Personal and Professional Development Plan for Assistant Manager

This report examines the importance of personal and professional development for an assistant manager at Travelodge. It begins with an introduction to self-managed learning, its approaches, and benefits for both the individual and the organization. The report then delves into evaluating current skills and competencies against professional standards, identifying development needs, and creating a tailored personal and professional development plan. Furthermore, it covers the implementation process, including documenting development activities and reflecting on the plan's effectiveness. The report also addresses communication styles and time-management strategies. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, emphasizing the significance of continuous learning and development in enhancing professional effectiveness and achieving organizational goals. References are included at the end of the report.

Personal and Professional
Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning....................................................................................1
1.2 Purpose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional context could be
encouraged...................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learnings to assistant manager and organisation...........................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Evaluation of current skills and competencies against professional standards......................5
2.2 Identification of development needs and activities required to meet them..........................6
2.3 Identification of development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs........7
2.4 Tailoring a personal and professional development plan......................................................8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Important process and activities required to implement development plan........................10
3.2 Documenting development activities as planned................................................................11
3.3 Critical Reflection against original aims and objectives defined in the development plan. 11
3.4 Necessary changes made based on feedback and evaluation...............................................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
4.1 Covered in poster.................................................................................................................12
4.2 Communicate in variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels......................12
4.3 Evaluate and use of effective time-management strategies.................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Professional development refers to an array of specialized training, formal education or
advanced professional learning that enhances skills, professional knowledge, competency and
overall effectiveness in professional world. Development of individual at professional level
provides different types of learning opportunities. Personal development is a lifelong process that
helps to assess skills and qualities to consider aims and goals set to achieved in order to
maximise potential (Kearney-Nunnery, 2015). For this project report Travelodge organisation is
selected which is a private company operating in hotels and possess headquarters in Thame,
United Kingdom. This organisation is founded in the year 1985 and employ approx 12000
employees. This project is based on personal and professional development and analyse
importance of self-managed learning in enhancing lifelong development. Responsibility of own
personal and professional development and review own personal development plan. Together
with this interpersonal and transferable skills are critically analysed in this report.
TASK 1
As assistant manager at Travelodge hotel importance is provided to self managed
learning as part of personal and professional development. For this a learning event is organised
that provides information regarding how self-managed learning can enhance lifelong
development.
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning
Self-managed learning refers to a process of initiating the learning process by oneself.
This is determined by way of clear goals, aims, objectives and targets for learning are set by an
individual. This learning process helps managers of Travelodge to control the content, producer
and pace of their personal learning. Initiation of learning processes provides clear goal setting
such as aims and requirements of an individual. Personal orientation achievement goals and self-
reflection that brings managers foot forward for achievement of set objectives. There are various
approaches that provides learning through research. Individuals in an organisation learn through
the research conducted during performing their part of work (McMillan, McConnell and
O’Sullivan, 2016). These self-managed learning approaches are as follows:
Learning through research: Research is defined as the creation of new knowledge.
Over the period of time development takes place and these developed methods are used for
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research. Through this approach staff members of Travelodge starts their learning process of
literature review and market condition. Organisations should provide opportunity to their staff in
order to learn through research.
Learning from others: Self-managed learning can be initiated through various different
sources that are described as follows-
 Mentoring/coaching: Assistant manager of Travelodge provides training to staff who are
subordinate to the appointed managers. This is termed as coaching to new staff members
and experienced persons guides less experienced staff while performing their duties.
Small sessions and training programmes are introduced to train staff and enhance their
self-managed learning (Moon, 2014).
 Seminars: Organisations like Travelodge organise seminars in which experienced
speakers related to specific field are invited. These persons share their skills and
experience with employees of the organisation and helps in enhancing self-managed
learning.
 Use of internet: Solution of variety of problems are available on internet. When staff
members of Travelodge is lacking in any personal skills then they are trained through
processes that are available online for self-managed learnings. These solutions are tried
and tested and increases chances of success.
