Personal and Professional Growth: A Comprehensive Development Plan

This report comprehensively explores personal and professional development within the context of the National Trust, a charitable organization focused on environmental and visitor welfare. It begins by evaluating approaches to self-managed learning, emphasizing its benefits for both individuals and the organization. The report then assesses current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives, identifying development needs and opportunities. A personal and professional development plan is devised, outlining the processes and activities required for implementation. The document reflects critically on the learning process, updating the plan based on feedback and evaluation. Finally, it addresses the selection of solutions to work-based problems, communication strategies, and effective time-management techniques, highlighting the acquisition of interpersonal and transferable skills crucial for success in the professional environment.

Personal and
Professional
Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK1.............................................................................................................................................1
1.1) Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning....................................................................1
1.2) Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged..................................................................................................................................2
1.3) Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organisation............3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1- Evaluate own current skills and competencies against professional standards and
organisational objectives.............................................................................................................4
2.2- Identify own development needs and the activities required to meet them.........................6
2.3- Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs...................7
2.4- Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs...............8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1- Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan.............8
3.2- Undertake and document development activities as planned............................................10
3.3- Reflect critically on own learning against original aims and objectives set in the
development plan......................................................................................................................11
3.4- Update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation......................................12
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...................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is explained as the process which is required to be
conduct by an individual for the purpose of overcoming any of the challenges to meet out the
targets on time. It is crucial because it simply allows to improve the performance which directly
allows to accomplish the goals. It is directly or indirectly related with self-development and
enhancing efficiency and skills in different fields. The presented report is related with National
Trust which is one of charitable trust. It works for the welfare of environment and visitors.
The file is based on four different task where first task will be based on self-management
learning and its enhancement for lifelong development. Second task will relate about
responsibility for own personal and professional development whereas in task three there will be
review of own personal and professional development plan. Finally, fourth task will demonstrate
about acquired interpersonal and transferable skills.
TASK1
1.1) Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning.
Self-managed learning: Self-managed learning depicts the process that involves
commencement of self initiated learning activities by their own that means which are self
directed. This procedure involves identification of objective of learning with clear goal setting
and required resources that can improve self management skills of an individual in a finer way.
When an organisation is having people with self learning trait it will help the organisation to find
solution to their problems with effective implementation (Hicks and et. al 2014). There are
various approaches for self-managed learning which are as follows:
 Seminars and conferences: This approach is helpful in acquiring fresh opinion and
experience from another people with the help of interaction and effective communication.
Seminars plays important role in enhancing personal and professional skills.
 Internet: Internet is a path which can be used by an individual to access different sources
to initiate self learning. An individual may enhance level of their knowledge by surfing
internet and by using different websites to gain knowledge about management of
operational activities so that any uncertainty in business can be eliminated with no delay.
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 Use of bulletin board: Bulletin board is a method where notes are made by a person with
different colours so that every new learning can be jot down, this will help in dealing
with future problems (Bukor, 2015).
By adoption of following approaches an individual can intensify the ability of self
management learning, this will help in performing job roles and achieving targets of National
Trust in a better manner.
There are various learning styles of self management, some of them are mentioned below:
 Kolb's learning cycle: According to this model of learning, by facing different type of
experience an individual will acquire expertise and intelligence. This theory involves
gaining through experiences and personal preferences, observation, planning and self
evaluation.
 Reflexive modernisation theory: As per this theory the change in society is a reflection
of decisions made by an individual and their behaviour, this leads to the behaviour of
employees as they become pragmatist.
1.2) Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged.
Lifelong Learning: This theory explains about methods of formal or informal learning for
individuals so that their knowledge can be enhanced and they may learn new things each day so
that employment requirements can be fulfilled by which performance of an individual can be
enhanced. Process of learning is conducted by an individual during the lifespan which helps in
attaining goals of personal as well as professional level. This assists in motivating employees to
improve skills and to capture better opportunities to glow (Sonnino, 2013). There are various
methods by which National Trust may encourage people :
 Self directed: Under this method an individual try to find opportunities by their own at
the working place so that they stay motivated through out the working process. This will
help the employees in improving their skills and making them creative and innovative so
that their skills can be utilised as per the demand of business.
