Reflective Personal Development Report and Action Plan, Skills Focus

This report is a comprehensive reflection on personal and professional development, incorporating self-assessment and action planning. The student analyzes their core skills, including public speaking, time management, and conflict resolution, utilizing reflective journals and pro forma exerci...Read More

Reflective Personal
Development Report and
Action Plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Introduction along with brief evaluation related to psychological approaches to understanding
self as well as others in workplace.........................................................................................1
3 X Reflective Journals including 3 core skills .....................................................................2
Summary Action Plan.............................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Personal development is characterised as conscious persuit of individual development and
growth via expanding self awareness, abilities, potentials addition to improving own skills (Bens,
2017). Similarly, action plan refers to detailed proposed strategy or plan which outlines powerful
and strong actions to reach objectives. The present assessment is based on reflective report that
includes an introduction together with evaluation of approaches which are used in improving
understanding self addition to others at organisation. Further, it includes reflective journal of
three core skills in a Pro Forma and at last, action plan is prepared on the 3 development areas.
MAIN BODY
Introduction along with brief evaluation related to psychological approaches to understanding
self as well as others in workplace
Psychological approaches are defined as the viewpoints that emphasis towards distinct
factors in elaborating minds together with behaviours. Different people have different behaviours
in context to unconscious drives addition to dynamics concerned with Id, Ego as well as
Superego. There are various psychological perspectives which influence an individual to
understand self together with others while working in same organisation. Psychological approach
develops interest among people to learn about dynamic relations along conscious to that of
unconscious motivation and underlying conflicts on which organisational people have limited
awareness (Dawson and Guare, 2018). One of the psychological perspectives that help in
understanding about self within the workplace is psychodynamic approach that emphasises role
played by unconscious mind, interpersonal relationships and experiences for illustrating human
behaviour to treat others. The approach helps a person to understand that the main working is
done by brain to control and conclude how to make senses of experiences and relationships to
see the world. This approach has advantage that it list outs three key elements that assist people
to learn about themselves. The elements are id, ego ad superego. Id is termed to the psyche
which involves primal addition to unconscious desires of an individual. The next is ego that
makes people learn to deal with internal demands within the external world. The last element is
superego that develops as well as is tasked to handle all internalised ideals and morals. Within
the workplace, a person goes through with various situations and its their Psychology that help
them to make situations favourable for them through learning about self needs and impacts of
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situations in own. The approach benefits through focusing on effects of external experiences on
own personality and takes nature along with nurture into consideration while understanding self
at the time working in company. However, Psychological approach has some limitations also
that is it is deterministic on nature that states that understanding self behaviour is predetermines
as well an individual do not have full control in doing so.
The psychological approach that is used in understanding others at place of work is
cognitive approach that helps a person to understand the way other processes information or
inputs and responds to processed outputs within work location (Dicken and van Graan, 2016).
With this approach, an individual learns about visual perceptions of their peers or other group
members about some situation. It also reflects on others thinking abilities, making decisions and
solving problems. The approach is used in companies to conceptualise the ways in which team
members acquires, processes, stores along with uses information. The benefits of using cognitive
approach is that it provides fair results about the way other people acquires, stores and utilises
information in different workings. Along with this, it has essential advantage of practical
addition to useful application that helps in understanding about others about their way of
acquiring information and executing them in achieve objectives. In contrary, its disadvantage is
that it limits ability to analyse supposed causes of behaviours of others and ignores various
factors that influences others workings.
3 X Reflective Journals including 3 core skills s
My identified four skills or attributes are time management skills, public speaking skills,
assertiveness or conflict resolution and written communication. Among the four, the three skills
and reflective journal Pro Forma are as below:
Skill 1: Public Speaking
Reflective Journal entry pro Forma for the team working skill is below:
What is the core skill?
In this pro forma, I am focusing on my core skill that is Public speaking. Public speaking skill is
defined as the abilities to express thought or views in front of large population (Farrell, 2015).
Whether it is about communicating with group of people with whom an individual is already
familiar or the group which is completely strange, expressing thoughts or sharing information in
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business or academic life in clear and proper manner is done through public speaking skill.
Why is the skill important?
According to me, public speaking skill is useful for someone to have as this builds confidence
within them and also help them in communicating with all types of people whether known or
unknown. With this skill, an individual can make presentations and engage with audiences that
improve their way of interactions and may more.
It is important for me to being aware about my public speaking skill as this will assist me in the
path to deal with my fears in engaging with others. As per my thoughts, I feel public speaking
skill is important for my personal development as it will me in avoiding career risks, make me
more promotable and reflect my confidence. In my professional development, the skill is
important as it will differentiate me in group of individuals within workplace and increase
knowledge about subject matters (Importance of developing public speaking skill. 2020).
How Competent I am Currently?
