Personal and Professional Development - Assignment Example

Personal and Professional Development TASK 1: THE ENHANCEMENT OF LIFELONG LEARNING THROUGH SELF-MANAGED LEARNING 1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning The main avenues that help individuals to learn include the research done at college or university, including the research reports that are written for continuous assessment testing or the ones that are used to show that a learner has acquired course information (Neild and Carysforth 287). There is also the avenue of learning through experience, especially the experience received at the workplace. During my work as a hotel manager, I have been exposed to a variety of experiences and skill areas, and these have been responsible for personal and professional development in many ways. Through the daily experiences of working as a hotel manager, I have learnt that it is the role and the responsibility of the hotel manager’s office to manage the activities of the hotel, and also the staffs employed by the hotel. The areas of responsibility include financial management and the budgeting for the activities of the hotel; the manager plans the activities of the hotel and then organizes the different activity areas to be administered at the hotel. The hotel manager’s office requires the writer to direct all the services of the hotel, in order to achieve the performance goals required by the hotel in different areas, including the handling of customer reception, service delivery and reserving places for those booking for services. The manager is also responsible for overseeing that the housekeeping and the food and beverage delivery services of the hotel work as best and in the most effective ways possible. Through working in the hotel and hospitality industry as a hotel manager, the writer was able to learn a variety of avenues that helped in doing personal and professional research. The avenues that were available to the writer included the collection of customer reviews, in order to rate the quality of service delivery. Through access to the work environment, staffs, customers and other parts of the supply chain, the writer was also able to learn the problems that face business people in the UK hotel and hospitality industry, among other industries. The first approach that was available to me was conferences and seminars. Through participating in conferences and seminars, a wide array of information was communicated and shared, including the best practices that other managers and leaders in the industry had experienced. Some conferences and seminars are sponsored by learning institutions, where the knowledge and the experiences communicated through the experiences enable the learners to learn new things (Neild and Carysforth 287). Conferences and seminars give the learner, the opportunity to share or demonstrate their knowledge to others, about their experiences as a learner or a worker, as a way of facilitating learning among them. Through exposure to conferences and seminars, the confidence of practice and knowledge are communicated, and that helps a lot in the personal development of the individual. The second approach to self-managed learning is the utilization of social networks, including useful sites like Twitter, Facebook and official publication databases. Through the sharing of experiences over chat services, I was able to engage with other people operating in the same industry, and that facilitated the learning of different experiences and areas. Through the information shared by the users of social sites, the learner was able to access a load of information on customer relations and management, which were often highlighted in new group communication, bulletin boards and information posts (Neild and Carysforth 274). Through the knowledge accessed over the social networks and platforms, it became easier to contact other hotel managers and to learn best practices for career and professional success. The third approach to self-managed learning was the use of the internet as a readily available resource for information on hotel management among other careers. Through accessing the internet and determining the information needed, it was possible for me to learn different areas, including risk and strategic management, and also increasing the information needed on managing a hotel facility. The knowledge accessed over the internet was transferable to the work environment, and the knowledge was very helpful in improving work performance. 1.2 Ways of encouraging lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts Lifelong learning has to do with continuous learning, in ways that contribute to professional development. In order to encourage learning, it may be important to evaluate oneself, in the areas of strengths, areas of weakness, the opportunities available to the individual and also the threats to success in different areas. The exploration of these critical areas, which can hamper or enhance the learning process; the person seeking lifelong learning will find out the areas that they need to learn, in order to continue developing and advancing. After gaining the information on the different areas, it becomes easy for the individual to utilize their strengths, learning in the areas of weakness, seeking ways of exploiting opportunities and finding out the ways that can help them to overcome the threats facing their work and personal development (Neild and Carysforth 287). The first of the ways that enabled me – while working as a hotel manager to engage in lifelong learning was self-reflective learning, because it enabled me to learn new skills about the work and also through the assignments assigned to the office. Though self-reflective learning was helpful, it was necessary to combine it with other ideas and the techniques that could help to facilitate learning. The effectiveness of learning was dependent on the evaluation and the planning done after contacting others for help, receiving work reviews and after conducting customer surveys. 