There are various other ways such as conferences, secondments, interviews, social
networks and newsgroups that helps in gaining self-managed learning. All these methods
provides variety of information to staff members of Travelodge in order to improve their skills
for management and development.
Most appropriate approach for self-managed learning in Travelodge will be
Mentoring/coaching. As this approach involves enhancement of skills through personal touch.
Providing personal coaching to staff members creates communication channel that makes
effective communication channel. It is the most convenient way of enhancing learning regarding
organisation, target consumers, products and services offered and competitors.
1.2 Purpose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional context could be
encouraged
Lifelong learning is a ongoing, voluntary and self motivated process that helps in
acquiring knowledge and skills either in personal manner or in professional way. This keeps an
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individual motivated to learn and develop because their is a zeal to learn more and more.
Lifelong learning enhances understanding of the world around the business environment in very
efficient manner (Moss, Gibson and Dollarhide, 2014). Ways in which this learning is
encouraged in Travelodge organisation are as follows-
 Self-directed learning: It is a learning process in which individual person takes initiative
and responsibility for results of stapes taken. Person involved select, manage and asses
their own learning activities. This style of learning can be pursued at any time, in any
place, through any means and at any age. With self directing learning skills individual
while working in the organisation will become self motivated.
 Continuing professional development: It refers to the process of tracking and
developing and documenting the skills, knowledge and experience that is gathered while
working in formal and informal manner. It is termed as experienced that is captured and
experienced beyond any initial training. It helps in personal development on continuous
basis. Lifelong learning through this development plan provides growth to individual to
develop their personal and professional skills. This contribute towards achieving final
goals and objectives.
 Higher and further education: Higher and further education helps members of
Travelodge to take appropriate decisions as per demand of the situation. Education helps
in enhancing personal skills and provides border thinking capacity to individuals. Higher
education and lifelong learning both are complementary to each other for achieving set
objectives. Being professionally qualified employee of the organisation have skill to deal
with various conflicting situation that needs effective decision making.
 Recognition of prior learning: Lifelong learning involves acquiring knowledge on
continuous basis and together with this recognition of prior learnings. Holding past
experience knowledge and acquiring new informations will help manager and staff
members to take productive actions when situation arises.
 Apprenticeships: It is a type of on the job training that is provided to workers while they
perform their duties. This makes person skilled through personal experience and
encourages personal and professional skill development. Having live experience of
working techniques and environment makes will help employees to enhance their skills
and mould available knowledge with them.
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1.3 Benefits of self-managed learnings to assistant manager and organisation
Self-managed learnings is termed as manner that helps to develop self learning process.
Through this individual become more competent in performing work and objects are achieved in
the specific time duration (Olsen, 2015). Benefits to self-managed learnings are provided as
follows-
To Assistant Manager:
Manager who possess self-managed learning skills may resolve any issue generated in the
organisation and become adaptive in every situation. Some of the advantages to assistant
managers are provided below-
Improved ability range with personal learnings: Through self-managed learning
process capabilities of staff members working in Travelodge is enhanced. When any individual
try to learn and grab more knowledge and make self analysis or regular basis then it will leads to
improve in self-directed learning. Acquiring knowledge with each experience and situation will
make employee more confident and more effective to acquire new skills. It helps in improving
self confidence of assistant manager while dealing with various difficult situations. It will also
improve skills of managers to deal with hurdles that blocks organisations path to achieve its
targeted objectives.
Improving level of skills: Learning on continuous basis contributes towards improving
level of skills that are required while working in more challenging business environment.
Learning brings new skills and improves capabilities of manager top perform their duties in
Travelodge in most effective and efficient manner. Continuous learning brings skill of
professional development that is required on to perform various activities. Higher education can
be gained with study and with this education of business also come up with live experience. This
can be developed through taking advantage of new opportunities and analysing various
situations.
To Organisation: All the employees of Travelodge work towards achievement of
objectives that are set by the organisation. Self-managed learning provides following benefits to
Travelodge-
Workforce with better performance: One of the most important benefit that is gained
by Travelodge is skilled and qualified workforce through self-managed learnings. This helps to
enhance quality of work that is performed by skilled workforce who is quite dedicated towards
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work. Skilled and experienced workforce brings more profits of for the organisation by
productive activities. For example- self-managed workers regarding new technology makes
organisational work more easy by easy adoption of technology (Papatraianou and Le Cornu,
2014).
