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).