1.3 The benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organization The advantages of self-managed learning are many, mainly because the learner utilizes their areas of strength to overcome weaknesses and also cultivates the areas that can help them in exploiting opportunities and in challenging the threats they face. The benefits include that the learner’s presentation abilities are improved, especially through the sharing of experiences and information with others. The cultivation of the skills of presentation enables learners to package the message or the information they need to communicate, in order to present it in the most effective ways possible (Neild and Carysforth 273). The second benefit of self-managed learning is that it enables learners to develop teamwork skills, especially through the cooperative efforts that they channel towards their learning experiences. In particular, through their participation in team-based learning at the work place among other areas, the learner develops the know-how needed to utilize the abilities of team members. The third benefit of self-managed learning is that it enables the team player to utilize their communication skills, and the experimentation enables one to discover the communication models that best suit them. For example, some people are best in presenting information using diagrams, and then expand on the diagrammatic information; diagrams are used to demonstrate the information being explored. Further, through communication experimentation, all-through the learning course, a team member is able to develop their communication abilities to different situations, which is very important to the work environment. The development of skills among the employees is usually a major boost for the organization, because it enables a worker to acquire the skills of decision-making, using the varied learning experiences available to them at the workplace and in education. The areas improved through the team work and the varied ways of learning utilized in self-managed learning include problem solving, because teams constantly solve problems. The second area that benefits the organization is decision-making, because skills development corresponds to the development of decision-making capacity (Neild and Carysforth 288). Thirdly, the person who utilizes their strengths and is able to overcome their weakness will benefit the organization by becoming more ethical and moral in their nature; an individual’s flexibility at the workplace is improved. The change of the skills possessed by the individual enables the organization to operate more efficiently. For example, after undertaking self-managed learning, the writer was more capable of handling group activities and teams, facilitating employee development and engaging in decision-making, which fostered the financial performance of the hotel. TASK 2: AUDIT OF PERSONAL SKILLS IN RELATION TO PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Evaluation of own current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives Personal information Name and Title ? Date of Birth ? Home Address and Telephone numbers ? Office held Hotel Manager Registration with an industry oversight organization Name of regulatory agency ? Division of registration ? Year of Registration ? Professional education Qualification Title and academic level Name of school Dates of Education program Extracurricular activities Community outreach, event planning and volunteer work Noteworthy achievements Risk management training together with the staffs of the hotel; the hotel manager’s role was acting as the facilitator of the learning program. Employment Title of Post Hotel Manager Employer ( Name and address) ? Dates at the post Start: End: Part-time Part-time hours Full-time ? ? ? ? ? Location of post Hotel facility Client groups Customer (service), staffs (managing performance) and Owners of the hotel (reporting performance and quality issues) Main responsibilities Customer service and customer satisfaction Attending to hotel enquiries in person, over e-mail and telephone Facilitating the cleanliness and the hygiene of the hotel Addressing customer complaints professionally Updating product and service pricing according to promotions, providing the information to guests and maximizing sales levels Developing and applying effective marketing strategies for the hotel Administrating every-day operations at the hotel Monitoring and overseeing hotel management, including maintenance work Develop rotas for the staffs of the hotel, staffing the facility and allocating duties Checking health, security and safety measures Checking adherence to hotel facilities Reporting to superiors and participating in managerial oversight and team work, including oversight meetings Skills and Knowledge acquired for practice, education and management Customer care Staff motivation and training Personal and professional integrity Team work Self and staff management and development Change and risk management Issue analysis and relevant decision-making for progress Main achievements in the post Expansion of the hotel’s service portfolio in January 2014 Oversight of staff training and development March 2014 Hosting of a country-wide hotel staff convention/ conference at the hotel Planning and monitoring towards the achievement of personal objectives Topic/ area of Study Budget preparation, management and administration Time taken on study 60 hours between April 1st and May 30th Study methods used Sourcing trade secrets and learning all books and publications covering the area, for example customer retention Aims for the study Become the best hotel manager in the hotel and the industry Aims realized Reception of reward as the best hotel manger for the hotel, over the past ten years Topic/ area of Study Employee training, development and motivation Time taken on study 54 hours between May 1st and June 30th Study methods used Attending conferences on the topic, reading all books and records on the area, taking notes of expert best practices, and trying the skills and best practices in the hotel Aims for the study Become the best trainer and motivator for the staffs of the hotel Aims realized Staff turnover reduced by 50 percent over the past year (June 1st 2013 to June 30th 2014. Topic/ area of Study Leadership skills and time management Time taken on study 45 hours between May 15th and July 10th Study methods used Attending industry conferences on the areas, reading reference books and publications, consulting expert for information offering best practices, and experimenting the best practices at the hotel Aims for the study Become the best leader, and managing my personal and work time very effectively Aims realized The efficiency of the staffs of the hotel increased by 20 percent and time wastage reduced by about 34 percent during June and July 1-15th 2014. 2.1 Evaluation of current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives Currently, I am excellent at interpersonal communication, information sourcing and experimentation with the staffs of the hotel. Other areas of performance excellence as a hotel manager include time management, staff leadership, Budget preparation and administration and employee development and motivation (Neild and Carysforth 288). These are the skills that have been transferred and which need to continue to be transferred at the hotel, in order to meet the performance thresholds of the hotel, as a person as well as a member of the staff-team. For example, through staff motivation, training and development, it was possible to reduce the staff turnover of the hotel by about 50 percent over a year’s period. 