Reflective Journal: Understanding Self and Others in Professional Life

This assignment presents a reflective journal exploring the concepts of understanding oneself and others within a professional context. The student analyzes their skills in written communication, attention and focus, time management, and teamwork through reflective entries. The journal entries detail the importance of each skill, current competencies, contradictions, and future usefulness. The student identifies how these skills contribute to personal and professional growth, including improved communication, effective task completion, and enhanced teamwork. The assignment highlights the value of self-awareness and the development of key skills for success in various professional settings, emphasizing the role of training, experience, and continuous self-improvement. The reflective journal format allows for a deep dive into the student's strengths and areas for development, promoting a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities and how they can be leveraged in the workplace.

UNDERSTANDING SELF
AND OTHERS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................1
Reflective journal........................................................................................................................1
APPENDIX A: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA .............................................2
APPENDIX B: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA .............................................3
APPENDIX C: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA..............................................4
APPENDIX D: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA..............................................6
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Developing a person with skills, knowledge and abilities make individual to know their
potential in working. Identifying inner strengths makes people to do work effectively and allow
learn new things from different sources. Terms like skills, knowledge and abilities can be learned
through continuous learning. Various methods are there which help persons in increasing their
abilities and skills like training and development programs, self-managed learning, taking classes
online, etc. (Baron-Cohen, Tager-Flusberg and Lombardo, 2013). The report is based on
understanding self in right way and others too so that they can also help in developing
effectively. Thus understanding self can make a person to grow in future and can attain their own
goal and objectives. Report will discuss about various skills a people hold and how he/she can
improve such in proper manner. Various skills like time management, attention and focus,
written communication and team work will be discussed in report.
Task 1
Reflective journal
People have the habit of writing their own capabilities and skills so that they can improve
their personality in the near future. Although writing thoughts and views for own self makes me
to understand in a proper manner. Writing books and notes bring strength in person as they can
inculcate new things in themselves which is going to allow me to attain goal and objectives. It is
required to introduce self-agreement which make people to gain something in any how way.
APPENDIX A: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA
Core skill:- Written communication
Written communication is being an innovative activities of mind which allows to write their
thoughts and views in correct format. Therefore, this skill includes proper words and can be
communicated in a formal and informal way (Baumeister, 2013). Although writing is quite
more valid and acceptable rather than speech or oral communication. This skill in people makes
him/her effective in communication because through this they can communicate in perfect way
and such can also be used for future purposes in need etc.
Importance of skill:
Written communication is required in companies because this can help in communicating the
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small things to employees in organisation and leaders can read and make them understood
exactly what senior managers want (Baumeister, 2010). Although this writing and learning can
be used for legal purposes and can be store for future needs as well. Therefore, written
communication is more effective than oral. Some of the importance are:
Stored: Advantages and importance of written communication is that this style can be used in
the near future as well. I use to write because this can provide strength as this can be used for
different purposes in organisation as well as in future or somewhere else in better manner.
Written communication helps in improving the skill of communicating with others.
Helps in thoughts: Even written communication can help in improving the thoughts and views
and although this can be used with time to see what changes are there in personality of mine.
Improvement should be there in knowledge and abilities as well. Written communication works
effectively in improving the personality and writing of individual.
Current competent regarding the skills:
Written communication skill has bought many new things in me as this has helped me in
writing effectively as with this skill a lot of communication can be done in precise form but it is
required to have a good knowledge of using of words and sentences. Written communication
with others also bring to save as record for further use.
Identification of contradiction:
I take written communication as best because this help in communicating a lot matter in a
concise form and this method of communication takes quite time and require to have a
knowledge of words and making of sentences is complex because it is something which has to
be interacted in summarize form of lengthy matter. Although this method is time consuming as
well.
Is this skill is useful in future purposes:
Written communication is very useful in future as because this can be used as record and
communicating in precise form brings effectiveness in personality and thus it makes a person to
perform better and to get proper work form the members of company. In future, written
communication is going to be used by many companies as it is quite effective then oral
communication (Cozolino, 2014). Therefore skilled writing is required in business because
proper documentation has to be prepared.
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APPENDIX B: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA
Core skill:- Attention and focus
Attention and focus is something which helps in learning various things in effective way.
Attention and focus can also be said as concentration. Although this skill means focusing on
single thing at a time and not having any distraction or stimuli this cause loss of learning (Deci
and Ryan, 2010). Attention and focus is required in individuals as because listening properly is
also a skill in person. Somewhere such skill help in getting the effective working in
organisation.
Current competent regarding the skills:
In many industries the attention and focus is bought up and used and this can be developed
through the training and development, self managed learning and experience all such helps in
bringing confidence and concentration power to complete task in effective manner (Derlaga and
Berg, 2013). Earlier this skills was not taken as part of skills but in today's era it has been
included in required skill to perform in any contradictions.
Identification of contradiction:
Focus and attention is something which bring confidence in me as how task can be complete in
effective manner. Sometimes in different contradiction the focus and attention gets distracted
but it is on individuals that how they manage themselves in certain situation which will become
hurdle in their effective working. I improve my focus and attention through the meditation and
experience and taking seminar and conferences.
Is this skill is useful in future purposes:
Although it is stated earlier as well that attention and focus has become the required skill in
individuals so that they can perform the task in effective manner. In future the focus and
attention is going to be used in every organisation because employees does not listen to upper
level in proper manner and after bringing training and development program they can easily
learn the focus and attention skill in perfect way.
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APPENDIX C: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA
Core skill:- Time management
Management of time refers to controlling the time used in completing a certain task in effective
manner. Taking a lot time on certain task may decrease the effectiveness in performance and
may lead to decline in productivity as well (Foucault, Davidson and Burchell, 2010). Effective
management may increase the chances of completion of task on time. Management of time
should be done by every individual.
