Reflective Journal: Personal and Professional Development

This reflective journal presents a detailed self-assessment of work performance, incorporating a career progression plan, skill audit, and self-appraisal with action planning. The report begins with an introduction emphasizing the importance of skill development for career growth and effectiveness. The journal explores the author's personal assessment of their work, highlighting the significance of self-evaluation in identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The career progression plan outlines objectives, action plans, and timelines for skill enhancement. A comprehensive skill audit assesses communication, critical thinking, decision-making, time management, flexibility, and IT skills. The self-appraisal section identifies strengths in communication and weaknesses in stress management and time management, followed by action plans. The author reflects on organizational theory principles and their application in the workplace, discussing the impact of training and development on employee performance and overall organizational effectiveness.

REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL

Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
TASK (LO3, LO4)......................................................................................................................................3
Career Progression Plan..............................................................................................................................3
Skill Audit...................................................................................................................................................7
Self Appraisal & Action Planning...............................................................................................................8
Skills Development Record & Work-based Feedback...............................................................................11
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Skill development is a prominent aspect for every individual in order to grow and amplify their
work performance in their concerned career domain. The critical assessment of individual’s
performance within the work related context enhances the ability of the same to capitalize upon
the existing opportunities within increase effectiveness and proficiency(Pieper, et.al, 2020). The
personal and professional development also renders a vital role in the growth as well as the
individual development. The report encompasses a critical assessment of individuals work
performance through the utilization of career progression plan, personal skill audit and strength
and weakness evaluation. In addition to that, detailed insights about the organizational theory
principles in argument with the organizational practices are also incorporated within the
concerned report.
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
Personal assessment of work performance is very significant for the individuals in order to
acquire insights about their respective degree of productivity, relevancy and effectiveness within
their field of work and expertise. Personal evaluation also assists the individuals to identify their
current work standards(Shivers, Disney and Porath, 2020). I believe that the concerned practice
also allows individuals to optimize upon their potential skills and generate improvement within
the same so as to become more competent and proficient within the work setting. The role of
personal assessment in regard with performance evaluation is to provide a good platform to the
individuals through which they can work towards the betterment of their existing knowledge,
skills and behaviors. In addition to that, the self appraisal of work performance can also aid me
to determine the areas where in there is a scope for improvement. It can further persuade me to
focus upon my work practices in a significant manner in order to raise their standard of
performance within the organization and attain greater leverage within their career field.
Career Progression Plan

Career Progression Plan can be describes as an informative blueprint that assists the individuals
to outline the necessary goals that they would like to incorporate in order to move ahead towards
their dream career (Laguador, Chavez-Prinsipe and De Castro, 2020). The major purpose of
career progression plan is to elevate the skill set of the individuals and make them highly
motivated towards the accomplishment of their future goals and objectives in a responsible
manner. It also allows the same to capitalize upon the appropriate opportunities at the right time
so as to advance their career path and elevate their skills and competencies to a higher degree as
well (Wicaksono, Budiyono and Supriyono, 2020). According to my perspective, it is extremely
necessary for the individuals to incorporate a smart career plan that includes the relevant,
achievable and reliable goals that can allow the individuals to encourage their employability
skills. My career progression plan is mentioned below:-
Objective Significance of the
objective
Plan of Action Time Limit
Acquire knowledge in
field of IT
In the current era,
every business
organization relies
upon IT and technical
skills in order to run
their operations in an
orderly manner. Thus,
it becomes very
important for me to
invest my time into
accelerating my IT
skills and learn new
concepts and amplify
my knowledge in
regard with online and
digital business. It can
further help me to be
highly productive
I will be driving
myself into elevating
my understanding in
regard with the
prevailing
technological
advancements in the
global market.
Also, I would be
taking into
consideration the
utilization of
technology tools and
techniques in order to
become more flexible
with the same.
6 months

while handling
technical software and
other mediums and
achieve my work
targets in a more
effective manner.
Time Management Time management is
an utmost priority
within the business
firms. The
management wants
their workers to
achieve the
organizational goals
within the pre framed
timelines and
showcase high level
of efficiency within
the same as
well(Gregory, 2020).
Hence, it is necessary
for me to enhance my
time management
abilities in a desirable
manner.
In order to increase
my ability to manage
the time in a
productive and
relevant way, I will be
depending upon the
alarms, alerts and a
systemic time table. I
will also be noting my
daily work and time
schedules in a journal
as it will act as a
reminder for me.
3 months
Become an advance
listener
In every business
sector, the
organization looks
forward to employing
individuals that
possesses the
In order to accelerate
my listening skills, I
will be relying upon
listening podcasts
daily.
I will also enroll
4 months

