Self-Improvement: Understanding Self and Others Reflective Journal

This assignment is a reflective journal focusing on understanding self and others, essential for professional development. The student analyzes their skills in public speaking, assertiveness/conflict resolution, team working, and giving/receiving feedback. For each skill, the student identifies strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, providing insights into their current competence, contradictions, and future applications. The journal includes a detailed self-assessment, examining how these skills impact their ability to lead, communicate, and collaborate effectively. The student reflects on how they can develop these skills further to achieve personal and professional goals. The assignment emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and continuous improvement in key areas like communication, conflict management, and teamwork. The student provides a detailed analysis of their abilities and how these skills will help them in the future.

Understanding Self and
Others

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Reflective journal ..................................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Summary and action plan.......................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Understanding self and others can be simply defined as a method of visualising the
specific skills of own - self as well as others that can be used within an enterprise (Wiklund
Gustin and Wagner, 2013). Different skills such as public speaking skill, team working skill,
assertiveness or conflict resolution and giving and receiving feedbacks are addressed in this
project and are required to be improved so that performance of an individual can become better.
TASK 1
Reflective journal
This journal is quite essential as this can be used by students so that they can keep their
personalised records and keep them aware about their strength and weaknesses. By this way,
they can understand their skills and improve themselves by evaluating several aspects. Learners
can attain personal and professional aims in particular time frame by completing their tasks in
very less time interval. Several skills and talents are present in an individual that are utilised by
him for managing and controlling the overall workers within an organisation (Baron-Cohen,
Tager-Flusberg and Lombardo, 2013). Therefore, it is very important to improve the
qualifications and skills in an effective way as this is advantageous for both employees as well as
whole corporation. Thus, I require to evaluate my core skills and knowledge in order to all types
of work can be carried on in an organised way by considering actual facts and figures.
The four attributes that are explored is described below :
1. Public speaking skill
Defining and describing core skills/ attributes that needs to be developed
The core skills that requires to improve is public speaking that is the quality of communicating
with large number of people. This skill is generally present in a leader and helps them
expressing their views in front of huge crowd. Thus, this assists an individual in becoming a
successful leader.
Why is this core skill important ? Why did I choose this skill to reflect on ?
This characteristic is very eminent as being a good leader or team head. I should have capability
of drawing attention of large number of citizens by expressing my opinions in front of them. I
selected this skill to reflect on as if I will not develop my self confidence level then I would not
able to speak a single word among them. Therefore, I have to be full of determination as well as
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confidence so that I effectively present my ideas in front of large number of person. In order to
upgrade the skill of public speaking, I also need to concentrate on words said by others that is I
require to improve my listening attribute. This is because it is proposed by great scholars that a
good listener can be a best speaker.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you access your
competence?
My concentration power is good and due to this I listen ideas of others very carefully as I know
this is very significant because this helps me in acquiring knowledge and those concepts are
used by me at several others works (Sosik and Cameron, 2010). When I listen other's opinion
then I come to know about their issues and on that basis speech would be delivered to them so
that they support me. Apart from this, I am good at writing and speaking. This helps me in
conveying actual information at the time of delivering my speech within a specific period of
time. I access such competencies by doing discussion with my team members and associates
and focusing on their ideas, reading newspapers, etc.
Can you identify contradiction from your analysis above?
I have lack of self- confidence and due to this I hesitate while expressing my views in front of
others. I am also not having good writing skill, this is the reason that I can't write impressive
contents in very less time. In turn, I am not able to draw attention of such a large crowd.
How this skill will help me in the future?
This is very essential attribute that helps me at giving presentation among my superiors. This
also assist me in becoming a good team head and I can encourage others to achieve aims and
objectives of corporation.
2. Assertiveness/ conflict resolution
What is the core skill to develop ?
I need to focus on developing skills of assertive communication and conflict resolution.
Assertiveness is nothing but simply refers to standing up for something which we want (van
Dijk and et. al., 2011). So, in this regard, I need to clearly state all mine needs. On the other
hand, the process of reducing conflictual situations that is created due to misunderstanding
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among individuals is known as conflict resolution.
Why is this core skill important ? Why did I select this skill to reflect on ?
This characteristic is very important as this supports me in stating my opinions clearly by giving
respects to perspectives of others as well. This also aids me in eliminating the reasons of
conflicts so that tasks can be accomplished efficiently without facing any kind of threats. I have
selected this skill for reflection because I feel various conflictual situations at my working
location (Serrat, 2017). I find out that there is a large gap between higher and lower level of
personnels and due to this different issues are emerging that affects adversely on working of my
organisation. Thus, it is necessary to remove all those problems in effective way as soon as
possible so that goals can be achieved properly.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you access your
competence ?