Importance of skill:
Time management help in increasing the performance of mine and every individual as well.
Managing time properly by me help to get the work done on time and allow me to become
influencing person for others (Landau, Meier and Keefer, 2010). As this help me to make plan
which activity has to be done in what time etc. Although in other words it refers to manage the
time effectively so that many things get can be done in a single day. Importance of time
management is as:
Work on time: The time management help in getting work done on time as scheduling
different things according to time make me to complete task at that scheduled time. Managing
time successfully make me to attain my goal and objectives easily, planning and scheduling
both at a time make me to use such for further scenarios as well. I will use the time management
criteria in future as well.
Effective working: In organisation training are provided to manage the time for the different
tasks effectively. Thus time management help me to complete the work as planned and
scheduled. Effective working in organisation make firm to attain their aims and objectives.
Different projects and task has to handled at particular time period and time management
provides strength to complete according to those.
Current competent regarding the skills:
Time management is that which has to be managed by everyone in this world. In training and
development programs the time management classes are also taken and I have taken that in
which I have learned how to handle different things or task at a particular time. Divide time for
every task and perform that in time period only which will bring strength and with this
organisation and individuals both can achieve their goal and objectives.
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Identification of contradiction:
Time management is very useful for me to complete the task in proper manner. In order to
achieve the aim and targets by companies then time management training should be given to
their employees so that they can perform in better manner and can complete their task on time
as well. I manage time according to requirement and this helps me to get work done without
stress.
Is this skill is useful in future purposes:
Time management is required skill in near future because employees in organisation are getting
stressed just because they are not be able to complete the task on time. It is required by them to
make a plan and schedule to divide their work according to time and with this they will be able
to complete their work on time. All such scenario will help the companies to attain their goal.
APPENDIX D: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRY PER-FORMA
Core skill:- Team working
In companies the leader makes a team because people in team works effectively and the task
also gets completed on time. Team means where few people come together to complete a single
task in proper manner (Maddux and Kleiman, 2012). Team is build of person who share similar
or common skill and knowledge and abilities and with this they provide a single task to them
and they divide it and complete work on time and in effective manner too. Team work help
company to achieve the goal and objective of firm.
Importance of skill:
Team working is a skill which is being used in many companies now a days as this reduces the
chances of getting redundancy in working and this help in getting the work done in effective
manner (Rochat, 2014). Team working is very important when the project is very lengthy and is
taking a lot time to complete as such. Thus making team of people who share common skills
and abilities help the firm to get the work done in proper manner. The importance of such skill
are as:
Effective working: Thus when the task is done in group then it provides the result of effective
working and team working is very effective in comparison to individual working thus because it
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brings coordination among me and other team members. Working in coordination help firm not
to have any conflicts and firm can easily attain their goal and objectives.
Brings coordination: The team work help in bringing coordination among employees and even
I have worked in team for particular task and thus working in team reduces the workload and
conflicts in organisation. Through this employees also comes together and knows each other in
proper manner too.
Current competent regarding the skills:
The team work in every company is being opted just because to have a proper working and
those firms in which the individual working was happening now they are going with the team
working as this is very effective in working and even employees support in getting the effective
working in organisation so that they can attain the aim and objectives of firm. Working in group
is far better then the individual working. Team workin is also being included to reduce the time
on particular project as this helps in getting the work done before the time stated.
Identification of contradiction:
Many other companies are still using the individual working style just because they think that it
is a time waste criteria as it will take time in deciding that who is going to work in group for
effective working and many companies are there who think that team work is better just
because this brings in a proper working and efficient work.
Is this skill is useful in future purposes:
Team working is very useful in business and this skill is having a great scope in near future as
this is something which provides the effective results and it is not been time consuming as well
and somewhere this helps in reducing conflict situation in organisation.
Task 2
Although it has seen that people learn from experience and I have also learned from same side
but from books, online lessons and through training and development programs. Increasing the
skill, knowledge and abilities help in bringing productivity in performance and there is gain of
various methods as well. According to task A, I came to know that which skill is weak of mine to
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accelerate the work in right direction and knowing skills help in working properly in future as
well. The skills which are weak of mine are as follows:
Strength:
 Time management
 Team working
Weakness:
 Focus and attention
 Written communication
It is required to improve the weakness with time as because this is something over which
I have to work so that I can build the weakness of mine into the strength as well.
Five W's: Thus written communication and focus and attention can be improved through
the five W's as they help in getting what, where, when and who. Although this would help in
gaining strength of weakness.
Maslow's theory: This theory will help in improving the focus as once the need of first
step has received individual has to pay attention and focus on the second step to achieve that as
well.
Divide theory: This theory help to improve the focus and attention of individual as this is
something which divide the work into various divisions and somewhere this could help in
bringing the best work out of it.
The table is going to show the improvement criteria:
Areas of
development
Reason Supportive
material
Time taken Criteria of
success
Written
communication
Time consuming
and not being
able to convey
everything
properly
More writing and
taking views from
others to improve
skill to write
things.
2.5 to 3 months This will help in
bringing effective
writing and
written
communication is
best to convey
messages
Focus and Due to various More classes and 1.5 to 2 months All together this
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attention situation the mind
gets distract to
perform in right
manner
mediation to
improve
will increase the
power to listen
something and
will help in to
have right
direction
working.
CONCLUSION
Thus from the above report it has come out that understanding self and others will help in
increasing skill and knowledge. Its good to analyse yourself to know which is your strength and
weakness and to bring improvement in your weaknesses in perfect manner so that a person can
grow him/herself in perfect way.
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