Managerial and Professional Development: A Self-Assessment at M&S

This essay examines managerial and professional development, focusing on employee self-assessment and improvement within the context of Marks and Spencer. The author, a marketing manager, conducts a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The essay explores learning styles, particularly the Honey Mumford model (activist, reflective, theorist, and pragmatist), to determine the most effective learning approaches. The author then outlines a personal development plan to address weaknesses in time management, technical skills, and marketing knowledge, including strategies such as self-assessment, training programs, and enhanced learning. The essay also discusses three major learning approaches: behaviorist, cognitive, and humanistic. The goal is to improve the author's managerial and professional capabilities to meet customer demands and enhance sales within the company.

MANAGERIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In an organisation, high skilled employees plays a very important so as company can
attain the highest outcomes about the business and compete with rival in the market. For this
objective, employees requires to analysing their self so as they can improve their personality and
professionalism. It is an overall development of an individual under which their skill, ability,
capability can improve (Hopkinson, 2014). Managerial and professional development is a
process under which employees improves their existing skill, ability, knowledge and capability
about the business and attain the determined objective within a time period. In this report,
learning and self assessment of an employee for develop their skill, ability and professionalism
has been systematically addressed.
ESSAY
In order to attain the business success and growth, employees plays a very crucial role
within the organisation. A well and high skilled labour assist in developing an effective and
competitive advantage within the firm. They aid in attaining excellent growth of the business by
contributing their efforts in large manner. In the absence of human resource company can not
attain its objective within time period. Thus, it can be said that for achieve business objective, it
is very important for employees to analyse their self and improve their ability and professionals.
In a simple word it can be said that managerial and professional development is systematic
procedure under which personnels makes efforts to improve their personality and
professionalism. In an organisation, it is very important to improve the managerial and
professional development of employees so as they can improve their efficiency, competency,
skill, knowledge etc for achieve the objective (Calderhead, 2012).
Being a manager in the Marks and Spencer organisation, I have various roles and responsibilities
toward the company. Cited venture have main objective is to deliver the high quality of product
and services and attract the large number of customers. It has main aim to earn maximum
profitability and market share hence for this objective its workforce and management makes
continuous efforts. Being a Marketing manager in the Marks and Spencer, my main role and
function is to enhance the sale of product and services and attract the large number of customers.
For attain the marketing objective within the cited venture, I required to analyse my self and my
1

personality. Following are systematic analysis my self under which my strength, weakness,
opportunities and threat are included-
Strength- My major strength is my effective communication skill which helps me in influencing
customer and attract them toward the purchasing of Marks and Spencer product. With help of
this skill, I am able to interact with customer and solve their queries and problem related to the
product and services. In addition to this, communications kill also assist me in managing the
large numbers of subordinates and team member in marketing department. I effectively
communicate the task and assignment of the business in front of the team member with help of
this strength (Buxton, Burns and De Muth, 2012). Being a marketing manager in the cited
venture excellent communication skill assists me in large manner. My another strength is my
excellent coordinating and decision making skill by this skill I can able to take the quick
decision related to the business. In addition to this coordinating skill assist me in coordinate and
support the team member and accomplish the task within a time period.
Weaknesses- I have major weakness is related to the technical skill through which I am unable to
make the report and business presentation with help of computer and other technical equipment.
In addition to this, my another weakness is my lack of time management skill by which I am
unable to accomplish the task and multiple assignment within a time period. By this weakness
my efficiency and productivity is negatively influenced
Opportunities- Being a marketing manager in the Marks and Spencer, my major opportunity is
to attend the national seminar about the personality development so as I can able to improve my
personality and professionalism. In addition to this, I have opportunity is to being CEO of the
multinational company in the retail industry.
Threat- My major threat is changing customer taste and preferences. Due to this aspect, I have to
get the information about customer taste and current trend in the market related to clothing, food
product and home ware grocery in the regular manner. Another threat I that marketing
department main work is to conduct market research and collect information about the customer
taste and preferences.
As per the above discussion it has been ascertained that being a marketing manager in the Marks
and Spencer I have various strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. From this discussion it
has been assessed that my major weakness is related to the lack of time management, technical
skill. In order to improve these skills I required to consider on the learning approaches. Honey
2