 Continuing professional development: This is important for persons to keep
supervision on themselves so that their needs can be identified and they can review self
performance with others.
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 Further education: This plays a significant role in lifelong learning, this can be defined
as taking knowledge through additional studies so that self development can be made and
skills can be improvised.
 Apprenticeships: This method involves training for further enhancement so that working
proficiency can be increased (Marlowe and et. al. 2015). This is a beneficial approach
those who want to see professional competencies in themselves so that they can emerge
as a valuable personnel for the organisation.
 Transfer schemes: Transfers is an effective approach of encouraging people in working
place, under this method workforce get relocated in some other place when current
location is not efficient for them. By transferring this may give more efficiency to the
people as new place is as their need so productivity can be increased in an effective
manner.
In the context of National Trust it can be concluded that working people of National
Trust are self directed as they know vision of the company since they are working for a cause
which is to protect natural resources so that they can be available for everyone. Employees can
be encouraged by developing their professional skills or by providing further education so that
they can influence people which is necessary for National Trust.
1.3) Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organisation.
Self-managed learning is advantageous for individuals and group of individuals, if an
individual is self managed then he or she will remain confident through out the working this will
enhance the overall capabilities. There are numerous advantages of self managed learning which
are as follows:
Benefits to individual:
Promotion: Self managed learning helps in developing new skills that may help an
individual to get promoted to some new designation. By self managed learning weakness and
errors can be identified easily so that clarificatory actions can be taken immediately (McMillan,
McConnell and O’Sullivan, 2016). It helps an individual to be self dependent by learning new
abilities and knowledge. By having higher skills an employee can get promoted this may tend
individual to stay motivated and calm.
Accountability and sustainability: Self managed learning aids to improve skills of a
person that impact the individual to remain accountable for the tasks assigned to them. It helps
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the employees or worker to improve sustainability so that their individual development can be
enhanced.
Benefits for organisation:
Societal satisfaction: Self managed employees are very advantageous for the
organisation as they will be able to attain demands of the society. As National Trust is an entity
which works to preserve and protect heritage so it is very important for them to set a value in
society.
Achievement of goals: Self managed skills of persons can be utilised to achieve targets
of the business. This makes workers more productive and quality efficient (Davis, 2015). As in
National Trust their goal is to produce food which is beneficial for environment as well as public
and to protect world's heritage. So by self managed workers National Trust can achieve their
goals in foreseeable futures with dodging barriers.
TASK 2
2.1- Evaluate own current skills and competencies against professional standards and
organisational objectives
Personal audit is a defined as the process where person conducts audit for the purpose of
evaluation personal ability so that future improvement can be done for attaining success. It
allows to identify all of the relevant weaknesses of person. In short, it is said that person should
always give their effort to learn something new for enhancing their skills and talent. Below,
some of the skill are mentioned, which is currently available:
Professional Skills Current Level Explanation
Leadership Skills 6 In any of the circumstances,
leading any of the team is not
an easy task because there are
number of work which is to be
done (Moyo and et. al., 2016).
Here, all of the issues or
problem are required to be
solved for effective result.
Looking at my current
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leadership skill, I will rank 6th
out of 10 and still there are
some of the area where
improvement is required.
Listening Skills 8 In any of the situation, person
should be capable of listening
to the points which are being
explained by some of the
professional personal for
future development. Even I am
quite excellent in listening to
other and considering this I
will rate myself 8 out of 10.
Communication Skills 3 It is said that communication
skills plays the crucial role in
many of the situation as it
helps to understand all of the
important points through
which work can be completed.
Out out 10 I would like to give
only 3 points which means that
lots of improvement is
required in it.
Managing Risk 7 I am good at ensuring that all
of the work is being done in
systematic manner. Even I am
looking at the points that how
my team is performing for
reducing the risk factor.
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2.2- Identify own development needs and the activities required to meet them
In any of the situation, it is necessary for individuals to have knowledge regarding their
knowledge and skills. Also, weaknesses should be identified so that future improvement can be
done in best possible manner (Zwart, Korthagen and Attema-Noordewier, 2015). It is not only
important just to identify the weaknesses but it is crucial to find out the opportunities so that
future goals can be accomplished. For the purpose of finding out strength, weaknesses the best
option which can be adopted is SWOT analysis which will allow to collect all of the relevant
information in detail. Below, SWOT analysis has been conducted on myself.
