Personal and Professional Development: Skills, Plans, and Solutions

This report delves into personal and professional development, emphasizing self-managed learning approaches using Kolb's model and Honey and Mumford's learning styles. It proposes methods to encourage lifelong learning in both personal and professional contexts, highlighting the benefits of self-managed learning for individuals and organizations. The report includes a self-evaluation of current skills and competencies against professional standards, identifying development needs and opportunities to meet current and future requirements. A personal and professional development plan is devised based on these identified needs, detailing the implementation process, documented activities, and critical reflection on learning outcomes. Furthermore, the report addresses problem-solving techniques and effective communication strategies, concluding with an evaluation of time management strategies for enhanced productivity. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide a structured approach to personal and professional growth, fostering continuous improvement and adaptability in a dynamic environment.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................2
LO1...................................................................................................................................................3
1.1 EVALUATE APPROACHES TO SELF-MANAGED LEARNING.....................................................3
1.2, M1 PROPOSE WAYS IN WHICH LIFELONG LEARNING IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
CONTEXTS COULD BE ENCOURAGED...........................................................................................4
1.3 EVALUATE THE BENEFITS OF SELF-MANAGED LEARNING TO THE INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS..........................................................................................................................5
LO2...................................................................................................................................................6
2.1, M2 EVALUATE OWN CURRENT SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES AGAINST PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS AND ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES......................................................................6
2.2IDENTIFY OWN DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND THE ACTIVITIES REQUIRED TO MEET THEM....7
2.3 IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE DEFINED
NEEDS...........................................................................................................................................8
2.4 DEVISE A PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN BASED ON IDENTIFIED
NEEDS.........................................................................................................................................11
LO3.................................................................................................................................................13
3.1, M3 DISCUSS THE PROCESS AND ACTIVITIES REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE
DEVELOPMENT PLAN.................................................................................................................13
3.2 UNDERTAKE AND DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AS PLANNED...........................14
3.3 REFLECT CRITICALLY ON OWN LEARNING AGAINST ORIGINAL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES SET
IN THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.....................................................................................................15
3.4 UPDATE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BASED ON FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION...................16
LO4.................................................................................................................................................18
4.1 SELECT SOLUTION TO WORK BASED PROBLEMS.................................................................18
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4.2 COMMUNICATE IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND APPROPRIATE MANNER AT VARIOUS
LEVELS........................................................................................................................................20
4.3 EVALUATE AND USE EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES...................................21
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................23
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INTRODUCTION
The term Personal and Professional development plan explain about enhancing the skill sets
that need them to be gained in order to achieve the desired position within the workplace and
which also helps in marinating healthy relations with the people one meets in social life. The
personal development consists of qualities such as social skills, understanding nature, positive
attitude etc. Whereas professional development includes communication skills, knowledge of
the field in which one is interested to work, scheduling of time, effective planning in order to
accomplish aims and objectives. This assignment is based on the approaches that support in
self-managed learning along with several ways that help in lifelong learning in both the contexts
personal as well as professional. There are also various benefits of self-managed learning which
are discussed in this report. Furthermore, this report evaluates the own skills and capabilities
those are in contradiction to standards sets for professional and organizational objectives. Also,
this assignment evaluates the own development requirements in order to meet them and the
opportunities in order to accomplish recent and future needs as well. Lastly, here the
explanation of the process that is required to execute the development plan along with a
solution for the problems that are based on work is discussed.
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LO1
1.1 EVALUATE APPROACHES TO SELF-MANAGED LEARNING
Self-managed learning is the approach that is adapted to manage one's own learning in
accordance to the demands and requirements in order to attain an anticipated position in any
organization as well as enhancement in the current set of skills. In order to analyze the self-
managed learning approach, Kolb's model and Honey and Mumford learning style can be used
in the following manner (Bennett, 2017). Kolb’s learning style is carried out in four ways
diverging, assimilating, converging and accommodating. Under diverging, the people involved in
using this learning style tend to look things with a different perception. Under assimilating
individual under this style prefer good and clear data, and have the ability to logically line by
the provided information and discover analytic models (DeCoux, 2016). Converging are the
learners who tend to solve the issues by putting their learning in the practical approach. Lastly
accommodating are the people who choose to accomplish things practically they choose to deal
with new problems and solve the issues (Kolb,2014).
Another theory that can be adopted in order to understand the self-managed learning is honey
and Mumford theory which is based on the Kolb’s theory and is recognized in 4 different
learning styles those are Activist, Pragmatist, Reflector and Theorist. Activists are the one who
learns things by doing activities like group discussion, brainstorming etc. Theorists are the one
who first tries to understand the theory that is related to the actions taking by applying those
theories, finding statics about it etc. (Willingham, et al. 2015). The pragmatist is the people who
require visualizing the things that are needed to put the practice in the actual work by case
studies, discussion etc. Lastly, reflectors are the one who observes things first and then plan
what to do which is done by observing activities, self-analysis etc. (An and Carr, 2017.).
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1.2, M1 PROPOSE WAYS IN WHICH LIFELONG LEARNING IN PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS COULD BE ENCOURAGED
There are many ways that promote the lifelong learning in professional and personal terms that
must be promoted are:
 SWOT ANALYSIS OF SELF: Self-learning is carried out so that one can understand owns
decision, judgments, thoughts etc. which could be carried out by adopting the SWOT
analysis in which I can fairly judge there strength, weakness, opportunities and threats.
 INTERNET: With the help of content present on the internet such as audios and videos that
are available online support me to attaining more knowledge regarding the theories and
concepts that I can use in my workplace so that I can motivate my team members and
encourage them to work with coordination (Mansfield, et al. 2016). This approach supports
me being updated with the current happenings and the ongoing trends so that lifelong
learning is assured.
