Personal and Professional Development Plan for Assistant Hotel Manager

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Personal and professional
development
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................6
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................6
1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning. Which approach can be more suitable for
you or your staff at Travelodge Hotel..........................................................................................6
1.2. Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged at Travelodge. In this question, you should say how you as a manager can
encourage lifelong learning at Travelodge Hotel........................................................................7
1.3. Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to you as an assistant manager and the
Travel Lodge. Your judgement has to be supported by relevant evidence or examples.............8
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................9
2.1. Evaluate your own current skills and competencies against professional standards for a
hotel manager and against organisational objectives of Travelodge Hotel.................................9
2.2. Identify your own development needs and the activities required to meet them. Which of
your skills may need to be improved? How are you going to improve or gain these skills?....10
2.3. Identify development opportunities to meet your current and future defined needs. Which
opportunities are available for you inside or outside of the hotel to improve your skill
development needs?...................................................................................................................11
2.4. Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs. In this
task, you need to prepare a ‘plan’ for personal and professional development. In this plan, you
need to mention three issues: ‘what’ are your needed skills; ‘how’ are you going to develop
the skills; and ‘when’ are you going to develop intended skills?..............................................12
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................13
3.1. Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan that you
prepared for yourself in task 2.4................................................................................................13
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3.2. Undertake and document development activities as planned. In this task, you should
implement the development plan you prepared for yourself and then write down how you
implemented your plan..............................................................................................................14
3.3. Reflect critically on your own learning against original aims and objectives set in the
development plan. Did you really learn new skills at the level you aim for them....................15
3.4. Update the development plan that you prepared for yourself (covered in 2.4) based on the
feedback and evaluation............................................................................................................15
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................16
4.1- Select solutions to work-based problems...........................................................................16
4.2- Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels..................17
4.3- Evaluate and use effective time-management strategies....................................................20
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................21
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Approaches to self-managed learning..............................................................................6
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Skills and competency evaluation...................................................................................10
Table 2: My own development needs............................................................................................10
Table 3: Personal and professional development plan..................................................................12
Table 4: Documentation of development activities.......................................................................14
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Introduction
In the modern era, the job market has become very competitive and therefore, individuals are
required to emphasize a lot on personal and professional development to sustain in the
marketplace. In simpler terms, personal and professional development is defined as the process
in which individuals focuses on carrying out continuous improvement in their skill set and
knowledge base to remain competitive in the job market (Stansbie and Nash, 2016).
Furthermore, personal and professional development is also considered as important because the
process assists in acquiring better and more effective opportunities linked with growth and
employment in the long-run.
I am working as an assistant manager in the Travelodge Hotel, and my key responsibility is to
carry out a smooth flow of all operations and activities within the selected business organisation.
The key approaches to self-managed learning have been highlighted in the present study. In
addition to this, ways to encourage lifelong learning within Travelodge Hotel are also explained
in the current research report. The study also includes a professional development plan which is
based on my identified needs linked with professional development.
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Task 1
1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning. Which approach can be more suitable for you
or your staff at Travelodge Hotel
Self-managed learning has become important for individuals or the staff members working in
Travelodge Hotel because it contributes to enhancing the skill set and improving the overall
competitiveness. Furthermore, self-managed learning is a systematic process in which people
emphasise on learning new things, concepts and acquiring knowledge from surroundings,
workplace or society (Dhar, 2015). The main and most important feature of self-managed
learning is that the concept can provide the staff members of Travelodge Hotel with an
opportunity to develop theirstrategy and action plan for learning and development. The key
approaches of self-managed learning which can be used by the staff members of Travelodge
Hotel are provided below as:
Internet – The employees working in Travelodge Hotel can focus on using internet as a source
for learning new things, skills and knowledge. Over the past few years, internet has emerged as
one of the biggest and most potential sources for learning as the reason behind its growing
popularity is its cost-effectiveness (Hertzman et al. 2015.).
Seminars- The staff members within Travelodge Hotel can also emphasise on visiting seminars
to enhance their overall skill set and knowledge base in the long-run. The employees can identify
their knowledge and skill gap, and at the same time, they can attain seminars to satisfy the same
in the best and every possible manner.