Strength Weaknesses
 In my point of view, I am very good at
listening to the points which has been
explained by other people. It is one of
the strength which allow me to solve
any of the the issues which people
suffer from at any period of time.
 Another Strength that I have is related
with managing and keeping records. It
is said that in any of the business
organisation managing the business
data and records plays the important
role and in the same manner it helps me
to review all of the records whenever it
is necessary.
 People have different types of
weaknesses in them and in that same
manner even I have some of the issues
which is needed to be fix. There are
some of the crucial situation where I
am unable to hold my nerves and I in
that respective situation I lose my
confidence automatically. It is one of
the reason I have to suffer from
failures.
 I am not got at doing healthy
communication for longer period of
time due to which I am not able to
express some of my idea that can be
helpful for attaining the goals of an
organisation.
Opportunity Threats
 I have the opportunity to overcome
from the weaknesses from which I am
suffering right now. For example: If I
will be able to resolve the problem
 Just because of my weaknesses, other
rivalry firms get the opportunities to
perform their task in best possible
manner for accomplishing the goals on
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related to communication skills and
holding my nerves in crucial stages
then I will get number of opportunities
which will allow me to accomplish my
goals on time.
time.
Skills to be developed Methods to be developed
Communication skills  Trying to involve within in healthy
communication.
 Attaining more group discussion
Leadership Skills  Reading different articles related to
leadership quality and importance.
 Taking help from senior.
2.3- Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs
In current market position, people get number of opportunity which helps them to
perform better in any of the situation. To perform better, I must be aware with my skills and
ability for completing any of the work in time. It is beneficial because it will allow me to uplift
my standards by doing improvement. Some of the current and future needs have been explained
below:
 Current needs: It is connected with the requirement of organisation where each and
every work should be completed on time. But, I have found that I am not good at doing
my work on time, which means that I require improvement for accomplishing my work
on specific time period (Leijen and Kullasepp, 2013).
 Future needs: On daily basis, needs increases an according to that communication skills
also plays the crucial role in number of occasion. As I am working for National Trust
were number of visitors visits every year due to which I need to bring changes in my
communication skills for giving guidance to them.
In addition, I must work on the ground of developing the business skill, leading people,
managing financial performance as they all are necessary in context of my organisation.
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2.4- Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs
Learning
objective/ goals
Current
Proficiency
Target
Proficiency
Development Opportunity Time Scale
Leadership Skill 6 8.5 In an business organisation,
it is quite necessary to have
the quality of leadership. In
order to improve this
respective skill, I will try to
learn and take help from my
senior. Also, different
articles can be helpful.
2 months
Communication
Skills
3 9 This is the skills which is
required to interact my
visitors. For the purpose of
of improvement I would like
to attain different types of
group discussion. Attaining
seminars can be also crucial
for me.
2.5 months
TASK 3
3.1- Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan
Skills & Ability Aims & objective Resources needed
to accomplish my
objective
Target date for
attaining
objectives
Actual date of
attaining
objectives
Time
Management
Skills
It is crucial for
the organisation
like National
It can be only
solved in that
respective
August 2019 to
February 2020
10/02/20
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Trust to manage
its time because
number of visitors
visits on daily
basis and all of
them must be
given equal time.
situation where I
am able to collect
all of the required
information about
time management
and its
importance for
effective result
for organisation.
Planning It is quite
important for me
to plan my work
accordingly,
because number
of tourist visits on
daily basis.
Proper planning
will allow to
provide detail
information to
visitors.
The
administration
department has
the option to
decide and
prepare different
plan and
approaches which
can be helpful for
managing
working
environment with
National Trust.
August 2019 to
February 2020
22/02/20
Communication
Skills
In any of the
situation, long
terms goal can be
accomplished
only in that
respective
situation where
they are able to
Here, I will like
to take the help of
number of
communication
channels which
can allow me to
collect all of the
detail information
August 2019 to
February 2020
15/02/20
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