Achievement of objectives on time: When workforce of Travelodge will have high
skills and enhanced efficiency then objects of the organisation will be achieved on time.
Continuous learning will make workers more productive while performing various activities and
this will provide Travelodge competitive advantage.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluation of current skills and competencies against professional standards
Similar to Travelodge, an assistant manager also has a set of personal goals and
objectives that he/she wishes to achieve through his work in the hotel. As per the given case
scenario, Travelodge managers are expected to lead overall management of the hotel including
motivating and inspiring their teams to be as efficient as possible. They should be able to
maximise sales, profits and achieve predefined targets along with performing as excellent
communicators in elucidating roles and responsibilities of their team and subordinate staff at
each level. Above all, managers must be able to create customer satisfaction and loyalty for the
hotel.
Evaluating own current skills against predefined professional standards:
Self-appraisal:
I have carried out a skills audit to critically analyse what skills I possess in abundance
and what skills do I need to develop as per the changing needs of the workplace. Generally, a
skill audit includes doing self-assessment through SWOT which helps in understanding what
opportunities are present for an individual in line with their strengths and what areas need
improvement.
Serial
No.
I am able to.... Score Score from
others
Difference
1 Start conversations with my colleagues and
customers of hotel
7 8 1
2 Make and maintain eye contact 5 4 -1
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3 Respect others values, beliefs, opinions 7 8 1
4 Adapt to changing environment 7 8 1
5 Lead team 8 6 -2
6 Cope up with pressure 7 7 0
7 Remain considerate and empathetic towards my
subordinates and team members
6 8 2
8 Be friendly and warm towards my colleagues and
customers of hotel
7 8 1
9 Remain patient during high pressure situations 5 6 1
10 Claim responsibility for my mistakes 6 7 1
11 Maintain work-life balance 5 4 -1
In the present scenario of Hotel industry, there is a need for versatile leaders that can
cope up with any situation and are able to make technology-based decisions in a competitive
environment. Possession of detailed knowledge regarding roles and responsibilities of each
individual organisation-wide also has been a need of the hour. Thus, looking at these
requirements and skill audit report I have deduced that:
I am able to cope up with pressures easily even in the situations of sleep deprivation,
providing clarity in my actions and professionalism in my conduct. Team Leadership has infused
in me the ability to provide specific and quick directions to a group of people under pressure.
Lastly, I possess a sound, detailed knowledge as per my level of training.
On the other hand, it has been difficult for me to maintain work-life balance and a
physical fitness routine. I need to reduce my time spent in planning a task before holding team
meetings with my subordinates and learn how to maintain a strong eye contact while delivering
service to hotel's customers.
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2.2 Identification of development needs and activities required to meet them
From the skills audit employed earlier, I have understood that I need to develop certain
skills to perform better and achieve my personal and professional goals with more vigour.
Taking into account the roles and responsibilities that are expected from an assistant manager in
Travelodge I have identified the following development needs:
 Leadership Skills:
The skills audit score shows a difference of -2 for events where I was to be graded for
leading teams. I have been managing team for quite some time now and to improve this current
skill I need to add ability to persuade and motivate team members especially under high pressure
work environment while being empathetic to the needs of both team meFeedbackmbers as well
as customers.
 Personal Skills:
I scored a difference of -1 as per my skills audit scores for situations where I was graded
for maintaining a healthy work- life balance. This indicates that I need to learn how to time-
manage my activities in order to give equal preference to both work and personal life. This
includes incorporating a healthy lifestyle, rising up to my personal commitments and maintaining
physical fitness (Development needs of employees, 2018).
 Interpersonal Skills:
I scored a difference of -1 as per my skills audit scores for situations where I was graded
for maintaining eye contact with customers. Hence I am convinced that for increasing my
interpersonal skills I need to enroll for soft-skills and personal development training programme
that would include group discussion sessions, team-building exercises. Such a programme will
enhance my listening skills, verbal skills and boost self-confidence.