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Figure 1: Approaches to self-managed learning
Training and development sessions – The employees working in Travelodge Hotel can also
attain - the job and off-the-job training sessions to carry out self-managed learning to satisfy their
skill and knowledge gaps.
Social groups – It can be termed as another critical approach of self-managed learning which can
be used by the assistant manager and employees working in Travelodge Hotel. The employees
and manager can use technology to get associated with different social groups of Facebook and
other social media platforms to facilitate learning and development.
1.2. Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged at Travelodge. In this question, you should say how you as a manager can encourage
lifelong learning at Travelodge Hotel
As a manager, my role in encouraging and promoting lifelong learning within Travelodge Hotel
is very important. I am also required to make sure that suitable strategies and action plans have
been developed and implemented within the workplace to encourage lifelong learning in the best
and every possible manner. It can be proposed that one of the most effective ways through which
lifelong learning within staff members of Travelodge Hotel can be encouraged is of self-learning.
As a manager within Travelodge Hotel, I will encourage the employees to evaluate their actions,
suggestions, decisions and opinions. Furthermore, the use of models such as SWOT analysis can
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Internet
Seminars
Training
and
developme
nt sessions
Social
groups

be encouraged among the staff members as the model will provide the employees with an
opportunity to understand or become aware of their key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats (Cheng and Wong, 2015).
The staff members will identify the key or core areas where improvements can be made to attain
better and more satisfactory opportunities for growth and development. As a manager working in
Travelodge Hotel, I will also use an approach such as planning to encourage life-long learning
within the employees. According to this approach, I will emphasise on developing plans and
strategies to accomplish the desired, and expected goals linked with self-managed learning. I will
assist the staff members in carrying out proper planning with an objective to facilitate self-
managed learning among them. Apart from this, I will also focus on holding meetings and
sessions at regular intervals with the staff members working in Travelodge Hotel. During the
meetings, I will be focusing on communicating the need and importance of self-managed
learning to all employees.
1.3. Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to you as an assistant manager and the Travel
Lodge. Your judgement has to be supported by relevant evidence or examples
Self-managed learning is termed as an initiative which is taken by individuals with an objective
to manage their learning in the best and every possible manner. As a manager working in
Travelodge Hotel, the concept of self-managed learning will provide me with wide ranges of
benefits and the benefits are mentioned below as:
Benefits of self-managed learning to me
Improvement in skills- It can be termed as one of the most critical benefits which I will have
because of self-managed learning. As a manager working in Travelodge Hotel, I am required to
have upgraded skills and knowledge about the tourism and hospitality industry and this can be
attained by self-managed learning. For example, self-managed learning will encourage me to
attain different seminars and workshops to become aware of the industry trends and enhance the
skills which need to be improved.
Teamwork- The process of self-managed learning is also important for me because it will help
in working with the teams within Travelodge Hotel in the best possible manner. A manager of
hotel needs to work with different teams and department to accomplish the organisational
objective, and therefore, self-managed learning will help me to work with other teams and
departments.
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Self-confidence – I will also be able to boost up my self-confidence through self-managed
learning, and this can be termed as another major benefit associated with the concept. For
example, my self-confidence will improve because I will have updated skills and knowledge
base.
Benefits to organisations
Improvement in decision-making- In terms of organisation, it can be expressed that the concept
of self-managed learning will facilitate effective decision-making within Travelodge Hotel
(Bharwani and Talib, 2017). The example can justify the statement that self-managed learning
will help the employees and managers to develop effective coordination and co-operation within
each other and this will further facilitate effective decision-making within Travelodge Hotel.
Customer satisfaction - Travelodge Hotel will be able to attain and operate with a high degree
of customer satisfaction, and this is another important benefit associated with self-managed
learning. The example can justify the statement that the employees with improved skills and
knowledge will be able to offer satisfactory services to the customers.
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Task 2
2.1. Evaluate your own current skills and competencies against professional standards for a hotel
manager and against organisational objectives of Travelodge Hotel
I have carried out my skill audit with an objective to become aware of my current skills and the
areas which need to be improved. I am working as a manager in Travelodge Hotel, and as a
manager, I am responsible for areas such as employee motivation, customer satisfaction and
accomplishment of organisational goals and objectives. The evaluation of my current skills and
competencies against the professional standards for the hotel manager of Travelodge Hotel is
provided below as:
Table 1: Skills and competency evaluation
My current skills Professional standards Travelodge Hotel and job role
objectives
Communication skills – As a
manager working in Travelodge
Hotel, I am very good at oral and
written communication, and this
has further supported me in
attaining better opportunities for
growth and development.
