Personal Development and Careers - Assignment Example

? Personal Development & Careers of the of the Personal Development & Careers Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge through experience which leads to an enduring change in behavior” (Huczynski & Buchanan, 2010). Explain this statement, showing how it relates to a learning theory that you have studied in this module and to your own approach to learning. What Learning Is Learning can simply be defined as a process of acquiring knowledge or knowhow about a particular subject or discipline. This knowledge when translated into activity becomes part of a person’s experience or skill. That is why Huczynski and Buchanan are correct in stating that learning through experience leads to an enduring change in behavior (2010). This is as it should be. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is useless; it is the application of knowledge to everyday situations after sizing them up in an intelligent manner is what should be the objective of learning. The result of learning should be the outcomes it produces in the real world. The Relationship between Learning and Development From the above, it is clear that book knowledge is not what we are after, rather the knowledge that we get from books should be applied to real world problems connected to that branch of knowledge so that solutions are made possible. Experience is the result of having applied that knowledge in a certain way and seeing the outcome. If by a process of trial and error, we can eliminate what does not work and distill that which does, we have reached the path of self development. For learning is a path to self development. The knowledge translated into skill resides in the mind and body of man- it becomes an inseparable part of him. This is how the continual development of skills leads to personal development. Discussion of a Learning Theory: Kolb’s Learning Circle When it comes to theories of learning, there has been a lot of work produced by different authors and thinkers over the ages. However I regard the work of David A. Kolb and his Learning Circle to be a good explanation of what occurs during the process of learning. It is a good expose into the way we learn. Kolb outlined his theory in a book called ‘Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development’ published in 1984. Kolb’s Learning Circle (developed in coordination with Roger Fry) consists of four steps: (1) concrete experience (2) concrete and abstract experience (3) forming abstract concepts and (4) applying to new situations. According to Kolb, humans basically learn to understand and process two different types of information- concrete and abstract. Our learning vocabulary is therefore filled with either Concrete Experience or Abstract Conceptualization. Kolb maintains that following a learning session, if we want to capitalize on it, we convert our experience into either Reflective Observation or Active Experimentation. Kolb’s model indicates that we could use all four of these approaches in a learning experience, depending upon the situation we are confronted with. Over time however, Kolb maintains that individuals tend to prefer one experience grasping approach and one experience transforming approach. Kolb has mentioned four learning styles and these are to be regarded as created by the learner during the process of learning. The four styles are (1) Converger (2) Diverger (3) Assimilator and (4) Accommodator (Kolb, 1984). Convergers are characterized by abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. They are good at making practical applications of ideas and using deductive reasoning to solve problems. According to Kolb, divergers are geared toward getting concrete experiences and making reflective observations. Divergers are also imaginative and will be good at coming up with ideas or in seeing things from different perspectives. Most of our theorists and social thinkers would fit in this category (Houle, 1980). Kolb writes that assimilators can be singled out by their preference for abstract conceptualization and reflective observation. Moreover, assimilators are quite capable at creating theoretical models by means of inductive reasoning. These are the research writers of our era (Werther & Davis,1995). Moving on to accommodators, Kolb indicates that these individuals use concrete experience and active experimentation. They are good at actively engaging with the world and actually doing things instead of merely reading about and studying them. These are the practical scientists and experimenters of our age (Jarvis, 1995). It is worth noting that Kolb’s model of experiential learning has given rise to the creation of the Learning Style Inventory, which is an assessment method that is used to determine an individual's learning style. An individual may exhibit a preference for one of the four styles – Accommodating, Converging, Diverging and Assimilating – depending on his or her approach to learning under Kolb’s experiential learning theory model. My Own Approach to Learning I have noted that my own approach to learning is often a combination of the four styles as characterized by Kolb. This also depends on the subject matter being studied. For example, in studying science, one would be encouraged to mentally go through the steps and recreate experiments to judge their practical aspects. In studying philosophy, one would engage an entire different set of the mind, in which assimilation and divergence dominates. 