excellent quality to
listen patiently and
exercise their
assertiveness in a
prominent
manner(Pombo and
Gomes, 2020). Thus,
focusing upon
becoming an active
listener will allow me
to become more
patient and also
increase my
concentration power
as well.
myself into advance
listening programs.
Also, I will be taking
help of my teachers
and peers to train
myself in a manner
that I can listen more
effectively and with
elevated focus as well.
Increase my
adaptability to
changes and
uncertainties
The environment of
business industry can
be termed as
immensely uncertain.
Hence, employees and
the staff members are
required to become
highly adaptable to
the changing business
environment and align
them in to any given
circumstance or
situation in a optimum
manner.
In order to increase
my adaptability. I will
be indulging myself
into several
conflicting and
dynamic scenarios
wherein I need to
adjust and mould
myself as per the need
of the hour.
9 months

As per the organizational theory, appropriate training and development should be provided to the
employees in order to assist in their skill development process(Mousa, Massoud and Ayoubi,
2020). I believe that my organization also facilitates me with appropriate training process in a
regular manner. I also intensively focus upon the process of training and development so as to
accelerate my growth as a professional employee and become more skilled and trained within my
field of work. It is immensely important for each and every organization to invest into
conducting training and development programs so as to lead development among their
workforce. This also further helps in performance elevation and productivity of the employees
(Kallarackal and Thomas, 2020).
Skill Audit
Personal Skill Audit can be defined as a process which involves the creation of a blueprint or a
document that lays the criterion for the existing skills of an individual as well as the respective
level to which they possess that particular skill(Yawson, et.al, 2020). The personal skill audit
involves a description of all the skills that an individuals must acquire in order to lead the same
forward towards the optimization of the career goals. My personal skill audit is demonstrated
below :-

Skills Basic Intermediate Advance
Communication 
Critical Thinking 
Decision Making 
Time management 
Flexibility 
Leadership 
IT Skills 
It can be analyzed from the above conducted audit, that I have excellent interaction and
leadership traits. In terms of decision making and leadership, I have scope for betterment and I
shall try my best to qualify the advance level within the same. Also, I must sincerely concentrate
upon the increment of my time management, flexibility and IT skills in consistent manner. The
formulation of the skills audit helped me realize where I stand and what all strategies will I have
to integrate within my daily work routines and personal life in order to facilitate advancement in
my prevailing skills and reach greater heights in the coming future run.
According to the organizational theory, acceleration in the skills is extremely fruitful and serves
as greater advantage to the business organization(Bhuiyan, Baird and Munir, 2020). In my
viewpoint, it can be said that I have been able to increase my skill and competency while
working in the organization. The organization take efforts in the workplace setting to facilitate
process and procedures through which employees can acquire new and advance skills. By doing
the same, the organization not only enhances its overall effectiveness in the employee
performance but also helps the employees to concentrate upon their individual development and
become more open to new opportunities within the business setting(Truax, et.al, 2021).
Self Appraisal& Action Planning
It can be characterized as a form of personal evaluation through which a person can identify his
or her potential strengths and weaknesses as well as also obtain an overview about the ways in

which they can work upon their weaknesses in an emphasized manner (Minott, 2020). My
individual strength and weakness evaluation in respect with the work performance is as follows:-
Strength Weakness
 My communication abilities are very
advanced and effective. I am able to
interact with my peers and colleagues
in an extremely efficient and prominent
manner. Communication is a
component that allows individuals to
accelerate their work performances by
exchanging the information and
regulating the work in an appropriate
and productive manner. I believe that I
am able to express myself in a
confident and relevant manner within
the organizational setting which in turn
assists me to become more self assured
and secured as an employee within the
organizational environment.
 Analytical and decision-making skills
are significant for an individual in order
to lead their careers and work
performance in the right direction. I
exhibit great knowledge within the field
of critical examination and I am able to
analyze complex and conflicting
scenarios in simplified manner which
can be termed as one of my potential
strengths.
 I have noticed that I am an individual
who does not enjoy working under
pressure. My level of performance gets
reduced when I tend to take stress and
anxiety relating to work. Hence, it can
be said that the lack of focus and the
excess of stress as well as tension is
likely to impact upon my work
performance in a considerate manner.
 In addition to that, my tolerance power
is also very less as I tend to lose
patience within various situations in the
workplace. Hi become hyperactive and
impulsive within the point of conflict
which in turn severely affects my
routine work in an adverse manner.
 Moreover, I am also not very good at
managing timetables and time
schedules in an organized approach.
Sometimes, it becomes really difficult
for me to meet up to the work related
deadlines which also results in increase
in the work load.

