Professional Development: Self-Managed Learning and Development Plan

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments. This report details a personal and professional development plan for a Travelodge assistant manager.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...........................................................................................................................................................2
1.1, M1, M3 Evaluate approaches to self managed learning...................................................................2
1.2 Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged...............................................................................................................................................3
1.3 Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organization..........................4
LO2..............................................................................................................................................................6
2.1, M1 Evaluate own current skills and competencies against professional standards and
organizational objectives.........................................................................................................................6
2.2 Identify own development needs and the activities required to meet them.......................................7
2.3 Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs.................................8
2.4, M3 Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs.....................8
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................................11
3.1 Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan.........................11
3.2- Undertake and document development activities as planned.........................................................11
3.3- Reflect critically on own learning against original aims and objectives set in the development
plan........................................................................................................................................................12
3.4, M3- Update the development plan based on feedback and evaluation..........................................13
Task 4.........................................................................................................................................................15
4.1- Select solutions to work-based problems.......................................................................................15
4.2, M1, M3- Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels...............16
4.3, M1 Evaluate and use effective time-management strategies..........................................................17
Conclusions................................................................................................................................................19
References..................................................................................................................................................20

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Own current skills and competencies............................................................................................5
Table 2: Own development needs and the activities...................................................................................6
Table 3: Personal and professional development plan................................................................................7
Table 4: Document development activities.................................................................................................9
Table 5: Updated development plan..........................................................................................................11