I have strong public speaking skill as I easily communicate with other people while sharing
thoughts or viewpoints related to some subject matter or other topic. I am able to address
audiences in the manner they want and this made my public speaking skills more competition in
the competition scenario. Along with this, past academic reports and appraisal data provided me
the evidence that I am competent in public speaking skill. In one of the test that test of
16persoanlities.com, I scored high ranks in advocacy and in reports, I gained A grades and in the
appraisal data, I collected more than 50 points which reflected my public speaking skills more
than the desired level. I believe that I am more potential in open speaking and the same results in
achieve in thoughts and results from others that build my motivation to huge extent.
Identification of Contradiction and weakness from analysis?
From the tests, feedbacks, reports and data, I analysed some contradictions between where I see
myself and the ways others see me. Moreover, I also believe that the results from the tool kits are
accurate as they as done by superiors who have huge knowledge how to judge me and my skills.
My allowable weakness or the area of the skill in which I am not that strong is speaking with
external people that might impact on my abilities to perform presentations for external delegates.
How Public speaking skill help me in future?
Public speaking skill is relevant in my future career as it will motivate me to speak and present
my thoughts before an audience, listening along with evaluating other speakers, writing and
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structure various speeches and many more. Moreover, in my work career, public speaking skill
will help me in making relations with top managers and external delegates.
Skill 2: Time Management
Reflective Journal entry pro Forma for time management skill is underneath:
What is the core skill?
Main focus of mine in the pro forma is on time management skill that is one of my core skills.
Time management skill is defined as the potential to spend time in different activities. teh skill
that helps in managing time in well manner through prioritising activities is termed as time
management skill (Gould and Taylor, 2017).
Why is time management skill important?
According to me, Time management skill is useful for someone to have as it assist in focusing
towards all activities in achieving great heights. It is significant to be aware about time
management skill as it helps in completing workings prior to deadlines and organising entire day
to deliver best in every moment. In personal life, time management skill is important for me with
the help of the skill, I am able to manage decisions of accurate duration and achieving huge
success in my career. In case with professional development, time management skill benefits in
reducing stress, feeling accomplished, doing huge work in less or limited time (Kashyap, 2019 ).
How Competent I am at this time
In managing my time, I think I lack at some level as I am unable to prioritise my workings in
diverse number of activities. Moreover, I also analysed that I have high level of time
management skill that I noticed from taking part in various tool kits or tests. In one of the test
that is Test of Thomas, I scored high in avoiding things that are not necessary and are
unproductive to manage time in other activities that are results in huge profits. Addition to this,
as per the feedbacks from peers and senior management, I analysed that I am committed towards
meeting deadlines. I believed that I am potential to manage time while working on various
projects but as compared with findings and initial thoughts of mine, I restrict at various level that
hampers my time management skills.
Identification of Contradictions and weakness from analysis?
As per the collected reviews and feedbacks from peers and results for tests, I identified my
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contradiction in failures in making or allotting time for uncertain activities. in time management
skill, I am not strong in scheduling workings of others for specific projects that is also affecting
my abilities in working with large teams. I also think that the results from toolkits and tests used
by me are reliable as they provides accurate results.
How time management skill will help me in future?
Time management skill is widely relevant in my upcoming career as with this, I can focus to the
ways to schedule workings in large projects and completing activities before deadlines. Time
management skill is used in real practice as all workings needs the skills for accomplishing
desired state or outcomes.
Skill 3: Conflict resolution skill
Reflective Journal entry of pro Forma for Conflict resolution skill is as follows:
What is core skill?
The Pro Forma is based on my conflict resolution skill that is described as competence or
abilities to facilitate peaceful ending of grievances, retribution of conflicts among people. It
enables me to successfully resolve any type of conflict infront of me among population (Husebø,
O'Regan and Nestel, 2015).
Why is the skill important?
Conflicts are common in nature as they can arise anywhere and anytime due to disagreement of
people for thoughts or other aspects. It is useful for an individual to have conflict resolution skill
so that they can minimise distractions of other people, save time and relationships. According to
me, development of the skill is important for my personal and professional career as it benefit me
in building relations, leading tasks towards goal achievement, generating new insights and
reduces disruptions (Johns, 2017).
How capable I am at present?
In present timings, I am competent in resolving conflicts that arises around me. I solved various
conflict situations while I was in school, university and in office. Moreover, to analyse my
capability of conflict management, I took part on various tests that are Test of Thomas wherein I
score high in compromising. The other test was test of Johary Window in which I received
favourable feedbacks from colleagues that are I am mature, helpful and have understanding
powers of situations. I believed that I have moderate conflict resolution skills as I only resolves
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the conflicts about which I have complete information. However, the feedbacks and initial
thoughts about it are not same.
Identification of Contradictions and weakness from analysis?
