Personal and Professional Development Report: Thomas Cook Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of personal and professional development, focusing on self-managed learning, skill enhancement, and time management within the context of the Thomas Cook Group. The report explores various approaches to self-managed learning, including training programs, learning from mistakes, and leveraging experience and the internet to enhance knowledge and skills. It highlights the benefits of self-managed learning within an organization, such as up-gradation of existing knowledge, personality development, increased productivity, and improved decision-making. Furthermore, the report outlines personal skills and competencies necessary for professional development, including analytical thinking, leadership, communication, and problem-solving. It identifies opportunities to meet current and future needs through open communication and skill development plans. The report also includes a detailed personal and professional development plan, outlining learning objectives, current proficiency levels, and strategies for skill improvement, along with timelines and evaluation criteria. Finally, the report addresses work-based problems, time management approaches, and solutions, providing practical insights into enhancing professional performance.

Personal and Professional
Development

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION:..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
A. Approaches to self-managed learning and ways of lifelong learning....................................1
B. Benefits of self-managed learning in organisation ................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
A. Personal skills and competencies with skills needed to develop work professionally ..........3
2.3 Identifying opportunities to meet current and future needs .................................................6
2.4 Personal and professional development plan........................................................................7
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Process and activities required to implement development plan........................................10
3.2 Undertake and document development plan activities........................................................10
3.3 Reflecting learning against aims and objectives set in development plan..........................11
3.4 update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation........................................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P4.1 and 4.2 Investigate and select at least two work-based problems in your work
environment and identify and communicate solutions using appropriate methods and styles to
people at different levels ..........................................................................................................12
P4.3 Evaluate the application of effective time management approaches in various situations
in your own context ..................................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES :............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION:
It is very important for a person to make advancement in their career. It is only possible
when he or she is having enough and proper skills and qualities. This helps an individual to build
a unique image in society and organisation. Also, it helps them to maintain balance between
professional and personal life (Sass And et.al., 2016). This report will show how self learning
can be done and what basic skills are required in organisation. Also, it will show how time
management can be done applying different strategies. Moreover, what how employee can solve
time management problems and how it will help them to improve their performance. For this
report organisation taken is Thomas cook. It belongs to tourism sector.
TASK 1
A. Approaches to self-managed learning and ways of lifelong learning
In respect to implement self-managed learning ways, following tools implemented at
workplace:
 Training approach: This approach assists to upgrade individual performances with
knowledge and skills. In my job is Thomas Cook Group, career development activities
will be continuously increasing with attain online training program.
 Learning from mistake: Furthermore, I can also learn from my past mistakes which
conducted with my colleagues and seniors. It helps to learn from code which conducted
with others. It assists to perform job with little mistakes (Christie and et.al., 2017).
 Experience: With the help of experience, I can learn in future performances. Therefore,
own experience assists to develop skills and knowledge to perform job effectively.
 Internet: Nowadays, internet also help me to develop and increase my knowledge in
different field. To make effective results in Thomas Cook Group, I can perform life-long
learning in systematic manner.
I can seek towards financial executive in chosen business with using different approaches
and methods. It helps me to build effective knowledge and skills to perform proper performances
to manage finance part. Along with this, self assessment and evaluation program help me to

identify my own strength and weaknesses. Therefore, I can build successful plan to focus on
different perspective in business. In this regard, my knowledge and performances will be develop
which help to update my own skills in systematic manner (Busse, Aboneh and Tefera, 2014). As
my personal and professional life, I can make effective results to update and ascertain my own
knowledge. When I know about my own skills and capabilities, I can perform better to
accomplish desired goals. It assists to overcome my own weaknesses. It is the best way to enable
lifelong learning to update my skills and performances. In personal and professional
consideration, it assists to develop my effective results through focus on desired activities and
goals as well.
B. Benefits of self-managed learning in organisation
In order to evaluate self managed learning, there are several benefits considered perform
different aims and objectives. They are as follows:
 Up gradation in my existing knowledge: In respect to implement self-managed learning
in business, up gradation is main perspective that assists to develop skills in systematic
manner. In this aspect, learning develop through training and self-experience in particular
areas of development (Christie and et.al., 2017.).
 Personality development: Self managed learning assists to each individual to increase
their overall personality. With the help of increasing my performances in Thomas Cook
Group, I am able to deal with different issues and problems in certain circumstances.
 Increases productivity: With the help of self managed learning, employees of the chosen
business easily understand culture which prevailing in the company. Hence, it increases
ability to perform tasks as per business culture.
 Enhance performances of individual: In addition to this, self managed learning also
acquire to develop important skills and knowledge with work performances. In this
regard, as per specific job, manager need to assign roles and duties. It will assist results
and efficiencies of a person to accomplish organisational targets (Sass And et.al., 2016).

