Summer 2018: Professional Skills Portfolio (PRSK4048) Submission

This Professional Skills Portfolio (PRSK4048) from Summer 2018 showcases a student's understanding and application of key professional skills. The portfolio includes evidence related to teamwork, professional ethics, and project management, demonstrated through Belbin's team role assessment and practical examples. The student reflects on their team role preferences, selection criteria for team members, and strategies for fostering creativity within a team. It also contains written tasks analyzing professional skills in action and personal strengths in relation to the professional environment. The student emphasizes the importance of rules and effective resource utilization in teamwork.

Summer 18
Professional Skills Portfolio (PRSK4048)
Student Name: Student Number:
Lecturer Name:
Tutor Name:
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Thursday, 23rd August 2018, by 2pm
Presentation Group Members (GM):
GM1 GM2
GM3 GM4
GM5 GM6
This is your Professional Skills Portfolio. Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by
saving it on your computer / in the cloud (e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself). You will receive a printed
copy which you should bring to all lectures and tutorials. However, at the end of the course, you need to
submit a completed electronic copy via Turnitin. Please refer to suggested word counts for each task included
within this portfolio.
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Assessed Learning Outcomes:
1. Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business
environment.
2. Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.
3. To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and
academically.
4. Understand, improve and reflect upon their own personal strengths in relation to the
professional environment.

Table of Contents Page Learning outcomes
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence
(These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in Section 2.
Suggested word counts are included in brackets.)
Teamwork (400 words) 3 LO2, LO3
Professional Ethics (600 words) 7 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Project Management (600 words) 9 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Section 2: Written Tasks
(These tasks should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 9-11.)
Task 1: Professional Skills In Action (800 words) 11 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Task 2: Your Professional Skills (800 words) 12 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Total Word Count: 1,600 (Portfolio Evidence) + 1,600 (Written Tasks) = 3,200 words (+/- 10%)
All tasks must be completed individually, except for the ‘Code of Conduct’ (Part 1 of the
Professional Ethics) and the ‘Gantt Chart’ (Part 1 of the Project Management) which should be
completed in collaboration with your group members.
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence
Portfolio Evidence 1 Teamwork [weeks 1 and 2]
This task consists of three parts:
1. Belbin Questionnaire
2. Scoring Key for Self-Perception Inventory
3. Discussion (400 words)
Belbin Questionnaire
Belbin (1996) outlines the different type of roles people may have within a team. Complete the
following questionnaire to identify your main role(s). To complete the questionnaire:
1. Tick in the far left hand columns the one, two or three sentences most applicable to yourself.
2. Then in each section A-G in the column on the right, share 10 points between those sentences that
apply to you: one of which you feel sums you up well while the other only applies some of the time,
e.g. You could give your first choice seven points and three points to your second choice. In some
instances you might decide that there are two sentences which apply to you equally – if this is the
case, award five points to each.
SECTION A
Tick When involved in a project with other people: Points
1. I can be relied upon to see that work that needs to be done is organised.
2. I pick up slips and omissions that others fail to notice.
3. I react strongly when meetings look like losing track of the main
objective.
4. I produce original suggestions. 2
5. I analyse other people’s ideas objectively, for both merits and failings.
6. I am keen to find out the latest ideas and developments. 3
7. I have an aptitude for organising people.
8. I am always ready to support good suggestions that help to resolve a
problem.
5
SECTION B
Tick In seeking satisfaction through my work: Points
1. I like to have a strong influence on decisions. 5
2. I feel in my element where work requires a high degree of attention and
concentration.
3. I am concerned to help colleagues with their problems.
4. I like to make critical discrimination between alternatives.
5. I tend to have a creative approach to problem solving.
6. I enjoy reconciling different points of view.
7. I am more interested in practicalities than new ideas.
8. I particularly enjoy exploring different views and techniques. 5
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SECTION C
Tick When the team is trying to solve a particularly complex problem: Points
1. I keep a watching eye on areas where difficulty may arise. 5
2. I explore ideas that may have a wider application than in the immediate
task.
3. I like to weigh up and evaluate a range of suggestions thoroughly before
choosing.
2
4. I can co-ordinate and use productively other people’s abilities and
talents.
5. I maintain a steady systematic approach, whatever the pressures.
6. I often produce a new approach to a long continuing problem.
7. I am ready to make my personal views known in a forceful way if
necessary.
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8. I am ready to help whenever I can.
SECTION D
Tick In carrying out my day-to-day work: Points
1. I am keen to see there is nothing vague about my task and objectives.
2. I am not reluctant to emphasise my own point of view in meetings.
3. I can work with all sorts of people provided that they have got
something worthwhile to contribute.
4. I make a point of following up interesting ideas and/or people. 10
5. I can usually find the argument to refute unsound propositions.
6. I tend to see patterns where others would see items as unconnected.
7. Being busy gives me real satisfaction.
8. I have a quiet interest in getting to know people better.
SECTION E
Tick If I am suddenly given a difficult task with limited time and unfamiliar
people:
Points
1. I often find my imagination frustrated by working in a group. 6
2. I find my personal skill particularly appropriate in achieving agreement. 2
3. My feelings seldom interfere with my judgment.
4. I strive to build up an effective structure.
5. I can work with people who vary widely in their personal qualities and
outlook.