2. Why would managers want to change employees’ attitudes? Comment on the approach you might take as a manager, giving reasons. The Reality of Change No matter how much people are afraid of change and its effects, it is worth mentioning that change is the only permanent reality. The world a hundred years hence will be a very different place from what it is now, the same as today is a very different time from what it was a century ago. We then lived in the era of the horse driven carriage, with candles to light our homes. Looking back, it is so stupendous to see that the changes in ordinary lifestyles that we have experienced in the last fifty years or so are gigantic when compared with the entire history of the world before it. When it comes to changing employee attitudes in the workplace, this is most often needed when an organization has a plan for a drastic change in direction or improvement, and wishes to make this possible using the current workforce. Resistance to Change The average person resists change because it frightens him- he is not sure that he will be able to live up to the new realities that the changes demand from him. Change often means a new way of doing things or adopting a new way of thinking. Change also means that we have to move out of our comfort zones and take new paths to progress. It might be a little difficult in the beginning but eventually we get used to it. It might also make us have to learn new skills or new ways of doing things as the old ones get outdated and redundant. The horse carriage has given way to the automobile and the typewriter to the word processor, but all would agree that the change has been beneficial to mankind. An Approach to Affecting Change in an Organizational Setup Affecting change in an organization is a slow process and is more easily said than done. We have to find out the barriers to change and discover how best to approach the change aspects so that these barriers are crossed or eliminated. Changing employee attitudes is admittedly one of the most difficult steps in the change management process (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2007) but experts have whittled it down to a series of steps, which if carefully managed can bring about the desired change in the least time possible, with a minimum of fuss. I would like to make use of Bruce Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development in preparing a strategy to affect change in worker attitudes. This well known theory uses the steps of Storming, Forming, Norming and Performing as teams go about the process of change. However it is equally beneficial to changing attitudes in a workplace. The first step is to find out the reasons for the resistance to change. This should involve all the workers who are opposing the change- they should be asked to outline all their reasons for resistance on paper. Common reasons can be put on a whiteboard and debated. This process called Storming brings the reasons for resistance out in the open. If the workers have valid enough reasons, this could even be put forth to management and the project for change abandoned. The next step is Forming. This occurs after the workers issues have been debated and shown to have less weight than the need for change. Forming at least begins when the workers have a positive attitude towards the change being implemented. They can see why the change is necessary. This can be put forward in terms of saving of cost, time, effort and benefits of learning a new skill, for instance. The investment in time and effort of training the workers if needed should also be pointed out. Once the Forming stage is complete, then comes the Norming. This is the actual process of change and controlling the pitfalls. As change is being implemented, the entire organization must be in communication with each other in order to solve potential as well as unanticipated problems. There may be all kinds of setbacks which have to be faced with perseverance so that the process change is implemented and followed through. In the Norming phase, the workers get used to the new process or way of doing things. A few hiccups will still be anticipated and solved, but by and large, the organization is on the new track. The workers have accustomed to the change. The Performing phase is the last one in the process and is the stage where the workers become adept at the new process or the improved way of carrying out things. They are also likely to be rewarded for outstanding effort (Tuckman, 1965). Reasons for the Adoption of this Approach A little reflection will show that Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development is a very handy tool for affecting change in an organization. It follows a highly logical process, in which the dissenter’s problems are first identified and dealt with, then they are shown the benefits of changing to the new method, then the process of change takes place and finally the organization and its workers all adapt to the change. In time, the most efficient workers are rewarded for their efforts as well. 3. Choose four barriers to communication that you have studied in this module. Suggest, as a manager, how you might overcome such barriers. Communication is the art of getting your message and its meaning across from sender to receiver. All communication is made to affect a response, action or understanding from the receiver. It could be a message that informs or persuades, or explains the reason for an action. Normally it is seen that communication becomes ineffective when it is faced with one or more barriers or impediments in sending, receiving or interpretation of the message. Either the message itself does not reach or it is mis-communicated or misunderstood. The language and meaning of the message must be unambiguous and stated in terms easily understood