 Quick decision making: Furthermore, self managed learning also create development
program with creative ability. In this way, quick decisions could be take by all individual
to organise different tasks and activities. In education, it assists to focus on maintain
systematic work performances to accomplish organisational targets (Olsen, 2015).
TASK 2
A. Personal skills and competencies with skills needed to develop work professionally (2.1 and
2.2)
In Thomas Cook Group, I look towards finance manager. Therefore, my objectives is to make
creative plan that assists to focus on financial plan in systematic manner. In this aspect, optimum
use of resources also consider attaining desired tasks and profitability. For finance manager,
analytical and critical thinking need to include. It assists me in planning, organising and
controlling in financial activities. It assists me to perform my job effectively and efficiently so
that desired results will be achieve.
Plan consider in following manner:
Professional knowledge: This ability help me to deal with different issues in financial problems.
I have appropriate knowledge in account and finance department. As results, it assists to solve
problems in systematic manner.
Leadership skills: Leadership skills also influence me to determines capabilities to undertake
effective results. In this way, I bring coordination among several people to maintain more
significant advantages. These skills help to develop productivity.
Communication skills: I possess this ability to communicate things in proper way so that learning
will be enhances. In this aspect, carefully listening activities in financial plan. As results, it
assists to accomplish organisational objectives as per set standards.
Problem solving: Problem solving skills also assists me to determine effective results at
workplace. In this way, work related problem will be consider in different situations in Thomas
Cook Group.
Evaluate each solution- Each solution must be evaluated so that the best one can be selected. In

this certain factors are considered such as time, cost, etc. This is done to solve problem in more
effective manner.
In respect to consider SWOT analysis, there are several activities assists to develop more
significant advantages at workplace. In this way, I need to focus on different skills which reduce
my effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to implement presentation skills, technological skills,
management skills, etc. All these tools consider essential role in business
With the help of presentation skills, I can develop my performance in seminars. Hence,
effectiveness increasing in systematic manner. Furthermore, time management skills also need to
consider to focus on maintain more creative performances at workplace. This is because, I am
lack to manage time so that it create impact to attain training session. As results, I need to
perform several operations and functions to upgrade my skills in systematic manner. It is the best
way to focus on maintain creativity.

2.3 Identifying opportunities to meet current and future needs
Open – In this a person can easily share information and feelings with another. It is an open
communication in which there is no restrictions. Also, it is one to one process. It is also known
as informal communication.
Skills Current level Current example How to improve
Problem solving
skill
2 I am able to find out
various alternatives
to solve small
problems.
I want to interact with
more customers so that I
can solve their problems.
This will increase my
skills and ability to solve
complex problems.
Time management
skills
4 I am not able to
complete task on
time. This affects my
performance as well
as goals and
objectives.
I need to complete task
on time by developing a
schedule. It will help me
to work in systematic
way and attaining my
goals and objectives.
Communication
skills
1 I am a very good
communicator. I can
easily communicate
with other and build
relation with them. I
also solve customer
problems easily.
I am more likely to work
on new projects that will
help me in gaining
knowledge.

2.4 Personal and professional development plan
Developing a personal and professional plan will help me in improving my current skills. It will
also help me in career development and growth .
Learni
ng
object
ive
Current
proficienc
y
Target
proficiency
Develo
pment
opportu
nities
Criter
ia for
judgin
g
succe
ss
Time scale Evidence
Perso
nal
Skills:
-
Proble
m
solvin
g
skills
I am not
able to
provide
effective
solution to
customer
regarding
their
problems.
I need to
improve
this skills
so that I can
easily
handle and
manager
customer
problems.
For this
I need
to
interact
with
custome
rs so
that I
can
solve
their
problem
s.
By
taking
feedb
ack
form
custo
mers
and
mana
gers.
7 -8 weeks Taking
feedback
Time I am not I need to This Comp 5-6 weeks Preparing