6. I feel it is sometimes worth incurring some temporary unpopularity if
one is to succeed in getting one’s views across in a group.
7. I usually know someone whose specialist knowledge is particularly apt.
8. I seem to develop a natural sense of urgency. 1
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SECTION F
Tick When suddenly asked to consider a new project: Points
1. I start to look around for possible ideas and openings.
2. I am concerned to finish and perfect current work before I start. 5
3. I approach the problem in a carefully analytical way.
4. I am able to assert myself to get other people involved if necessary.
5. I am able to take an independent and innovative look at most situations.
6. I am happy to take the lead when action is required.
7. I can respond positively to my colleagues and their initiatives. 5
8. I find it hard to give in a job where the goals are not clearly defined.
SECTION G
Tick In contributing to group projects in general: Points
1. I think I have a talent for sorting out the concrete steps that need to be
taken given a broad brief.
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2. My considered judgement may take time but is usually near the mark.
3. A broad range of personal contacts is important to my style of working.
4. I have an eye for getting the details right.
5. I try to make my mark in group meetings.
6. I can see how ideas and techniques can be used in new relationships.
7. I see both sides of a problem and take a decision acceptable to all.
8. I get on well with other and work hard for the team.
Scoring Key for Self-Perception Inventory
1. Transfer your point’s allocation from the seven sections of the Self-Perception Inventory to the
appropriate boxes below. The pre-printed numbers in the grid refer to the question numbers (QN) of
each section. For example if for Section A you scored seven points for question 6 and three points for
question 1, you would allocate them in the columns RI and IMP respectively.
SH CO PL RI ME IMP TW CF
QN Q
N
Q
N
QN QN Q
N
Q
N
Q
N
A 3. 2 7. 4. 6. 5. 1. 5 8. 2.
B 1. 5 6. 5. 8. 5 4. 7. 3. 2.
C 7. 3 4. 6. 2. 3. 2 5. 8. 1.
D 2. 3. 6. 4. 10 5. 1. 5 8. 7.
E 6. 5. 1. 6 7. 3. 4. 2. 3 8. 1
F 6. 4. 5. 1. 3. 8. 7. 5 2. 5
G 5. 7. 6. 3. 2. 1. 10 8. 4.
Total 10 6 15 2 20 8 6
2. Once you have allocated all your points, total each column. The highest two totals represent your
primary and secondary preferred team roles. Highlight them.
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Discussion
In your tutorial your task will be to choose group members for the group presentation. In this
evaluation:
 discuss your rationale for the selection of your team members, taking into account Belbin
team roles and various strengths as well as roles that could be assigned to your team
members;
 explain how you will allow for creativity and individualism in your team and how you will
contribute to this team;
 comment on your individual primary and secondary team roles (based on the scores above),
what they represent and to what extent you agree with the outcome, using evidence of past
experiences to support your position;
Write 400 words.
With the help of Self-Perception Inventory I was able to know that my primary preferred role is of
implementer and secondary role is of resource investigator. Hence, I would like to have a team
combination of Plant who will be creative, imaginative, problem solver and second will be co-
ordinator who will clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each team member with good chairperson
personality and third will be Completer Finisher who will be full of energy, dynamic motivated and
assertive along with competitive nature (DeChurch and Mesmer-Magnus, 2010).
The biggest strength of our group is being supportive, understanding jobs and decision making
abilities. The group will share openness in communication and ability to comprehend the situation at
ease. Weakness of the group will be monitor evaluator because no member of our team is having this
strength.
To make our team more creative and individualism we will introduce some activities which will
generate creative thinking along with understanding roles and responsibility of each member. One
activity will be round bench in which each member will share their one truth and three lies and other
members have to recognise lies of each member which will help all the team members to understand
each other well and other activity will be blind image drawing in which the team will split in two
sections and one member of section will draw the picture without seeing and other member will dictate
the picture (Dettmer, Knackendoffel and Thurston, 2013). This activity will generate creativity along
with trust on each other in the team.
As my individual primary role will be implementer so it will be my duty to maintain the discipline in
the team and ensure that the rules which has been created for the betterment of the group will be
followed and my secondary role will be resource investigator so it will be my duty to provide the
required resources needed by the team through my networks connections and maintain an environment
of negotiations among the team members (Capella, 2010). I agreed with the outcome of test because I
have seen that I am very inclined towards following rules from my childhood till my college time. I
believe that rules are being created for the benefits of common man and I have also experience that I
love those tasks where I have to utilize the available resources properly it may be tree plantation or
sports activities like football or volley ball games.