by everyone (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2007). The barriers to communication might be physical, cultural, perceptional and misunderstandings in interpretation of words, gestures and their meanings. The physical barriers to communication may include time, the environment, comfort needs and the physical medium itself. The message must be conveyed in a proper manner, usually in writing, and should be in clear language so the recipient knows exactly what action is expected of him. There must be enough time to take action as well, or the entire purpose will be lost. As Marshall McLuhan said, “The medium is the message” so it is important that we use the right tools for the right audience to get the desired response. The cultural barriers to communication include the ethnic, religious and social differences that are so common in the world of today. Diversity in the workplace is a stark reality today as the people in the workforce could be from any country in the world. Corporate wide messages must take care to avoid terms which might be considered as racial slurs, such as using the term ‘negroes’ for African Americans. Don Imus was axed from the Fox Channel because he used a derogatory term to address young black women. Perceptional barriers to communication mean viewing what is said from your own mindset. We must therefore take care to avoid words that can have different meanings to different classes of society, an example of a semantic error. Finally, misunderstood gestures can be a major barrier. For instance, Americans may use the sign of an ‘O’ made with the fingers to indicate things are OK or fine, but this would be construed in an entirely different manner in Italy (Hofstede, 2001). While it is customary for gentlemen to open doors for women in the West, in the East the tradition among Muslim families is for the male to walk ahead of the female at all times (Hooker, 2003). How I As A Manager Might Overcome These Barriers ‘Think before you ink’ is a very apt phrase to be considered before making any type of communication- oral, written or even in terms of gestures, for as we have seen, all of these can be misconstrued (Koontz & Weihrich, 1990). The first thing I would do is to make an outline for the message to be communicated. The best communication usually includes an introduction of sorts, preparing a context in which to communicate the message, then the main message itself and its implications, and lastly what actions or response is desired from the audience. I will take care to use proper language and communicate the message in the easiest terms possible so that it is easily understood. Idiomatic phrases should be avoided at all costs. I would review all messages for semantic errors and look at them from the viewpoint of the audience, so that every ambiguity is removed. In the end, the reason for the communication and the action or response desired from the audience must be clear, as well as the timeline for the actions if any is to be followed. As the communicator, I will always allow for feedback or clarification by including my email or office phone number in the message so that anybody can approach me for clarification if needed by them. 4. Create a formal letter applying for a job as assistant manager in a company and sector of your choice. Attach your CV and link it to the application wherever possible. 18 April 2011 The Recruitment Manager, Citibank, 1285, 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. Dear Sir/ Madam: I would like to apply for the position of ‘Assistant Manager, Credit Cards Retention’ as advertised by you in the classified columns of the New York Times of Sunday, April 14, 2011. A perusal of my attached Resume would show that I have some stellar qualities that would enable me to qualify for the position of Assistant Manager in the Credit Cards Division in your bank. I have an MBA in Finance from Stanford University with a GPA of 3.3; this includes A’s in the majority of subjects related to mathematics and finance. In addition to this, I have been the leader of my Finance class group in the Investment Project that was assigned to us in the last year of study, walking away with enviable rates of return for the selected portfolio of stocks that were handpicked by us. This combination of experience and scholastic aptitude will I am sure, stand me in good stead as I offer myself as a candidate for the stated position in your bank. If my Resume interests you, kindly call me on (212)-335-4579 for an Interview where we can further discuss my suitability for the position and a long time career with the Bank. Yours sincerely, Name of Writer. Encl: Resume Note: Please include your own resume and make changes to University and GPA in letter. References Buchanan, J. & Huczynski, A. (2007). Organizational Behavior. Prentice Hall. Houle, C. (1980). Continuing Learning in the Professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ. : Prentice Hall. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations across Nations. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications. Hooker, J. (2003). Working Across Cultures. Stanford University Press. Jarvis, P. (1995). Adult and Continuing Education: Theory and Practice 2nd ed. London: Routledge. Kinicki, A. & Kreitner, R.(2007). Organizational Behaviour, 8th ed. McGraw Hill/ Irwin. Koontz, H. & Weihrich, H. (1990). Essentials of Management, 5th ed. McGraw Hill. Tuckman, B. (1965). ‘Developmental Sequence in Small Groups’. Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 63, pp 384-399. Werther, W. B. & Davis, K. (1995). Human Resources and Personnel Management. McGraw Hill Education. Read More