mana
geme
nt
skills
able to
complete
task in
proper
time.
improve
this so that
I can attain
my goals in
specific
time and
compete
with other
employees
can be
done by
preparin
g
schedul
e and
time
tables.
leting
task
in
given
time
period
that is
menti
oned
in
sched
ule.
daily
schedule
Profes
sional
skills:
-
Team
worki
ng
skills
I am able
to work in
a team
easily.
This helps
me to
coordinate
with other
and
attaining
my
targets.
I want to
work with
manager
and leader
so that I can
enhance my
current
skills.
I want
to lead
a team
so that I
can
become
a good
manage
r.
Takin
g
feedb
ack
from
mana
ger
and
also
askin
g
collea
gues
2-3 weeks Taking
feedback
from
manager

about
my
perfor
manc
e
Acade
mic
skills
Vocab
ulary
skills
I am very
poor in
using
vocabular
y. I am not
able to do
effective
interaction
with
customers.
I must
improve
this so that I
can
communica
te with
foreign
people
easily.
I need
to learn
differen
t
languag
es or
read
books.
By
taking
revie
ws
from
friend
s and
collea
gues.
1 month By
communica
ting with
foreign
people.

TASK 3
3.1 Process and activities required to implement development plan
The development pan must be implemented effectively so that it will help quick learning.
For this some actions must be taken on order to ensure that development plan has been
implemented accordingly (Hicks And et.al., 2014..). Moreover, it ensures that which activities
has to be performed and when. These actions are described below :-
Feedback - this is the most common action. By taking feedback from other it can be find out
that whether there has been improvements in person skills or not. Also, it helps people to
evaluate how they have handled situation and taken solution.
Appraisal – It is a process in which helps an individual to identify improvements in their
performance. By doing these strengths can be find out.
Peer assessment- this will help me to write down the things that I have to do. It will give an idea
of what things must be done to implement development plan (Williams, Carpenter and Timms,
2015).
The activities that are required is :-
Preparing to do list – I can write down things that I have to do. It will help me in reminding
about task and time management.
Maintaining dairy – I can set several standards. It will help me in evaluating my performance
and finding out weak areas. Then, I can take measures to improve that.
Keeping records – By this I will be able to analyse what I have done and how it has helped me
to improve my skills and abilities.
3.2 Undertake and document development plan activities
Date Activity Period Duration Comment
2/2/18 For vocabulary I
started reading
Everyday 1 month I learned basic
words of

books and reading
articles
different
languages
15/3/18 For time
management I
started
developing
schedule and to
do list
Daily 1.5 month I completed
activities on
time.
25/4/18 I took feedback of
colleagues and
manager
Every week 2 months It helped me to
know abut my
performance
and skills.
3.3 Reflecting learning against aims and objectives set in development plan
The above plan will help me in improving my skills and knowledge in tourism sector. It
will help in my career advancement. I will be able to compete with other employees. Reading
books and articles helped me to get more information about different languages and places. Also,
by developing schedule was beneficial as it helped me to complete task on time. I was able to
attain my goals easily. Besides this, it helped me to maintain a good balance between my
weaknesses na d strength and help me to improve them in a very effective way.
3.4 update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation
The developmental plan of the cited travel and tourism entity, Thomas Cook Group will
help in the better management of the business activities and actions that are been followed by the
firm. The setting of the objectives and getting the proper feedback after the evaluation process
that will be performed in order to get the proper idea of feasibility and actions that are been
followed by the enterprise (Meijer, Kuijpers and et.al., 2017).

It will also help the individual to monitor the personal and professional goals. For
example, it the person work upon the better rise in his negotiation skills, it will help in the better
communication and expressing of his viewpoints that enhance and support him to perform his
roles and responsibilities in a much effective and efficient manner. This will help in improving
the personal as well as the customer’s satisfaction level that will support a good management of
the businesses and their constituent activities in a better way.
TASK 4
P4.1 and 4.2 Investigate and select at least two work-based problems in your work environment
and identify and communicate solutions using appropriate methods and styles to people at
different levels
For an organisation working in the travel and tourism sector, like Thomas Cook Group,
the firm is susceptible to face certain risk factors that can impact the overall performance of the
business operations and activities that are been followed by the organisation. The two major
work based problems that are been prevailing in the work environment that impact the
performance of the enterprise are:
 Interpersonal conflict: the impersonal conflict is the major problem that impacts the
overall performance of the organisation and thus has to be solved in the better way. The
differences in the ideology and effectiveness of the operations that will help in the better
rise in the compatibility and thus will facilitate a good management of the operations that
are been taken in consideration by the organisation and meeting of the objectives that are
been set by the cited travel and tourism entity.
 Low motivation and high work stress: this is another issue that causes the firm to fail in
handling of the business operations of Thomas Cook Group. Other than this, the
enterprise have to see through the effective rise in employee motivation level and
meeting of the stress level of achieving the targeted operations (Vetere and Stratton,
2016). This will support a good management of the business activities that impacts the
core performance of the enterprise.
The solution or the rectification measures that are been found and implemented by the
organisation for the rectification of the above discussed issues will be transferred and

