Personal Development Plan - Admission/Application Essay Example

Personal Development Plan Introduction Career development is one of the main objectives of any enthusiastic professional who wants to capture the heights in his profession. It is difficult for a person to get promoted to higher positions if he fails to make changes in his professional career. Each position in the career requires different strategies to succeed. For example, a computer operator’s job is entirely different from that of the computer programmer’s job. On the other hand a computer programmer job is entirely different from that of a system administrator job. A person who has started his professional life as a computer operator can achieve higher positions if he is smart enough in adapting with the situations. Career aspiring professionals must develop a personal development plan in order to make them capable of accepting bigger challenges in their future professional life. The success of their professional life will depend on how strictly they implement this plan in their personal and professional life. Management and leadership qualities are essential for those who seek higher positions in an organization. The person who seeks higher positions must have a proper idea about his merits and demerits or strengths and weakness at present in order to develop a personal development plan. In this paper, I would like to explain my personal development plan with the help of my current position and future aspirations in my professional life. Analysis of my current position At present I am working as a ‘Senior Analyst Programmer’ at Sparq Solutions (www.Sparq.com.au). Apart from the Programmer’s job, I am leading a team of computer professionals (Team Leader) for executing various projects. I have around 12 years experience in IT field in different companies and different locations. In other words my work experience has lot of diversity. Basically, I am a Bachelor in Information Technology and at the moment I'm doing a subject called Managing People at Australian Institute of Management. Moreover, I have planned to complete the Master of Business Administration (MBA) course also from Southern Cross University, after finishing my present management course. My goal is to get a broad knowledge in Management as I'm quite confident in my Technical skills. I know very well that apart from technical skills, management skills are essential for me to climb the professional ladder. My immediate aim is to become an IT manager and then a CIO and for that purpose I have to improve my management capabilities. I am coming from a Middle Easter background (Qatar is my native place) and I would like to serve my country in future. I believe that, it is the duty of every citizen to give something back to the country, in return to the expenses the country incurred for developing us as good citizens through proper education. I can see myself contributing in the IT infrastructure in Qatar. I also need to enhance my management skill by doing other courses to enhance my ability in leading and managing people. I have set a five year term, in order to achieve the targets or goals of my personal development plan. Summary of reflective thoughts relating to my learning throughout the trimester “By management system, we’re referring to the integrated set of processes and tools that a company uses to develop its strategy, translate it into operational actions, and monitor and improve the effectiveness of both. The failure to balance the tensions between strategy and operations is pervasive: Various studies done in the past 25 years indicate that 60% to 80% of companies fall short of the success predicted from their new strategies” (Kaplan & Norton, 2008) Man, Material, Machine and Money are the four M’s which needed to be managed efficiently for the growth of an organization. These are the parameters which are constantly interacting in an organizational environment. Man management is one of the most difficult among the four mentioned above because of the fact that only the man has the life, intelligence and emotions. The manager should have adopted suitable management strategies in order to derive the maximum out of the workers. Sometimes the managers may adopt democratic styles in their functioning whereas they may force to implement autocratic approaches at times in order to get the work done form the workers in the right time. ‘Different management styles like conservative, entrepreneurial, professional, bureaucratic, organic, authoritarian, participative, intuitive, familial, altruistic etc are used by managers to manage the workers, based on the circumstances and the work culture in the organization’ (Khandwalla, 2009)Materials, Machineries and Money are the other management areas which should be focussed by a manager. Judicious utilization of these resources required for an organization to achieve its targets. Skills like communication, prioritising, Analysing, Decision-making, Valuing and Delegating, Leadership, Supporting Others, Reporting, and Motivating are required for a person to improve his management skills. (My Personal Development Plan, n.d, p.2) Communication is the most important management skill required for a manager. The manager should be able to communicate with his subordinates effectively using mediums like verbal, written or body language. How effectively a manager uses different methods of communication in various circumstances will influence the end result. “Employees want to know where the business is going and what they need to focus on. As the world changes, they want to know how the business vision and priorities might change along with it. While managers are taught to actively communicate, many either unintentionally undercommunicate or fail to articulate specific priorities that would give meaning to their vision” (Kaplan, 2007) In any case the ultimate aim of the manager is to make the subordinate capable of executing the job properly. Prioritizing and analyzing are other aspects of management. The manger should be able to analyze the information he receives and should prioritize which problems or works needed to be addressed first. For example, a Production manager must prioritize the work schedule based on the customer requirement. He should be able to analyze that at what time a particular job may be finished and what time that can be delivered. Leadership qualities are essential prerequisite for a manager. Leading a group of people coming from different social, economical and political backgrounds and also with different intellectual levels is difficult. The leader must lead from the front. He must be able to advice the subordinates on complex situations. For that purpose, he must be able to take quick and decisive decisions. Moreover the manager must be able to motivate his team members in order to increase their productivity. For that purpose, he may require to adopt different strategies like rewards and punishments. The manager must be able to read the