From the results, I identified that I lack in resolving tough situations and the conflicts about
which I do not have any information. When I lack in resolving conflicts then various threats are
faced by me which affects mu performing potentials. Moreover, I think that the tests and toolkits
used by me are not reliable as they gives false results. This I analyse through taking two similar
tests and giving different answers despite getting good grades.
How Conflict resolution skills will assist me in future?
In my career or future studies, conflict resolution skills will assist me in entire stages of success.
Positive conflict resolution will result in making healthy relation s, engaging others, building
stronger teams and achieving desired state (Linehan, 2014). The skill will motivate me in pursing
studies along with managing mu workings in an organisation in effective manner.
Summary Action Plan
Action plan is termed as the proposed actions that are required to reach objectives. An
individual sets action plan for improving competencies and developing skills in which they lacks
(McNiff, 2016). From the reflective journal entries, I analysed my strengths and weaknesses in
different skills. However, in present era, the competence level of skills in high in the field of
business and this influenced me to develop an action plan for developing personal attributes and
skills. My action plan for different skills is as follows:
Identified
personal
development
area
Reason for skill
development
Action Duration Evaluation
of desired
result
To improve
public
speaking skills
Improvement in
public speaking
skill is important
for me as to work
in corporate sector
where I have to
make presentations
For improving public
speaking skills, I will first
understand my audience
and organise materials to
attain the purposes.
Moreover, I will also
observe feedbacks that are
2 Years I will evaluate
my
effectiveness
through
taking
reviews from
top managers
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in from of large
population and
addressing
concerns of wider
managers.
gained b others through
interacting with public
and delivering
information. Further, I
will participate in
discussion and speeches
with other people. I will
also focus on using
effective language and
accurate words that other
understand effectively
without any hurdles and
read more novels,
newspapers and journals.
and
reflections on
practices
made by
professional
experts.
To improve
conflict
resolution skill
For me, improving
conflict resolution
attribute is import
as to maintain
harmony in my
corporate life and
influence people to
corporate with
others.
To improve my conflict
resolution skill, I will
facilitate communication,
practice active listening,
include group
collaboration, create
emotionally centred
scenarios, stay calm as
well as practice to manage
emotions.
1 year To evaluate
my
effectiveness,
I will discuss
with my
superior and
other peer
members.
Moreover, I
will self
observe my
effectiveness.
To improve
time
management
skill
Time management
skill is important to
improve so that I
can emphasis on
wide activities in
For the purpose of
improving time
management skills, I will
initiate task delegation,
prioritising work,
1.5 years I will evaluate
my
effectiveness
in achieving
skill through
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limited time. schedule activities with
discussion with
supervisors, overcome
procrastination, avoid
multitasking, take regular
breaks and utilise my
downtime,
seeking
suitable
feedback
from
administrators
and observe
own results.
CONCLUSION
From above discussion, it has been concluded that personal development is written in
effective manner in the report and that is termed as personal development report. Psychological
approaches assist people to study underlying human behaviours, emotions and they ways they
related with others or own experiences. Reflective journal entries include detailed information
about core skills and their relevance in individual life. To develop skills, action plan is designed
so that desired outcomes are gained within stipulated duration.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bens, I., 2017. Facilitating with Ease!: core skills for facilitators, team leaders and members,
managers, consultants, and trainers. John Wiley & Sons.
Dawson, P. and Guare, R., 2018. Executive skills in children and adolescents: A practical guide
to assessment and intervention. Guilford Publications.
Dicken, C. and van Graan, D., 2016. Reflective practice skills. Skills for social work practice,
pp.142-161.
Farrell, T. S., 2015. Reflective language teaching: From research to practice. Bloomsbury
Publishing.
Gould, N. and Taylor, I., 2017. Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Husebø, S. E., O'Regan, S. and Nestel, D., 2015. Reflective practice and its role in simulation.
Clinical Simulation in Nursing. 11(8). pp.368-375.
Johns, C. ed., 2017. Becoming a reflective practitioner. John Wiley & Sons.
Linehan, M., 2014. DBT? Skills training manual. Guilford Publications.
McNiff, J., 2016. You and your action research project. Routledge.
Munawar, M., 2015. Improving Speaking Skills through the Learning Community Technique.
English Education Journal. 6(4). pp.484-496.
Rivers, W. M., 2018. Teaching Foreign Language Skills Rev Ed. University of Chicago Press.
Webb, A. and McOuaid, R., 2018. Utilising Skills Demand Opportunities to Overcome.
Developing Skills in a Changing World of Work: Concepts, Measurement and Data Applied
in Regional and Local Labour Market Monitoring Across Europe, p.241.
Online:
Importance of developing public speaking skill. 2020. [Online]. Available through: <
https://squirrelers.com/6-reasons-why-public-speaking-skills-are-important-to-career-and-
finances/>
Kashyap, P., 2019. Importance of improving time management skills. [Online]. Available
through: <https://blog.proofhub.com/the-importance-of-improving-your-time-management-
skills-a3adaa149b2>
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