In the travel and hospitality
industry, effective
communication skills are
essential because it supports in
listening and understanding of
the issues, problems faced by
customers and employees
(Yashkova et al. 2016).
The manager working in
Travelodge Hotel should be able
to communicate his/her ideas to
others, and at the same time the
manager should be able to
understand the issues and
problems faced by the customers
and staff members
Decision-making skills – I am
very good at decision making,
and my decision-making skills
have also supported me in
becoming more competent in my
job role as a manager in
Travelodge Hotel
Effective decision-making skills
are important for managers
because they assist in making the
best possible utilisation of
available chances and
opportunities (Brekelmans et al.
2016)
The manager working in
Travelodge Hotel should be very
good at decision-making
Management skills – I am also
good at managing things, tasks
and individuals and this skill has
contributed a lot in making me an
The main and most important
role of a manager is to manage
different activities, and people in
an organisation and therefore,
A person should be capable of
managing the task, activities and
resources in the best and most
optimum manner
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effective manager at Travelodge
Hotel
effective management skills are
mandatory for the position of
hotel manager (Hertzman et al.
2015).
2.2. Identify your own development needs and the activities required to meet them. Which of
your skills may need to be improved? How are you going to improve or gain these skills?
My own development needs and the activities needed to satisfy the same are provided below as:
Table 2: My own development needs
Skills Methods of development
Problem-solving I need to work a lot on my problem-solving skills, and I will be
focusing on attending different seminars and workshops to
become aware of various tools and techniques which can be
used for problem-solving.
Interpersonal skills To improve interpersonal skills, I will be focusing on two major
areas which are practising active listening and practising
empathy within the workplace
Presentation skills I will be improving my presentation skills by attending training
and development sessions which are organised within
Travelodge Hotel every month. I will also emphasize on giving
more and more presentations to improve the skills and attain
perfection
2.3. Identify development opportunities to meet your current and future defined needs. Which
opportunities are available for you inside or outside of the hotel to improve your skill
development needs?
In the present scenario, employee development is an area which every employee needs to focus
because the area directly supports in enhancing the effectiveness and overall competitiveness of
a person. In terms of job market, the hotel industry has become very competitive, and individuals
cannot attain satisfactory opportunities for growth and development by neglecting the need for
employee development (Patwardhan et al. 2015). It has been evaluated that at present, there are
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wide ranges of opportunities and options available outside and inside Travelodge Hotel which
can help me in improving my needs linked with skill development in the best possible manner.
It can be expressed that inside the organisation or hotel, the training and development programs
conducted by Travelodge Hotel are the key opportunities which I have to improve my skills.
Furthermore, the hotel is also offering different types of part-time diploma courses to its staff
members so that they can enhance their skill set and become more competent. To improve
problem solving, presentation and interpersonal skills, I have the opportunity to attend the
training sessions and diploma courses conducted by Travelodge Hotel. Furthermore, coaching
and mentoring from senior management or other managers working in the hotel is also an option
which is available for me to improve my skills (Sourvinou and Filimonau, 2018).
On the other side of this, there are certain opportunities outside Travelodge Hotel which can
support me to carry out improvement in the skills and areas where improvement is needed. For
example, I have opportunity to attain seminars and workshops organised by hotel industry to
improve my skills and become more competent.
2.4. Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs. In this task,
you need to prepare a ‘plan’ for personal and professional development. In this plan, you need to
mention three issues: ‘what’ are your needed skills; ‘how’ are you going to develop the skills;
and ‘when’ are you going to develop intended skills?
Table 3: Personal and professional development plan
Development
objectives
Priority Activities to be
undertaken
Resources Target
Start
Date
Target end
Date
Criteria for
success
To enhance
my problem-
solving skills
Moderat
e
Researching for
the seminars
and workshops
organised for
problem-solving
skills and
attending the
I will need,
technological
and financial
resources to
accomplish
this
development
1/6/19 1/10/19 Dealing with
critical
problems
linked with
customers and
staff members
in an
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