2.2 Personal development needs and the activities required for bridging the performance gaps Personal development needs and the activities needed to meet the thresholds of the hotel. The hotel – like any other managerial role – calls for the utilization of leadership, management and motivation skills, which were the major areas of weaknesses for me. In order to overcome the weaknesses, I engaged in staff training, at the workplace at outside, including learning during my personal time, in order to improve the efficiency of the hotel’s performance. The hotel manager’s role calls for constant communication with the staffs, managers and the customers of the hotel, and that was another area of weakness that would compromise my effectiveness in the role. For that matter, I engaged in staff and oversight team presentations more frequently, and also participated in conferences and conventions (Neild and Carysforth 289). The personal strategy has enabled the hotel to register an increment in the management of its HR and other resources, including time. The personal strategy of reading, seeking expert advice and attending events where experts gave their information has been successful. More importantly, the strategy worked because of the administration of a SWOT analysis for the managerial role, personal abilities to fill the post and organizational position 2.3 Identification of development opportunities to meet current and future needs The developmental opportunities available to me include qualifying for certification in my course and as a business scholar. The target in this area is completing all tasks by the end of July, so that the course qualifications can be incorporated into my academic performance, which will qualify me for the next level of study and certification for practice. The future opportunities that I can advantage from include advancing by business skills and potential, through furthering my education. For example, I plan to specialize in the field of business management, after completing this course, in order to fulfill the personal and professional development standards needed from a practicing business manager (Neild and Carysforth 289). 2.4 Professional and personal development plan, based on the needs identified Personal Development Plan Name ? Rank ? Course Name ? Learning Provider (school being attended) ? Academic Level GCSE , GNVQ Start Date ? End Date ? Date of writing plan 28/07/2014 Date of 1st review of plan 30/10/2014 Date of 2nd review of plan 30/07/2015 Why do this course It offers me the tools needed to excel in the hotel management post, as I advance myself in the field of management Direct benefit work and service Improvement of personal professional development Other qualifications done ? Time Scale Date of start End date ELC (Enhanced learning Credits) Comments Short-term goals and objectives ? ? ? ? ? Medium-term goals and objectives ? ? ? ? ? Long-term goals and objectives ? ? ? ? ? TASK 3: IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTINUAL REVIEW OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 3.1 The processes and activities required to implement the development plan The processes and the activities required during the implementation of the development plan include learning from coaches and mentors. This is important, because the experts in my field have implemented development plans and know the areas I need to address, in order to avoid failure. The second is learning through research, paying attention to research about the areas that are important to the development plan and my future prospects, including the current employment position. Another important process is self-managed learning, because it will help me in managing my time effectively, in order to improve my personal efficiency in delivering the outcomes needed. Attending conferences and seminars is another important activity, because by attending seminars and conferences related to the actions to be completed according to the plan, I will gain the experience needed (Neild and Carysforth 287). 3.2 Processes and activities needed in undertaking and documenting development activities as planned The undertaking and documentation of the development activities that are featured in the plan will call for the management of development – for self and others. The activities that will be critical to success include secondments, which are comparable to job trials. One application of secondiment is that of leaving the current position of employment for some hours or days, in order to work as a HRM manager at another facility, so as to improve my HRM skills. Interviews will be very helpful in this stage, because interviewing other candidates who have completed the stages of the plan that I am taking, I will get first-hand guidance on how to go through it. The internet has become an irreplaceable and a ready source of information, which offers information using a simple click – it can also connect me to professionals and experts in the field. For that reason, surfing the internet and joining professional networks, where I can get new information and resources will be very important, and it will enable me to navigate through the different stages of undertaking. 3.3 Reflect critically on own learning against original aims and objectives set in the development plan In comparison, the information and the skills learnt are not sufficient enough to enable me to reach the aims and the objectives of the development plan. For example, some transferable skills that I do not already posses will be needed, including a highly developed creativity and reliability. Verbal among other communication skills that are needed by the plan – which I have not acquired – include negotiation and the excellent use of IT systems, among other skills that will be needed in the future. The need to develop these skills calls for a deep awareness of a personal learning style that will enable me to pursue the plan in the easies way, negotiating with others, especially those that I will be working with, those that I will serve and also those that I will learn from, in order to develop the skill areas needed to realize the changes. Further, the realization of the objectives will require that I evaluate my progress all through the implementation stage, by setting targets, which I will review against the aims and the objectives constantly (Neild and Carysforth 286). 3.4 Updating the development plan based on feedback and Evaluation The updating of the development plan will correspond to the collection of new information and information from experts, mentors and target groups. For example, despite the fact that the targets set may be for a period of 2 months, the consultation with an expert may reveal another stage of the process not taken care of, which may call for the change of plan. Following such a change of plan, it is important to reset the targets and the aims of the plan, in addition to incorporating the strengths and the weakness areas that need improvement. After the incorporation of all these, I will be able to formulate the directions needed for change and future revisions, which may require the change of the cycles of activity, including the necessary monitoring, reflection and plan formulation. Works Cited Neild, Mike, and Carysforth, Carol. BTEC First Business. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 2004. Print. Read More