I can listen conversation of both the parties very carefully and after that any conclusion is made
by me. I also have good negotiation skills via which I can effectively negotiate with workers
and create a win – win kind of condition for both sides (Salvatore and et. al., 2012). Thus, it can
be said that I can reduce reasons of disputes in an effectual way. I access this competence by
solving personal issues of my friends.
Can you identify contradiction from your analysis above?
I have a dominating behaviour and because of this I generally do not value views of others or
even under estimate them. I usually think that I am the only one who take right decisions. I need
to remove this kind of attitude from me so that I can focus on other's issues and concepts.
How might this skill help me in the future?
This is my dream to become a good team leader. Thus, assertiveness is very important for me as
this helps in representing my views clearly among others and take a stand for own self. In
addition to this, skill of resolving conflicts supports me while removing all the conflictual
situations and matters of disputes in proper manner.
3. Team working skill
What is the core skill to develop?
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I require to improve the quality of working as a team. This assists me in developing a positive
connection with my associates. Because of this reason, targets and objectives of an enterprise
can be attained within a specific time by taking help of our colleagues.
Why this core skill is important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on?
This core characteristic is very essential for each individual as well as whole company. In every
enterprise, work is done by forming different teams as working within team is very beneficial
(Rochat, 2014). Here more than one worker contributes in a mutual goal and aids one another in
accomplishing the tasks. I selected this skill for reflection as all of us need help or support of
any other person when we face any difficulty. So, team work is good for these all reasons.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you access your
competence?
It is my habit to do any task within a team since my college time as faculties were used to give
me assignments and projects that I have to complete by working within a team. So, I can learn
this skill very easily and immediately (Gonzales, and Hancock, 2011). Additionally, I can also
develop a trustworthy relationship with my associates as I am having a simple and decent
personality.
Can you identify contradiction from your above analysis ?
As I am of a simple and clear behaviour, I am not able to determine any dirty politics which is
would be played against me by any of my colleague. In addition to this, I also have a
dominating nature which affects negatively on my work. So, these all contradictions needs to be
removed from me so that I can achieve my goals effectively.
How might this skill help me in the future?
The capability of working within a team also helps in future as my aim is to be a successful
leader. For attaining this, I need to learn good coordination and cooperation skills so that I help
my team members in doing their jobs.
4. Receiving and giving feedbacks
What is the core skill to develop ?
The core skill on which I should focus is giving and taking feedbacks from other person. It is
very essential to take feedbacks or views of others in my any kind of work as this aids in
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evaluating and exploring those regions which is not covered by me. In addition to this, it is also
good to give some one feed back so that they also understand their faults and remove those
efficiently.
Why is this core skill important ? Why did I select this skill to reflect on ?
This characteristic is necessary as this helps in performing my task as per the opinions or
demand of others. For example, if I am going to manufacture any new product in my firm, it is
better to know about taste and preferences of customers. By this way, a best product would be
developed after taking feedbacks from citizens. I chosen this skill to reflect as imposition of any
decisions on others by me increases the chances of refusing. Thus, it is better to collect opinions
from others so that decisions are made in accordance with them and no conflicts will raise.
Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you access your
competence ?
I believe in mutual profitability and hence my objective is to give benefits to all person from my
job. Before taking any decision, I consider needs or demands of every one (Cozolino, 2014).
Apart from this, I have a friendly nature and in turn this aids in taking ideas from my associates
as well as supervisors very easily.
Can you identify contradiction from your above analysis above?
There is a contradiction of this skill as the task of creating any decision after collecting ideas
from huge clients as well as subordinates is very complex. One is making conclusion gets
totally confused and not be able to decide any thing. This is also time consuming. And I have
lack of patience so I cannot wait for a long period of time and take ideas from each person.
Thus, it act as a contradiction in context of the above skill.
How might this skill help me in the future?
This is important to take or give feedbacks to others. This will be helpful for me in future as
well as after being a team head, it will be my responsibility to take care of all the needs and
necessity of my team members (Deci and Ryan, 2010). So, I need to take their views before
making strategy or policy. Apart from this, I can also provide suggestion to my challengers
regarding their schemes. This develops a good impression of mine in front of them.