 PLANNING: It is yet another important aspect that promotes to the lifelong learning in both
professional as well as personal terms as it supports in setting a framework that describes
the appropriate policies and allocates the resources proper so that it helps in proper
monitoring and control of the restricted resources.
Kolb’s learning cycle is also significant for me as it helps me to make decisions immediately. I
am now able to practice, reflect, deliberate and act in accordance with the situation.
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1.3 EVALUATE THE BENEFITS OF SELF-MANAGED LEARNING TO THE
INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS
There are many benefits of the self-managed learning for both me and my organization where I
work, those benefits are discussed below:
 BENEFITS FOR ME: Self-managed learning has an important role in my like as it helped me
to enhance my knowledge and skills. It has made me more efficient in my working by
enhancing my creative skills. It has given me chance to share and discuss my ideas so that I
can be more communicative and innovative with my thoughts. It has helped me in
improving my planning, allocation of resources and accountabilities to an individual by
understanding there capabilities etc. (Cunningham and Bennett, 2017.).
 BENEFITS FOR THE ORGANIZATION: The standards of the services that are being provided
by the organization will improve as it will enhance the work quality and quality of services of
the company (Cunningham, 2017). By adopting self-managed learning approach efficiency
of the work is improved and hence resulting in more profits for the organization. Learning
approaches of the employees and the managers will help the company to enhance the
services those are being provided to the customers. All this will satisfy the customers and
help them in retaining and will impact on the decision making of the targeted customers.
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LO2
2.1, M2 EVALUATE OWN CURRENT SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES AGAINST
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES
In the current situation I am working as Public relation coordinator and so it is important to
analyze own current skills as well as competencies to that it could be understood that in which
area to I lack the most and what are the strengths that can support me in achieving the aims
and objectives of the organization. By conducting self-evaluation I have evaluated the skills I
have or I lack the standards required in professional life. This could be well understood by
analyzing the results of SWOT analysis conducting for self that helps to understand my strength,
weakness, and opportunities for me and threats to my professional life:
STRENGTH
 Strong communication skills.
 Highly motivating and encouraging.
 Good for effective planning.
 Builds a relationship with people
around.
 Recognizing the resources.
WEAKNESS
 Lack of scheduling the time.
 Slow in the decision-making process.
 I am not aware of other languages.
 Less thoughtful in terms of professional
standards.
OPPORTUNITIES
 Can attain higher authority.
 Enhance my knowledge in the
concerning sector and fields related to
it.
 More improved leadership skills and
confidence level.
 Developed in optimistic thoughts to
reach the new level of success.
THREATS
 High level of competition.
 Alterations that are noticed in the
procedures and policies.
 Advanced technology use in the
working
 Perceptions may differ from person to
person.
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2.2IDENTIFY OWN DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND THE ACTIVITIES REQUIRED TO
MEET THEM
As I am a Public relation coordinator there is the need for me to improve my set of skills those
are understood by the SWOT analysis conducted for myself so that I could meet the required
standards. So to fill up the loopholes seen in accordance to the professional standards of the
company I am using several activities such as utilizing the online resources to enhance my
knowledge keeps on attending group discussion so that I can interact with more people and
gain knowledge from them. I am trying to do such activity that helps me to manage the timing
so that I can properly schedule time for different tasks that are being carried out in the
organization. I more actively take part in competitions, seminars and conferences so that I can
improve my level of confidence and can bring professional attitude in my working.
According to the SWOT analysis, I also need to work on my decision making as well as planning
process which I believe can only be developed when working in practical aspects. I also lack in
having an idea about other language and the understanding of the international way of
working. So in order to eliminate my language barriers, I will join classes that teach different
languages in a given time so that I can interact with different people belonging to different
religion, nation etc. In order to improve my knowledge in the international working style, I will
take help of people who are on a higher authority than me so that they could help me out to
select the activities according to the capability to learn. Apart from all this in order to meet the
development requirements, I will look for videos and listen to the audios of the experts that
give tips on the ways of managing the time and the ways the resources can be allocated in any
situation. All these approaches will support me a lot in developing the needs and the activities
those are needed in order to meet them.
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2.3 IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET CURRENT AND
FUTURE DEFINED NEEDS
In the context of the professional life, I always find that there is scope for improving the skills
and developing the qualities and competencies so the needs for present and future can be
fulfilled. In order to identify the opportunities, there is need to have a well-developed plan so
that it supports in maintaining the efficiency and standards of the work and the activities those
are being carried out within the organization. The table given below supports in understanding
the opportunities as well as needs and the ways to meet them so that it could help in current
and future perspective:
Opportunities Current standard out
of 5
Future standard out
of 5
An action that must
take for the
improvement
Managing the time 3 4 The scheduling of the
task must be
appropriate and the
polling done in prior
will help in
maintaining the time
in an effective
manner.
Communications skills 3 4.5 I will join classes
where they offer
several activities with
another student that
helps to enhance
communication. Also,
I will attend group
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discussion and
seminars so that I can
interact with more
people and enhance
my communication
both verbal as well as
non-verbal.
Decision making 2 5 By monitoring the
decisions I have taken
in past and learning
from them and
including my
teammates and
higher authority will
help to take proper
decisions so that the
needs for the future
can be met.
Planning 2.5 4 To improve my
planning I will take a
look at the plans
made in past and take
advice from the
higher authority
members who are
well-experienced.
Leadership skills 3 5 I will observe the
employees who are
on the leading post in
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