strengths and weakness of his subordinates and based on that only he must allocate jobs to them. He must be able to assess the risks involved in the jobs he may allotted to the workers. Political and bureaucratic barriers may affect the functioning of a manager. He must develop techniques which are essential to overcome such obstacles. Apart from the work knowledge the manager must possess excellent problem solving skills. Problems can come from even unexpected corners and the academic knowledge alone may not be helpful for the manager to solve such problems. In such situations the manager must use common sense and take appropriate decisions at the right time. Projection of what I would like to achieve “Planning, Problem Solving, Reviewing, Monitoring/control Evaluating, Thinking Strategically, Information, Consulting, Presenting Information, Management etc are the core managerial functions. (My Personal Development Plan, n.d, p.5). So far I have worked at the bottom level management areas and the above managerial functions were not involved in my area of work. Because of the above fact I am less experienced in all the above areas and I would like to improve all the skills mentioned above. “Planning is traditionally considered to be one of the four major functions of management, along with organizing, leading and coordinating/controlling. Simply put, planning is identifying where you want to go, why you want to go there, how you will get there, what you need in order to get there and how you will know if you're there or not.” (McNamara, MBA, PhD, 2008) Planning help a manager to complete projects within the time frame in a cost effective manner. Planning should be accompanied by proper control to see that all the workers are functioning as planned. Even a single worker who functions less than the expectations of the manager can effectively spoil a project. The manager should plan materials and equipments needed for a project apart from the man power. Problem solving is another skill which I should acquire in order to become a successful manager. The current business environment is filled with expected and unexpected problems. The manger has to find out suitable solutions for each problem in order to succeed in his work. The ability of the manager in solving problems how quickly and effectively will determine the success of the project. Control/monitoring is one of the main managerial functions like many other things in an organization. Control is a regulatory process of establishing standards to achieve organizational goals, comparing actual performance against the standards, and taking corrective action, when necessary. We cannot implement control beyond certain limits. Limitless controls often result in negative results. But whatever the control exercised must be dynamic. Management was originally invented to solve two problems: the first—getting semiskilled employees to perform repetitive activities competently, diligently, and efficiently; the second—coordinating those efforts in ways that enabled complex goods and services to be produced in large quantities. In a nutshell, the problems were efficiency and scale, and the solution was bureaucracy, with its hierarchical structure, cascading goals, precise role definitions, and elaborate rules and procedures. Managers today face a new set of problems, products of a volatile and unforgiving environment. Some of the most critical: How in an age of rapid change do you create organizations that are as adaptable and resilient as they are focused and efficient? How in a world where the winds of creative destruction blow at gale force can a company innovate quickly and boldly enough to stay relevant and profitable? How in a creative economy where entrepreneurial genius is the secret to success do you inspire employees to bring the gifts of initiative, imagination, and passion to work every day? How at a time when the once hidden costs of industrialization have become distressingly apparent do you encourage executives to fulfill their responsibilities to all stakeholders? (Hamel, 2009) The employees, even if they are highly experienced, when they join a new organization, certain type of customization is often required. Management styles and organizational functioning may not be same everywhere and the new employees must be well accustomed with the company philosophy and ethical standards in order to organize them effectively. The mangers or the HR department is responsible for shaping such employees suitable for the company. Each employee should have a clear picture about the do’s and don’ts in the company. They should be aware of their roles in the company. Changes are taking place everywhere and business sector is also not an exception. The conventional business concepts and strategies have changed a lot in order to accommodate the demands of Globalization. International business activities have increased a lot and most of the MNC’s looking for overseas opportunities in order to increase their profits. Outsourcing and offshoring are relatively new business concepts entered into the business world because of globalization. The managers must be capable of foresee these changes and take appropriate strategies all the time. Business environment is changing rapidly and nothing can remain constant forever. The changing business world always raises new questions which have to be answered by the managers using their common sense. It is not easy for any institution to shape a perfect manager by providing academic knowledge alone. The onsite work experiences will be far different than the one taught in the classes. The manger should be a person who is capable of think critically to reach solutions or conclusions. Smart companies perceive not just threats in a recession but also opportunities. Their goal is to grow so they can emerge stronger from the downturn. In fact, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, companies like General Electric, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble outmaneuvered rivals to become leaders. They turned adversity into advantage in different ways, but a quick analysis reveals one common thread: During the Depression, these companies developed value-for-money strategies: They grew by delivering products and services that enabled hard-hit consumers to do more with the same resources and become more effective; to do the same with fewer resources, thereby improving their efficiency; or to do less with far fewer resources, which helped them economize. (Williamson and Zeng, 2009) Strategies must be well and good for all the occasions. It is easy for a manager to formulate strategies for a well managed organization running in profit. But is it is difficult for a manager to do the same in a company running in loss. The manager must be a person who is capable of planning his resources equally well both at good times and bad times. The current global financial crisis has created an anxiety across the business world. Since the current crisis come at an unexpected time, nobody has taken enough precautions to meet it. But good companies always turn the current crisis into an opportunity to make profit. For example, the current crisis has destroyed the small scale industries and hence the competition in the market has reduced considerably which is an opportunity for the big companies to increase the prices of their products. Action Plan for achieving personal goals as an ethical manager and developer of people I do not believe in the immorality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern without any superhuman authority behind it. