is clear that:
Strengths
 I am capable more capable to solve any kind of situation easily.
 I am also able to present all information related to the business in more appropriate
manner.
From the above Audit Skill, my negative points are:
 I have lack of conference in communicating with other people.
 My time management skill is also poor which impact on my personal and professional
development.
 I am not easily attract with anybody which reduce my productivity at Travelodge Hotel.
Here is the brief of my skills and the negative points in me. As the Manager I have to overcome
my weak points and also maintain and improve my current positive points so that Travelodge
may come closer to its objectives (Hadar and Brody, 2013).
2.2 Identifying Own Development Needs and the Activities required to meet them
From the above provided Audit Skill Sheet, I came to know about my weaknesses and as
per the requirements of Travelodge, managers must have time management skill, leadership skill
which help in growth of the company, employees as well as the manager. In order to improve my
weak points, I am taking part in several in training programmer. The description is as under: Personal Activities: By regularly ongoing and improving in the current working pattern
will help in overcoming from my weaknesses. For this, I have to regularly make plans,
check their progress, and through the training I got many new ways of eradicating my
weak points (Hicks and et. al., 2014). The improvement can be progressed with the help
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of reading journals, reading motivational articles and newspapers which help a lot in
improving and developing the communication skills and create positive in mind.
 Professional Standards: An individual will gain a lot of help by setting up their
professional standards in any task.
Therefore, for this I have to improve myself in order to meet with activities and
requirement within Hotel (Hildebrand, 2018). This can be created by identifying my weak points
from personal skill audit. There are different requirement of enhancing some skills which are
shown as under:
Requirements Personal
Audit
Rating
(Scale 0-10)
GAP Remedial
Actions/Strategy
Deadline for
remedial
actions
Communication
Skill
6 I did not emphasis on
any type of classes
linked with skills to
communicate with
more accurate manner.
I work on myself to
improve my
communication
skills via
communicating with
other people, and
taking participation
in debates. Even I
should create
positive opinion for
communicating with
people.
1 Months
Time
management
6 I did not mange
overload work in
Hotel timely for better
results. Poor
management quality
influence on me for
I should be capable
to manage workload
effectively for any
situation. It is very
essential for me to
do accurate time
½ Months
6

accomplishing
objectives and goals of
company in given time
period.
management and
complete each
activities within
given period of time.
.
Interpersonal skill 5 I am not easily interact
with other person
which reduce my
productivity level.
To enhance this
skills I should read
different books and
attend different
classes also.
1 Months
Therefore both skills which require to be enhanced for accomplishment of better outputs
which are determined below:
Skills require to enhanced Ways or techniques to enhance skills
Communication skills In order to improve my communication skill
level, for this I should think positive and kill
negative thoughts.
Time management skills For this I should complete all activities and
tasks in given time period.
Interpersonal skills For this, I should attend different classes.
2.3 Development opportunities to meet current and future needs
Development is identify as an ongoing process which highly support workers in
developing skills and knowledge. In order achieve better outcomes I have to develop some skills
in order to meet with future and current requirements (Hill and et. al., 2016). As there are
different opportunities present in marketplace which require to be grabbed by Travelodge hotel
with support of accurate knowledge in regards to personal and professional way. Along with this,
current and future needs are determined as under:
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Current needs: I have different current needs and it require to improve such as problem
solving, communication and time management. For this, hotel manager is capable to grab
chances at present in market to develop themselves.
Future needs: I also need to enhance my current skills which will help me in providing
future opportunities to accomplish better results within predetermined time period (Kazempour
and Amirshokoohi, 2014). For this, Travelodge hotel should emphasis to enhance skills and
knowledge of their workers for accomplishment of better outputs.
There are different number of development opportunities that help me in improving my
weak point in effective and systematic manner. Some are determined as under:
Monitoring and supervision: It is identify as an effective way for me to enhance my
skills by following accurate guidance from my senior manager (Leijen and Kullasepp, 2013).
Therefore, as a Travelodge manager I follow this way in order to check worker performance
which will further assist me in analysis any variation and discrepancy between wanted and actual
performance objectives.
Training: It is also identify as an effective way for the employee to enhance their skills
and knowledgeable about the business. With the help of training program, I am able to improve
my management skill and overcome workload issue in more appropriate manner (Trede, Macklin
and Bridges, 2012). Thus, it is identify as one of the best opportunity for me to accomplish long
term goals and objectives for an organization.
2.4 Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs.
The personal and professional development plan is identify as a formal structure by
which an individual sets out the strategies, goals and results of training and learning (Marlowe
and et. al., 2015). It is identify as an effective plan which is prepare by an individual to improve
their weakness in more effective and accurate manner (Personal Or Professional Development
Plans, 2012). Therefore my personal and professional development as a manger of Travelodge
Hotel are described below:
S.
No.
Learning
target
Present
Proficiency
Target
Proficiency
Development
Opportunities
Criteria for
Judging
Attainment
Time
Scale
1 Communicat 7 10 In order to enhance Top level 30 days
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ion skills communication skill, I
try to focus on
different
communication
channel.
manager
2 Time
management
skill
8 10 To enhance this skill,
I only focus on my
work and activity as
well as complete it in
given time period.
Leader,
manager
20 days
3 Interpersonal
skill
6 10 In order to improve
interpersonal skill, I
share my views and
opinions with other.
Mentor and
senior
managers
50 days
TASK 3
3.1- Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan
The Travelodge hotel develop various process and activities that support to implement an
effective development plan. If this plan is not implemented in accurate manner so it will not
beneficial for the success and growth of Hotel (Stern and Brackett 2012). There are some
essential activities require by an organization are determined as under:
Explain goals: The first phase s developing a personal development plan is to develop
goals. Thus, it is supporting me to accomplish goals or targets in regards for future. For
implementing accurate plan there is requirement to set achievable goals and objectives they are
assisting for future growth and success (McLeod and Julia, 2014).
Know your strong point: There is high requirement for me to know my strong point and
enhance weakness by joining different classes. Therefore, I have lack of communication skill, so
I improve this skills as per the demand of company.
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Arrange training program: It is more essential and effective for me to improve my
weaknesses and achieve better growth and development within given time period. Training is
useful for me to develop and improve my weak skills as per the demand of Hotel.
Set a deadline: Development plan require accurate time period in which I can easily
improve my skills within given time duration. In a development plan mentioned weak skills
require to enhance and it is set according to the time like, days, months etc.
Clearly define objectives of plan: In order to implement development plan, there is high
requirement of clear objectives (Orlinsky, 2013). With the support of this plan, I can easily
enhance my objectives that will further support me to develop personal as well as professional
activities according to the demand of business.
Therefore above given all process are highly essential and important for those people
who have need to improve their weakness and achieve better results for future growth and
development within given time period.
3.2- Undertake and document development activities as planned
I have interpreted or considered different core activities that will support me in entire
development of skill (Shuler and Keller-Dupree, 2015). There are some document related to the
development activities which are determined as under according to the time:
Time Period Action Interpreted What is learn till
now
What is required
to do next
Estimated time
3months I follow different
communication
channels which will
help me by
improving my
communication
quality .
It will support in
speak in
appropriate way
and with more
confidence.
This will more
essential in joining
more classes and
participating in
different seminars.
3-4 months
2 months To further improve
time management
skill I should try to
done all activities as
This is support to
complete work and
activity in given
time and without
As a managers of
hotel I emphasis
more on doing
each work on time
5-7 months
10