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Portfolio Evidence 2 Professional Ethics [weeks 3-4]
This task consists of two parts:
1. Code of Conduct (300 words)
2. Discussion (300 words)
Code of Conduct
With your group create a Code of Conduct which will outline the professional conduct in your team
during the preparation and delivery of the Professional Skills presentation. Your Code of Conduct
should:
 state the name for your team you have agreed on with your team members;
 list and refer to the values that underpin the standards set by your team;
 outline the team’s agreements in terms of how work will be carried out and any other
considerations that are important in team work;
 provide a list of specific actions for situations where work is not carried out or is not up to the
standard you had envisaged or agreed to.
Please refer to Week 3 tutorial handout for guidelines. Write approx. 300 words.
Usually an individual through its life period covers two life one is individual and other is specialized.
It becomes very significant to sense of balance both these life sections. As per my anxiety I trust that
only ethical belief can maintain both these section. I have constantly kept ethics as my code which
continuously provisions me power and boldness towards life (Larkin, 2010).
The name of our team will be “Hercules” which is the symbol of power and strength. In our team the
standard which every member will follow will be the quality of work, working with integrity and
dignity. One of the most important aspect on which every member will be judged will be the strict
follow of working ethics in which no member will be discriminated on the basis of their belongings as
well as their religion believes, each member will be given equal opportunity to express his/her opinion
along with an individual performance appraisal system which will be unbiased with each members of
the team (Sarkis, Meade and Presley, 2012). Our team will follow the SOP which the team has decides
for every task which will go through number of processes to achieve the final outcome. Team has
decided that in addition to SOP the team will also use Mind mapping tool to address the task properly
The team has fixed an action plan according to which if the things will not go as per the standards then
in this case the team will evaluate the task and analyse where things have gone wrong and will take
action accordingly like managing context, reshape working methods and follow a clear communication
system in which a proper monitoring process will be carried out to ensure that the message intensity
and its reach at every team member will be at par (Williams, 2009).
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Discussion
Discuss the role of ethics and professional conduct in your industry. Focus on the reasons why ethical
awareness is important in your industry and present examples where it could affect professional
conduct. Reflect on own ethical awareness you have developed and how you can use it in a
professional environment in your industry.
Write 300 words.
Write in full sentences and paragraphs and ensure you include an appropriate number of references for this
level. You must refer to the reading list and ensure you have evidence for theory and ideas around
professional skills. Refer to the marking criteria about how reading and research affects your grade.
As this world is working in a dynamic business environment in which ones weakness can become
others opportunity. Hence it becomes very important from individual point of view that an individual
should possess one such unique competency which can be proven as the one of the strongest pillar of
the team at the time of difficulty (Banks, 2013). As per my anxiety I trust that only ethical belief can
maintain both these section. I have constantly kept ethics as my code which continuously provisions
me power and boldness towards life. I have faith that each individual which has taken birth in this
world merits same esteem and fairness for any aspect. I have faith that humanity is one of the main gift
that god has given to every person and it is that entity which makes us dissimilar from rest of all kinds.
I also learnt significance of administration in lashing ethics in the corporate organization. Leadership
as we all know is the applied skill surrounding the ability of the person to lead, achieve, inspire, impact
and inspire people to attain the administrative goals and purposes (Hajli and Lin, 2016). Ethics play a
very significant role in pouring leadership, an ethical leader will always safeguard that ethics are
skilful in the organization and no damage is imposed upon the client, staffs and other stakeholders. I
also have faith that this universe is an eco-system in which whatever belongings we do gets mirrored in
the whole universe and one of the significant ethical code for me is think better. In this believe if we
take this universe as a sign of loveliness and constantly in a try to spread love and carefulness for the
other, same caring of action will be mirrored from the side of the universe (Jin and Drozdenko, 2010).
This universe is all about provided and get back.
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Portfolio Evidence 3 Project Management [weeks 5-8]
This task consists of two parts:
1. Gantt Chart (200 words)
2. Discussion (400 words)
Gantt Chart
With your team use an Excel spreadsheet to create a Gantt chart for the Professional Skills presentation and paste it in the space provided. In your
Gantt Chart:
 detail the steps you will take to prepare your Professional Skills presentation/video in week 9;
 identify the task(s) for each group member and decide how you will know the task has been completed (i.e. will they email to the group/will
someone have to check progress?);
 consider the stages and deadlines that have to be met by your team in order to successfully deliver the presentation;
Write approx. 200 words.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Resource
Investigator
Plant
Implementer
Coordinator
Completer
Finisher
Resource investigator will work up to three weeks in which the member will try to collect as much data related to the professional skills which are
required to convert in to practical aspects. From week third the Plant will create a unique idea from the gathered resources and try to give it a proper
shape with the help of implementer whose work will start from week five to week seven to set up the role and regulation for the team related to the task
and ensures that the team must follow the ethics set up by the combined agreement of all team members (Geraldi and Lechter, 2012). From week six to
week seven with the continuous touch with the implementer the coordinator will allocate the available resources connected to the responsible person.
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The coordinator also focuses on the activities related to the chosen idea for presentation from the collected data. Finally the role of completer finisher
will come in to play which will analyse the whole steps and try to find out the possible errors in the plan and accordingly prepare an action plan which
will take care of the task if it will go on the wrong direction as compared to the set up path (Gruenther et al, 2009).
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