2.3 Identification of development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs
Travelodge has been a value for service hotel brand providing unbeatable value in leisure
and business travel to its customers. Apart from focusing on maximising customer satisfaction,
retention and loyalty, Travelodge makes sure that its employees possess updated knowledge
about internal and external innovations occurring in the workplace.
The development opportunities available to meet current and future needs are explained
as under:
 ASPIRE Programme:
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In partnership with Kingsway Westminster College, Travelodge has formulated a
management development programme for its employees called ASPIRE. Through this
programme, it provides opportunities to both existing employees and potential candidates to
hone their skill-set by enrolling into various industry-specific courses and secure externally
recognised qualification for its employees. This will enable me to not only improve my current
skills but expand my knowledge base in regards to innovations that have been recently employed
in the hospitality sector.
 Internship:
Although internship is usually taken up by inexperienced graduates, interning under a
supervisor would help in broadening views in occupational areas from a lower level of
management (Bayar, 2014). Also, internship would provide an opportunity to increase
professional networks as well as in-depth knowledge regarding a particular task or subject.
 Mentorship:
Assigned hotel mentors can help in assessing current skills and advice one how to
improve them to achieve better performance and results. Enrolling under a mentorship
programme at Travelodge itself would help me in understanding the current and future needs of
the hotel. As a result, I would develop long lasting work relationships with my seniors and
develop lacking skills under their guidance.
 Online Courses:
Since hospitality industry demands a round-the-clock work ethic, it becomes difficult to
pursue additional offline courses along with it (Bukor, 2015). Hence, taking online courses in
leadership and communication skills I would not be able to diverge from my work and be able to
achieve necessary improvements in my skill-set in a desired time frame.
 Seminars and Conferences:
Seminars and Conferences can be a great way to expand one's knowledge and stay aware
about the changes as and when they happen (Carpenter and Krutka, 2015). These would help me
to develop new perspectives about existing and potential mechanisms from experts and
professionals directly.
2.4 Tailoring a personal and professional development plan
A development plan is a tool that self-assesses an employee's strength, weaknesses,
opportunities and threat in order for them to take responsibility of their learnings. Addressing
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such needs will eventually help the employee in achieving personal and professional growth in
an organisation to stay relevant (Cottrell, 2015).
Serial
No.
Learning
Target
Current
Score
Target
Score
Development
Opportunities
Assessment
Criteria
Time-
frame
1 Learning Skill 9 10 I will be undertaking
mentorship programme at
Travelodge for expanding
cognition regarding
planning, organizing,
controlling and improving
theoretical framework of
business processes.
Mentor or
Supervisor
Assessment
60
days
2 Time
Management
Skill
6 10 Undergoing soft skills
training course
Leader and
Manager
45
days
3 Problem Solving
Skill
7 10 Online courses will help in
enhancing these skills
along with reliability,
coping with pressure and
conflict resolution in the
workplace.
Mentors and
Managers
60
days
4 Interpersonal
Skill
4 10 Taking multiple
communication courses as
well as engaging in
seminars and conferences
will improve my
interpersonal skills through
regular feedbacks from
team members and other
Manager, staff
and team
feedback
40
days
9

staff.
5 Leadership Skill 7 10 I need to take up various
roles within the team. In
addition, I would be
undergoing training course
with Aspire to better
motivate, resolve conflicts
and direct my team
towards success through
team building.
45
days
6. Scheduling skills 4 9 I will be prompted through
this skills by prioritise my
task as per their suitability.
This will aid in assessing
the task guidelines in more
significant manner.
For each
member of
staff
15
days
7. Data retention
skills
6 10 This skill will help in
assessing the requirements
to remember while
recording and retaining the
essential documents in
database.
IT managers
and database
management
department.
25
days
8. Professional
Communication
skills
5 9 This skill will help in
commencing the
knowledge of presentation
and appearance with in
organisational
environment.
HR managers
and skills
developer
manager.
25
days
10