The organizational theory principles suggests that communication is the driver for effective
business practices as it allows the employees to coordinate and collaborate with each other in a
more proficient manner (Hussain and Mubarak, 2021). According to my perspective, I have
always exercised effective communication practices within the work culture in order to ensure
that work is regulated in an efficient and finest mode.
Also, organizational theory suggest that division of work should be promoted within the
organization setting in order to organize the work in a systemic approach .However, my
workplace does not abide by the principle and provides excessive work to the staff members
which in turn causes severe stress within me. However, I try my best to cope up with the same.
On the basis of above self-appraisalwhich reflects about the instance of evaluating my
own worth, significance, or status along with effective analysis and appraisal of myself which
provides a positive process of self-appraisal an employee self-appraisal form of me consist of the
fact that effective communication is my strength while time management and other managing
skills are my weakness. An appraisal can be made by me about myself that effective
communication leads to many benefits in form of improved interaction and communication level
but lack of time management impacts my efficiency and effectiveness.
The action planning that can be made on the basis of above self-appraisalcomprises of the
fact that some efforts could still me made to improve my time management skills whichconsist
of leadingeffective training about the tools like Ganttchart and time table to become more
discipline and accomplish the task on time (Alt and Raichel, 2020). Beside this, action planning
for having improvement in leadership and management skills are also made whichcomprises of
better understanding about various leadership theory and traits.
Skills Development Record & Work-based Feedback
Following skills development records has been made and prepared by me for having
effective skill development:
Description of the skill used How was it used ? What was the result?

Management skill Use of management skill is
important and vital during a
project as it supports effective
planning and better
accomplishment of set
activities.
The result of making use of
management skill was that all
my project and task are
competed in a successful
manner with effective
planning and management.
Communication skill It is important for completion
of each and every activity
during a project as or is
required tomeet effective
coordination and interaction
at workplace and within other
activities.
The result of effective
communication skills is seen
in form of better
understanding and interaction
level without having any
situation of chaos and
confusion.
Organisation and decision
making skills
Effective organisation and
decision making skills are
required to overcome and
face a challenge and crucial
situation in more effective
way through making suitable
and most appropriate decision
to mitigate and overcome that
challenge (Attard, 2020).
.
The positive result of
organisation and decision
making skills comprises of
better grabbing of opportunity
and effective mitigation of
challenges through suitable
strategy formulation and
decision making as per
prevailing situation.
My work based feedback from my managers and colleagues comprises of the analysis
that I am pretty good at communication but somehow lacks in management on time. It has been
observed that I feel lack of focus and the excess of stress as well as tension under the situation of
pressure that is likely to impact upon my work performance in a considerate manner and leads to
lack of efficiency. Beside this, a work related feedback also comprises of the fact that my
tolerance power is also very less that is also leading negative impact on my performance at

workplace and I tend to lose patience while various situations in the workplace that hampers my
efficiency and workplace performance.
CONCLUSION
From the above assessment, it can be concluded that it is extremely vital to evaluate the work
based performances as t helps the individuals to strive deep within their standard of performance.
It can be sated that work based performance evaluation widen the scope for betterment and
advancement within the current performance of the individual. The reflective journal is a
prominent concept through which essential introspection can be facilitated by the individuals in
respective with their area of work and contribution within their respective organization. Overall,
I would recommend every individual to align their focus towards the appropriate evaluation of
their organizational and work operational preferences in order to derive the outline of their
existing level and aims towards implementing more additions and specifications within the same.
It will further support the individuals to amplify their employability skills and emerge as a
brilliant employee within their career domain.