Introduction
Professional Personal Development (PPD) has the significant role in the individual life as it gives them
the opportunities to grow fast in their professional life based on the past experience, qualifications and
activities. The present report is relied on the case study of Travelodge in which individual is hired as the
assistant manager and in this context the various approaches will be discussed for self managed learning
and lifelong development. Evaluation of own personal and professional development responsibilities
will be highlighted through various plans. Implementation and reviewing of the plans will be done along
with showing interpersonal and transferable skills in the report.
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Task 1
1.1, M1, M3 Evaluate approaches to self managed learning
Learning in relation to self management is the procedure that helps the people to raise the potentials in
relation to particular profile of job. By considering several approaches to self managed learning the
individual growth and hotel industry growth will be raised to high level. The first approach is self
realization that assists the people to target on the future trend by considering the present job profile. As
hospitality sector in which Travelodge belongs has to give greater concentration on customer services at
their priority, and because of this goals setting are highly important in self managed learning. In
addition to these two approaches, there are other approaches as well under teach (Cunningham, 2017).
Seminars and meetings is the crucial approach where the person can gain understanding and learning
by seeing other knowledge and experience so that they can use it in current or future place for gaining
the opportunities. This could help the staff and manager as well to meet with higher confidence in
customer dealings. The other source is internet that helps in knowing the latest trends of the hospitality
industry and inclusion of advance technology to make the work easy for the managers and staffs. The
information generated should be shared to the internal departments to meet the business objectives.
Bulletin boards can be placed to know the opinions and thoughts of everyone that are part of
Travelodge to assist in self learning management (Dolmans et.al. 2015). Social media websites also
give information and brings connectivity with the customer, employees and other stakeholders for
increasing the skills and knowledge.
Moreover, information collection and accumulation from internet and social media is effective to meet
the business objectives of Travelodge managers.
Kolb’s learning cycle
In Travelodge, this theory will work into four stages. At this stage of diverging, the managers of
organizations can generate the information for the other performances. In Assimilation stage, the
employees will get the understanding and will develop the clear explanations (Peterson et.al. 2015). In
converging stage, the staffs gets the ability to deal with the customers in practical way and finally in
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accommodating stage the higher concentration is placed on logical approaches instead of theoretical
framework.
Appropriate solutions (M1)
There are significant approaches to self managed learning to determine the better understanding and the
use of Kolb learning cycle has been successful in Travelodge hotel. The various solutions had been
presented in the study like self realization, goal settings, seminars and meetings, internet, bulletin
boards, social media websites as well. This will support the organizations also to manage their working
in the most appropriate manner.
Communicate findings (M3)
It is been found out that the self managed learning considers several approaches and manners. It is also
been addressed that self managed learning supports the individual to manage their learning in the
suitable way. Furthermore, self managed learning communicates that it increases the new opportunities
for the individual to work new environment.
1.2 Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be encouraged
The development of the individual in both personal and professional manner is done through lifelong
learning. The goals setting motivate the staffs to raise the skills to the next level. Goals are of two types
short and long term objectives that is supportive in giving the way to the employees in the Travelodge
organization. While the other way is continuous learning that supports the manager and staffs to
develop their both skills but this learning is gained through work pressure, job rotation and
psychological issues (Graham, 2017).
At the time of getting the education from the higher secondary, the lifelong learning can be
increased. For instance: In the universities while conducting the education, the student can learn
management skills that can be implemented in the Travelodge now and it will also support in
contributing the growth in personal and professional development. Together with this, the next
important procedure linked with lifelong learning is transfer schemes and credit accumulation that is
helpful in credit collection of the managers in Travelodge (Saylor, 2017). The last supportive way in
lifelong learning is the apprenticeship training which is supportive in developing the professional and
personal growth.
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Lifelong learning technique is useful for meeting the PDP plan and self managed technique helps the
individual for solving the various problems for organization and customers both in Travelodge. In
addition, there are two more approaches that can be considered in the lifelong learning is self evaluation
and continuous learning.
Self evaluation means the present learning that can be increased with the use of SWOT analysis. As
assistant manager I will be able to examine the professional learning with the support of tool of learning
and framing the self reflective learning. The own reflection learning is for judgment reviewing, opinion
development and managing the new skills learning at the organization. Carrying out the SWOT will
support me to examine my own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as well. This kind of
evaluation can be considered in Travelodge by instructing the staff to carry out the SWOT and consider
the forecasting actions to reduce the weaknesses and threats that the individual faces at the workplace
(Ganguly, 2017).
Continuous learning supports in meeting with the higher growth from moving through the life events
and experiences. This type of skills supports in getting the objectives of the business. Through use of
this skill in Travelodge, the employee’s behaviour, talents and knowledge at the operation level will be
enhanced. Further, improvement in policies, culture and team working will take place.
1.3 Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organization
Individual benefits
Self managed learning is also gained through the past experience job profiles, education and activities
involvement of the individuals. This criterion is supportive in getting the higher position in current
organization like Travelodge. Through this the confidence level is raised to next stage which will
ultimately supportive in giving the impressive job work of the individual and opens the new doors of
opportunities for future (Pierce and Horkings, 2016). Furthermore, the minimization of errors will take
place that is supportive in increasing the growth in both personal and professional aspects.
Travelodge benefits
Travelodge will be highly benefited in receiving the knowledgeable employees by including dynamic
skills. The decision making processes will be simplified in every context as the top knowledgeable
managers will make committed decisions by analyzing every aspects through their own learning. The
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competitive advantages will accrue to the organization through the employees who are highly self
managed and committed towards the jobs. Positive brand image through consistent innovation in the
services and products of Travelodge will be resulted from it (Bennett, 2017). The learning attitude will
be prevailed in the organization and the existing employees will act as the role model for the new
employee’s hired in the Travelodge.
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LO2
2.1, M1 Evaluate own current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational
objectives
The below presented skills will show the evaluation of my own personal skills. The reflected skills
briefed the areas of skills that the manager should have in relation to the Travelodge along with
investigating the other sources to determine the professionals benchmark for every skills. Furthermore,
the present potentials and capabilities are presented with professional benchmark and business
objectives.
Table 1: Own current skills and competencies
Current skills Professional benchmarks Travelodge and job role objectives
Problem solving skills: Being the
manager I can determine various
alternative solutions to the problems
but including various opinions
makes confusion and due to this
results which are expected does not
come that ultimately causes low
morale. But this skill I gained
through working in Shan Properties
as Letting consultant where I handle
many problems at the same time.
Immediate solving of issues will be
considered for the future similar or
new projects (Argyris, 2017).
It is important to take the actions
where necessary for solving the
issues quickly.
The competency of being the
immediate thinker and multi
oriented Travelodge assistant
manager for getting success in
hotels of Travelodge.
Communication skills: Proper
communication supports in bringing
the new ideas while discussion.
Being the manager I have to listen
to everyone I communicate and I
have that skill as I value and react
on contribution. Further, this skill is
gained as I worked in manager in
sales at Dunkers & Co where I have
Good communication is the skill
that is highly valued by the owners
of the organizations (Ganguly,
2017).
In Travelodge the job role of
assistant manager is to be
passionate for the customer
services.
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to interact with customers and
employees both.
Appropriate solutions (M1)
This has supported the Travelodge manager to address the improvement areas in development objectives
by creating the professional development plan. It is important to understand the professional standards
of the industry and then should be compared with the organization objectives. The solution is to increase
the strengths but with that weaknesses shall be reduced.
2.2 Identify own development needs and the activities required to meet them
In this after identifying the skills which needs improvement, it is required to give the methods of
development which needs development in relation to skills is prescribed below:-
Table 2: Own development needs and the activities
Skills needs development Development methods
Problem solving skills: Increasing the enhanced
capabilities to become the fast thinker
Better skills of communication for effective delivery
of information. By being the active listener and taking
suggestions from the others will increase the skills
more along with looking the techniques done by the
mentors (Costa and Lowery, 2016). If in case of
critical situation the assistant manager should ask for
the help from the general manager which will increase
the development in skill of problem solving.
Improving presentation skills I will improve by taking huge presentation in
classroom to develop the confidence in my talk and
will collect the feedbacks from the peer group that
supports in improving the needed skills. The other
thing I will do is that more learning and reading will
be done by me to improve the confidence (Sekaran
and Bougie, 2016). I will speak properly by taking in
account various activities like doing eye contact,
keeping the tone voice clear and maintaining stability
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accordingly.
2.3 Identify development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs
The development of employees is the main attribute that the employee requires to increase in order to
work in the hospitality sector. On this account, the Travelodge had been making the efforts to give the
opportunities of development to the employees. For example: In 2010 September, Travelodge was the
first organization to introduce the skill academy training centre for the new and old candidates.
Travelodge organization helps the employees by giving full training and programs of development and
diplomas range like Team leading Diploma. Being the manager, the development opportunities are
always in need to meet the defined needs of the organization.
Due to this, the development programs are created into three different steps like the discoverer, traveler
and adventurer. By carrying out the job with the help of general manager for holding regular meetings
will enable to concentrates on the organization roles and gives surety it is moving on the correct areas so
that real customer service is accomplished. Through this communication and team working areas will be
improved that needs development as identified in previous task. Further, to develop the skill of useful
solver of problem, it is important to have excellent skills for communication to have assurance that
surpass of the information is quite clear by considering correct practice and vocabulary (Woodcock,
2017). It will also be supportive to be the good listener and making correct judgments that will
overcome my weaknesses in appropriate manner. However, being the assistant manager taking the help
from the senior manager will support me in giving some technical tips.
2.4, M3 Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs
Dependent on the above task, there are few of the skills determined that is required to be improved. On
this, upcoming activities and actions are required to the managed in the way of personal and professional
development plan to accomplish the required needs and to be the successful assistant manager.
The below presented is personal and professional development plan based on addressed needs are as
follows:-
Table 3: Personal and professional development plan
Development Priority Activities Resources Target start Target Criteria for
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