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)” (Gallagher, 2005) Informed consent, deception, privacy and confidentiality and accuracy are the core elements of any ethical standards. Ethical standards are diminishing form the current business world and it is difficult for a manager to keep professional ethics all the time in his duties. We are often come across with situations in which our personal values conflicting with the professional responsibilities. “Managers respond to these situations in a variety of ways: some impulsively “go with their gut”; others talk it over with their friends, colleagues, or families; still others think back to what a mentor would do in similar circumstances. In every case, regardless of what path is chosen, these decisions taken cumulatively over many years from the very basis of an individual’s character” (Badaracco, Jr., 2006). For example, Christians like to refrain from their duties on Sundays because of their religious beliefs. Same way Fridays are observed as a sacred day for the Muslims. But it is not possible for the organizations to give holidays to employees on all these sacred days. Same time a Muslim would like to attend the Friday Masjid prayer like the Christians who would like to attend the Sunday mass. In all the above cases the manager irrespective of his religion or beliefs should attend his duties irrespective of their religious beliefs. The managers should treat all the people equally irrespective of their religion or beliefs. Biasing in any form will not be a good managerial practice. Managers should keep maximum possible diplomacy and dignity in their approaches. “In terms of creating profits, it is important to understand that in practical terms, it is difficult to create social awareness or consider social issues without being able to prove their value to the business shareholder or stakeholder. Thus, any managers' first priority should be profits, once the objective of achieving the highest possible profits have been achieved, an organization can effort to pursue alternate goals of societal concerns and improvement” (Managerial Ethics, 2008) A Manager is the link between the organization and the employees. Moreover, the manager should ensure that the stakeholder’s and the organization’s interest must be given priority. At the same time an ethical manager should consider his responsibilities to the society. Society is a decisive factor for the successful operation of an organization. Organizations which operate in a society should understand that since they are exploiting the resources of the society, they have a commitment towards the society in which it is functioning. An ethical manager should try to keep a balance between the organizational interests and the social interests. “Ethics involves evaluating and knowing "right from wrong" in a specific situation. There are two broad areas associated with the concept of managerial ethics: 1) managerial mischief, and 2) moral mazes” (Managerial Ethics, 2009) Illegal, unethical, or questionable practices from the manager’s side can be classified under managerial mischief whereas potential conflicts of interest, wrongful use of resources, mismanagement of contracts and agreements, and misuse of power and influence can be categorized under moral mazes Action Plan for the next 5 years Sl.No. Action Resources Duration 1 I have to finish my course called Managing People, at Australian Institute of Management at first along with my present job as ‘Senior Analyst Programmer’ I have to find out suitable materials and formulate strategies to finish this course successfully. Complete the present course within 6 months 2 After the completion of the above course I will join the MBA course at Southern Cross University I have to collect as much as information about this course and should find out suitable materials t complete this course successfully Complete MBA within 2 years 3 After the completion of MBA my immediate aim is to become an IT manager and then CIO I have to utilize the knowledge I received from my previous courses in order to get the promotion. Get the promotion within 6 months from the completion of MBA 4 Work as an IT manager for at least 2 years in Australia I like to put a strong base to my future career during this period using the resources in my organization Two years 5 I would like to relocate to my home country after the two year tenure in Australia either as IT manager or CIO Rest of my career, I would like to devote to my country, Qatar Rest of my career life Conclusions Personal development plan is essential for the future career aspirations of a person. Strategies formulated using time frames will help a person well organized and to concentrate on career goals one after other. Management and leadership qualities are essential for the development of a career in every organization. Management strategies are changing day by day especially because of the current globalization and liberalization policies. Scientific management techniques and organizational principles have been redefined periodically to accommodate the periodical changes and only a continuous learner would be successful in management career. References 1. Khandwalla P.N., (2009), Effective Management Styles: An Indian Study, Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://ideas.repec.org/p/iim/iimawp/1241.html 2. My Personal Development Plan, (n.d), Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/Horizontal_Services_files/PDPSample.pdf 3. McNamara Carter, MBA, PhD,(2008) Planning in Organizations, Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/plan_dec.htm 4. Hamel Gary,(2009) Moon Shots for Management, Harvard Business Review Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/02/moon-shots-for-management/ar/1 5. Williamson Peter J. and Zeng Ming (2009), Value-for-Money Strategies for Recessionary Times, Harvard Business Review , Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/03/value-for-money-strategies-for-recessionary-times/ar/1 6. Kaplan Robert S. & Norton David P. (2008), Mastering the Management System, Harvard Business Review, Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2008/01/mastering-the-management-system/ar/1 7. Kaplan Robert S. (2007), What to Ask the Person in the Mirror, Harvard Business Review, Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2007/01/what-to-ask-the-person-in-the-mirror/ar/1 8. