Self-Managed Learning and Personal Development: A Report

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PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Contents
LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................................4
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 5
LO1.................................................................................................................................................6
1.1.............................................................................................................................................. 6
1.2.............................................................................................................................................. 8
1.3.............................................................................................................................................. 9
LO2............................................................................................................................................... 10
2.1............................................................................................................................................ 10
2.2............................................................................................................................................ 12
2.3............................................................................................................................................ 13
2.4............................................................................................................................................ 14
LO3............................................................................................................................................... 16
3.1............................................................................................................................................ 16
3.2............................................................................................................................................ 17
3.3............................................................................................................................................ 19
3.4............................................................................................................................................ 20
LO4............................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1............................................................................................................................................ 22
4.2............................................................................................................................................ 23
4.3............................................................................................................................................ 24
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................... 26
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................27
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Kolb's Learning Cycle.......................................................................................................6
Figure 2: Pareto's Principle.......................................................................................................... 23
Figure 3: Bucket of Rocks Theory.................................................................................................23
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INTRODUCTION
Self-managed learning is being one of the most frequently adopted concepts through which the
individuals can manage their own learning process. It has been said that through self-managed
learning, individuals can enhance the process of lifelong development (Cunningham and
Bennett, 2017). The report would assist in developing an understanding of self-managed
learning and how it leads to the personal as well as professional development of an individual.
The report would also cover the preparation of a development plan and would establish the
gained skills through the development plan.
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LO1
1.1
Self-managed learning allows individuals to take initiative to manage their own learning so that
they can lead to their own development. National Trust can undertake the various approaches
to self-managed learning so that it can motivate its employees for self-development
(Cunningham, 2017). Though there are numerous approaches that can assist in self-
development of employees of National Trust but to increase efficiency in providing the visitor's
services, the following approaches can be undertaken:
 Kolb’s Learning Cycle
This learning cycle is based on the experiences gained by the individual that leads to
their leaning. It has been divided into four major steps being the following:
 Concrete Experience
In this step, a new experience is gained by the individual or he interprets the already
gained experiences (Smith, 2016). This is done by employees through dealing with
the visitors and gaining experiences from the same.
 Reflective observation
Through this step, the individual reasons the experience gained by him. This would
allow the employees of National Trust in reviewing the experience that they gained
and observe what learning can be gained from the particular experience gained.
 Abstract conceptualization
This step deals with the generation of a concept from the gained experience
(Wallace, 2019). Through this step, the employees of National Trust would be
conceptualizing the learning and interpreting it for making a generalized theory or
idea.
 Active experimentation
This step allows the individual in applying the idea or results in real life. The
employees of National Trust would be applying their developed theories and ideas
on their functioning which would lead them to gain new experience.
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Figure 1: Kolb's Learning Cycle
[Source: Wallace, 2019]
 Reflexive Modernization Theory
This is a concept through which National Trust can modernize the approaches used by
its employees for dealing with the visitors. This theory would allow National Trust in
taking consideration of the changes that have been happening in its environment based
on modernity's ideas (Lumsden, 2019). This would allow National Trust in developing its
employees based upon the requirements of the modern society and transforming the
methods of working through which the employees can also develop themselves
according to the change in the society.
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1.2
It is essential for National Trust to encourage self-managed learning so that it can motivate its
employees to lead towards lifelong development. The organization can assist the employees in
linking their higher education with the current acceptability of the hospitality industry (Graves,
2018). It would assist National Trust’s employees in using their theoretical knowledge gained in
education to be implied upon the practical approaches to deal with visitors. Self-managed
learning can lead the employees in meeting their personal as well as professional objectives
through managing their own learning process.
National Trust can also motivate the employees to initiate lifelong learning through conducting
seminars and conferences wherein the employees can be made understood of how the self-
learning process works and can highlight the benefit it holds for the employees (Martin, 2019).
Through conducting seminars and conferences regarding the self-managed learning and its
assistance in lifelong learning of employees, National Trust would be able to provide
opportunity to its employees so that they can understand innovative ways of increasing the
efficiency of the services provided to the visitors and adopt practices through which they can
lead to their own development as well as benefit the operations of the organization.
National Trust can also encourage lifelong learning to its employees by initiating a working
environment wherein the employees can perform activities through which they can initiate
their development and instead of training them over practical knowledge, they can be provided
with a platform to take their own decisions and lead to their own development (Cunningham
and Dawes, 2016). This would not only allow the employees in identifying the required skills
and knowledge but allow them to put efforts into gaining them and apply the gained knowledge
and skills to provide efficient services to the visitors.
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1.3
There are various ways through which the self-managed learning holds benefits for the
employees of National Trust as individuals and towards the organization as well. Through self-
managed learning, individuals are able to develop enterprise into a specific area by working
over the problems faced by them and working to increase the efficiency for the same (Bennett,
2017). Self-managed learning would also allow the employees of National Trust in dealing with
the uncertain situations faced while dealing with the visitors and grab opportunities to apply
their own ideas and knowledge to deal with it.
Self-managed learning would also benefit National Trust by motivating its employees and
increasing its productivity in providing visitors services. Increase in the confidence level of
employees through self-managed learning would allow National Trust in meeting the
challenging environment faced while dealing with the visitors (Bennett, 2017). Self-managed
learning would also assist National Trust in gaining new ideas through which the efficiency can
be gained from providing visiting services to the visitors.
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LO2
2.1
It is required for me to understand my own skills and competencies so that I can identify my
standing in the market and can know of the development area. Through recognizing the skills of
own, I can compare myself to the professional standards required into the industry I work in
and identify the areas in which I am required to develop my skills and competencies (DiPaola
and Wagner, 2018). In the following table is the representation of currents skills held by me
against the professional standards of the tourism industry:
Skills and Competencies Professional Standards of the Tourism Industry Current Rating
Communication Skills Communication skills are required in the tourism
industry so that customers can be reached and
attracted to the tourism services provided by
organizations.
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Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal skills are required in the tourism
industry to deal be the customers in an
appropriate manner and to provide them with
what is needed while providing higher
satisfaction.
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Problem Solving Skills Problem-solving skills are required in the tourism
industry to deal with an uncertain situation so
that the experience of the customer is not
affected due to the problem and the problem is
resolved as well.
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Flexibility Flexibility is one of the most essential skills in the
tourism industry which would allow the
organizations in changing their practices in
accordance with the changes in the industry so
that they can sustain in the changing
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environment.
Commercial Awareness Commercial awareness would allow the
organization to staying updated with the recent
happening in the environment so that it can
relate to the recent developments and utilize it
in enhancing the efficiency of its processes.
05
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2.2
Through understanding the competencies required in the tourism industry, there are various
areas for development that have been identified for me. I am required to work extensively
upon its flexibility and commercial awareness skills (Bolton and Delderfield, 2018). Flexibility
can be increased in me by increasing my motivation to use creative measures to deal with the
visitors and allowing myself to make use of my emotional intelligence to deal with difficult
situations. Flexibility can also be increased in me by taking different challenges in the
organization and shift my work and allow myself for the exposure of different roles performed
in the organization.
Developing the skill of commercial awareness is also required by me so that my efficiency in
dealing with visitors can be increased. It can be done by me through undertaking activities for
being updates regarding the recent changes in the tourism industry and understand its impact
over the habits of their visitors (Choy and Chua, 2019). Commercial awareness would allow me
in providing relevant information to their visitors so that their experience can be enhanced.
Through commercial awareness, I can also identify the areas which would be affecting the
financial performance of the firm and thus would prepare my team accordingly.
Communication and interpersonal skills are also a major requirement of the tourism industry
and I am required to inherit these skills so that I can efficiently develop the business for
organization and lead to a relishing experience of the visitors (Zepeda, 2013). Activities like
active listening and focusing on body languages can also enhance my communication skills.
Interpersonal skills can be enhanced by me by encouraging teamwork and leadership activities
to motivate the employees and increase their efficiency. For the task of leading employees in
National Trust, developing proficient communication and interpersonal skills are majorly
required by me.
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