communicated on the different departmental level in an effective and efficient manner
(Megginson and Whitaker, 2017.). Some major ways that will help in the better imparting of the
conflict resolution measures are:
 In order to eradicate the interpersonal issues at the work place, the HR or the other
personnels at the authority will look after the better communication process that will
involve the development of the mutual understanding. This will help in the improving of
operations that will help in the good rise in performance and productivity of the
organisation. Besides this, it will also facilitate a good rise in connectivity between
different business departments in a firm.
 In order to improve the motivation level and decrease the work stress, the organisation
can plan to adopt various measures that will involve the actions and activities like proper
training process, organising of the seminars and workshops and giving the appropriate
appraisals, that will encourage the work force to perform better in the market.
P4.3 Evaluate the application of effective time management approaches in various situations in
your own context
The effective time management approaches are been taken in consideration by the
hospitality entity that can impact the operations and thus will facilitate the good handling of the
activities of the operations and will help in good rise in the performance level of the
organisation. Some major time management approaches that are useful in various situations are:
 Prioritizing: performing all sort of action simultaneously at a time is almost impossible
for the employees of a work place. Thus, in order to mitigate this issue, the firm has to set
the priorities that will help in the good rise in the effective management of the operations
and thus will facilitate a good handling of the business operations. It will also help in
better planning and execution of the business operations by travel and tourism entity (van
Aalderen‐Smeets and Walma van der Molen, 2015).
 Scheduling: It involves the proper setting up of the goals and providing enough time to
each actions to ensure its effective execution. It can be in a day, week month or a year
format and aids in good rise in effectiveness of the business enterprise that will support a

good management of the needs and demands of their customers and generate a better
revenue.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the report that the better management of the personal and
professional requirements and improving the skill sets help in the better and effective rise in the
performance. Besides this, it helps in the good handling of the different activities that will
supports a good rise in the customer as well as the professionals or work force. Other than this
different time engagement approaches and rectification of various issues are been discussed in a
very effective way.

REFERENCES :
Books and journals :
Busse, H., Aboneh, E.A. and Tefera, G., 2014. Learning from developing countries in
strengthening health systems: an evaluation of personal and professional impact among
global health volunteers at Addis Ababa University’s Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital
(Ethiopia). Globalization and health, 10(1), p.64.
Christie, H. and et.al., 2017. ‘University opened up so many doors for me’: the personal and
professional development of graduates from non-traditional backgrounds. Studies in
Higher Education, pp.1-11.
Sass, A.E. And et.al., 2016. An Innovative Approach to Teaching Personal and Professional
Development and Resiliency During Pediatrics Residency. Academic Pediatrics, 16(6),
p.e41.
Olsen, B., 2015. Teaching what they learn, learning what they live: How teachers' personal
histories shape their professional development. Routledge.
Hicks, P.J. And et.al., 2014. Domain of competence: personal and professional
development. Academic pediatrics, 14(2), pp.S80-S97.
Williams, B., Carpenter, J. and Timms, J., 2015. Family and systemic psychotherapists'
experiences of personal therapeutic consultations as a tool for personal and professional
development in training. Journal of Family Therapy, 37(4), pp.563-582.
Meijer, M.J., Kuijpers, M. and et.al., 2017. Professional development of teacher-educators
towards transformative learning. Professional Development in Education, 43(5), pp.819-
840.
Vetere, A. and Stratton, P., 2016. Interacting selves: Systemic solutions for personal and
professional development in psychotherapy and counselling.
Megginson, D. and Whitaker, V., 2017. Continuing professional development. Kogan Page
Publishers.

van Aalderen‐Smeets, S.I. and Walma van der Molen, J.H., 2015. Improving primary teachers’
attitudes toward science by attitude‐focused professional development. Journal of
research in science teaching, 52(5), pp.710-734.