Mumford learning style can assist me in understanding the different approaches of learning
which are as follows- Reflective style of learning- In this learning style, learner can learn from the reflection
like they observe the surrounding environment and thinks about the what is happening. Activist style- In this learning style, learner can learn from the action and experience.
These type of person have open mind and they like to brainstorm, group discussion and
problem solving session (Hadar and Brody, 2013). Theorist style- Theorist kind of learner seek to understand the theory hind the action.
They enjoy following model and reading up on facts to better engage in the procedure of
learning. This kind of learner believe on the concepts and theories and learn from these
aspects.
 Pragmatist style- This kind of learner believes on the theories, idea, techniques and
experiments.
As per the above learning style, I have observed that I am activist and reflective type of learner
which learn from the action, experience, reflection, observation, brain storm, problem solving
session, group discussion etc. In order to overcome my weakness and improve the
professionalism in the company, I required to focus on the several activities and planning of the
personal development which are as follows-
Serial No. Competencies
and skill
Current level Ways to improve Time scale
1 Time
management skill
I have lack of
time management
skill by which I
am unable to
accomplish the
multiple task and
assignment
within given time
period. In
addition to this,
this weakness
In order to
improve the time
management skill
I required to
adopt the self
assessment and
practices so as I
can improve my
time management
ability. By
making effective
2 Months
3

negatively
influences my
productivity and
efficiency as I am
lack to
accomplish the
business task.
efforts and self
practices I can
easily improve
my personality. I
should focus on
the time
management
strategies and
learn more about
this mentioned
aspect.
2 Technical skill I have lack of
technical skill by
which I am
unable to prepare
the report and
presentation of
business with
help of the
computer and
other technical
equipment. In
addition to this
lack of technical
skill create barrier
in my
performance and
productivity
related to
business.
In order to
improve the
technical skill I
should attend the
training and
development
program so as I
can able to get the
knowledge and
understand the
concept of
technology and
computer. With
help of technical
class and diploma
I can easily
understand the
criteria to operate
the computer and
6 Month
4

other equipment.
3 Marketing
knowledge and
idea
I have lack of the
business
knowledge and
idea so as I am
unable to survive
the marketing
activities and
function in an
appropriate
manner. With
help of marketing
idea and
knowledge I can
easily attain the
marketing
objective
(Bharwani and
Butt, 2012).
In order to
improve the
knowledge and
ability about the
marketing I
should more learn
the concept and
theories of the
marketing. I
should start the
self learning and
assessment and
learn the methods
of marketing on
the internet,
books and
journals. With
help of these
criteria, I can
easily acquire an
impressive
knowledge about
the marketing and
can able to
achieve the
Marks and
Spencer objective
within time
period.
6 Months
5

As per the above development planning it has been ascertained that I can improve my weakness
within the corporation by help of these professional development plan. This is very important for
me to understand the importance of learning and development of the company. As marks and
Spencer is famous retail outlet in the UK which works at global level. It has high customer
expectation so it is my great responsibility to meet the customer demand and needs. I have aim is
to maximise the sale of the company and attract the large number of customer so I should focus
on that measures through which I can perform in the best manner in the market. In addition to
this, in order to improve my personality and professionalism I should focus on the self
assessment and self practices (Monks and et. al., 2013). Self assessment is the best learning
approach of the personal and professional development by which individual makes their own
efforts and contribution to improve their existing skill, knowledge, ability and capabilities about
the business. By the self learning practices, individual can able to enhance their potentiality and
efficiency about the working. Furthermore, there are three major approach of learning which will
assist me in improving my managerial and professionalism. These approaches are as follows-
 Behaviourist approach- In this approach, individual depends upon thetutors and teachers.
In this manner, instructor provides the materials, guides material, series with repetition to
students. In this learning approach includes continuous feedback and reinforcement. In
this aspect of learning, teacher and tutor plays a very vital role in order to improve the
skill and ability in the students (Kucherov and Zavyalova, 2012).
 Cognitive approach- This is one of the most traditional learning approach under which
learning theorist believe that learning is an internal process in which data in integrated
into one's cognitive or intellectual structure (Kunze, Boehm and Bruch,2013).
 Humanistic approach- This theory involves the concept of learning through watching the
behaviour of other. In this approach learner learn from the other behaviour and
observation.
As per the above discussion it can be said that there are various approach of the learning which
assist me in improving my professionalism. In these three approach. Behavioural approach can
largely influence me under which I can attend the training and development program. In this
manner, tutor and senior can guide and teach me elated to the required skill and ability. In the
training program, technology is one of the option through which I can improve my personality.
In the present era, various online learning class are available which provide the learning material
6

about the subject. Being a marketing manager in the Marks and Spencer I can use the internet
for learn the marketing knowledge, concept and methods. In addition to this, I can download the
application about the topic like marketing concept application, management tool etc which can
provide me deep knowledge and understanding about marketing and management (St‐Jean,
2012). Thus, at the end it can be said that in order to managerial and professional development,
learning approach can largely influence to the individual by which they can improve their skill,
knowledge and ability. With assistance of this continuous professional development, Marks and
Spencer company can improve its quality of work, productivity and business performance
because its employees and manager are engaged with the learning approaches and practices. In
every corporation, this development plan should occur for each employees so as company can
easily improve the performance of business and productivity.
CONCLUSION
From this report it has been concluded that in order to attain the business success and
growth, personality and professional development of the employees and manager is very
important. It has been also concluded that by help of various learning approaches like
behavioural, cognitive, humanistic etc individual can easily improve their professionalism. There
are various kinds of learning style according to the Mumford honey learning which provided the
clear knowledge and understanding about the learning ability among the individual.
7