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TASK 2
Summary and action plan
In order to enhance my skills and knowledge, I need to explore all the existed
opportunities that would be beneficial for me so that I can hold a good position in marketing
place. This reflective journals assists me in measuring attributes present in me through which I
can attain all aims and objectives from a appropriate and well organised planning. Besides this, I
can also determine my strength as well as weaknesses. Strength supports me in giving good
performances while weaknesses act as hindrances and limits me during accomplishing my duties.
Some of the weak factors and capability of mine is discussed below :
Strength : From the above based journals, I analysed various strengths present in me.
The first one is my speaking power which is so good. I can speak fluently among large number
of employees within my corporation. This would support me a lot in future as I desire to be a
team head. Thus, it is very essential for me to speak and represent my conceptualization and
ideas in front of vast crowd and seek their attention. Apart from this, my team working skill is
also is too impressive as I give my best in attaining common goals and objectives. I also help my
team members in completing their task. Trust is very necessary factor in doing any task within a
team and I know better to develop trustfulness within my team associates. Thus, this is also
considers as a strength of mine. In addition to this, I am also good in resolving conflicts as I have
assertiveness skill which helps me in taking stand for myself as well as listening to others by
respecting their ideas.
Weaknesses : Every people have some weak points, I also have and realised this by
evaluating my skills. I noticed that I am not capable of dealing with persons who have different
behaviours and nature. Due to this reason, the performances of team get lower as disputes
emerges at working location (Baron-Cohen, Tager-Flusberg and Lombardo, 2013). I also
consist of a dominating nature and this is why I do not give so much importance to opinions of
others. These act as hindrances and deviates me from my right path. By analysing strength and
weaknesses of mine, I come at the conclusion that I require to improve some skills so that
personal as well as professional development can be done which is listed below :
Motivation : I need to motivate myself for performing all kind of tasks so that I do not
require help from others. In addition to this, this also stops feeling of being helpless and supports
me while I am loosing hope of doing something difficult job (Baumeister, 2013). This
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encouragement can be achieved from any person such as friends, family members, colleagues,
etc.
Improvement in interpersonal skills : Such type of skills are used by us in our day to
day life. These are listening skills, assertiveness, negotiation, risk handling, problem solving,
communication, etc. All of these should be improved effectively as this supports me while
achieving our goals.
Change in behaviour : As I have a bad nature of dominating others, this adversely
affects on my career. My dream is to be a good leader and for this I have to respect ideas of other
people and listening to them carefully so that I can gain supports of them. So, I have to change
this nature and maintain politeness in voice too.
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REFERENCES
Books & journals
Baron-Cohen, S., Tager-Flusberg, H. and Lombardo, M. eds., 2013. Understanding other minds:
Perspectives from developmental social neuroscience. Oxford University Press.
Baumeister, R. F. ed., 2013. Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard. Springer Science &
Business Media.
Cozolino, L., 2014. The neuroscience of human relationships: Attachment and the developing
social brain (Norton series on interpersonal neurobiology). WW Norton & Company.
Deci, E. L. and Ryan, R. M., 2010. Self‐determination. John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
Gonzales, A. L. and Hancock, J. T., 2011. Mirror, mirror on my Facebook wall: Effects of
exposure to Facebook on self-esteem. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social
Networking. 14(1-2). pp.79-83.
Rochat, P., 2014. Early social cognition: Understanding others in the first months of life.
Psychology Press.
Salvatore, G. and et. al., 2012. Vulnerable self, poor understanding of others' minds, threat
anticipation and cognitive biases as triggers for delusional experience in schizophrenia:
a theoretical model. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. 19(3). pp.247-259.
Serrat, O., 2017. Understanding and developing emotional intelligence. In Knowledge
Solutions (pp. 329-339). Springer Singapore.
Sosik, J. J. and Cameron, J. C., 2010. Character and authentic transformational leadership
behavior: Expanding the ascetic self toward others. Consulting Psychology Journal:
Practice and Research. 62(4). p.251.
van Dijk, W. W. and et. al., 2011. Towards understanding pleasure at the misfortunes of others:
The impact of self-evaluation threat on schadenfreude. Cognition and Emotion. 25(2).
pp.360-368.
Wiklund Gustin, L. and Wagner, L., 2013. The butterfly effect of caring–clinical nursing
teachers’ understanding of self‐compassion as a source to compassionate
care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. 27(1). pp.175-183.
Online
Public Speaking Skills List and Examples. 2017. [Online]. Available through :
<https://www.thebalance.com/public-speaking-skills-with-examples-2059697>.
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