REFERENCES
Journal and Book
Bharwani, S. and Butt, N., 2012. Challenges for the global hospitality industry: an HR
perspective. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 4(2 ). pp.150-162.
Buxton, E.C., Burns, E.C. and De Muth, J.E., 2012. Professional development webinars for
pharmacists. American journal of pharmaceutical education. 76(8 ). p.155.
Calderhead, J., 2012. The contribution of research on teachers' thinking to the professional
development of teachers. Research on teacher thinking: understanding professional
development. London. pp.11-18.
Erickson, A.S.G., Noonan, P.M. and McCall, Z., 2012. Effectiveness of online professional
development for rural special educators. Rural Special Education Quarterly. 31(1). p.22.
Galperin, R.V., 2014. Organizational powers: Capture of professional jurisdiction in the case of
US retail clinics. Johns Hopkins Carey Business School working paper.
Gibbs, R.J., 2012. Principles of urban retail planning and development. John Wiley & Sons.
Grohmann, A. and Kauffeld, S., 2013. Evaluating training programs: Development and correlates
of the questionnaire for professional training evaluation. International Journal of
Training and Development. 17(2 ). pp.135-155.
Hadar, L.L. and Brody, D.L., 2013. The interaction between group processes and personal
professional trajectories in a professional development community for teacher educators.
Journal of Teacher Education. 64(2 ). pp.145-161.
Hetzner, S., Heid, H. and Gruber, H., 2012. Change at work and professional learning: how
readiness to change, self-determination and personal initiative affect individual learning
through reflection. European journal of psychology of education. 27(4 ). pp.539-555.
Hopkinson, C., 2014. Personal and professional development. Becoming a Nurse: A Textbook for
Professional Practice. pp.383.
Joseph, L. and Kuby, M., 2015. Modeling retail chain expansion and maturity through wave
analysis: Theory and application to Walmart and Target.International Journal of Applied
Geospatial Research (IJAGR ). 6(4 ). pp.1-26.
8

Kinnie, N. and Swart, J., 2012. Committed to whom? Professional knowledge worker
commitment in cross‐boundary organisations. Human Resource Management Journal.
22(1 ). pp.21-38.
Kucherov, D. and Zavyalova, E., 2012. HRD practices and talent management in the companies
with the employer brand. European Journal of Training and Development, 36(1 ). pp.86-
104.
Kunze, F., Boehm, S. and Bruch, H., 2013. Organizational performance consequences of age
diversity: Inspecting the role of diversity‐friendly HR policies and top managers’
negative age stereotypes. Journal of Management Studies. 50(3 ). pp.413-442.
Long, C.S. and Ismail, W.K.W., 2012. The HR specialist as an agent of change: Skills that open
up a place at the company's top table. Human Resource Management International
Digest. 20(2 ). pp.24-28.
Monks, K. and et. al., 2013. Understanding how HR systems work: the role of HR philosophy
and HR processes. Human resource management journal. 23(4 ). pp.379-395.
Moskowitz, H.R., Beckley, J.H. and Resurreccion, A.V., 2012. Sensory and consumer research
in food product design and development. John Wiley & Sons.
Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J. and Boydell, T., 2013. A Manager's Guide to Self-development.
McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Shek, D.T. and et. al., 2013. Development of a credit-bearing service leadership subject for
university students in Hong Kong. International journal of adolescent medicine and
health. 25(4 ). pp.353-361.
St‐Jean, E., 2012. Mentoring as professional development for novice entrepreneurs: maximizing
the learning1. International Journal of Training and Development. 16(3 ). pp.200-216.
Swart, J. and Kinnie, N., 2013. Managing multidimensional knowledge assets: HR configurations
in professional service firms. Human Resource Management Journal. 23(2 ). pp.160-
179.
Ulrich, D. and et. al., 2013. The state of the HR profession. Human Resource Management.
52(3 ). pp.457-471.
Zepeda, S.J., 2012. Professional development: What works. Eye on education.
9

10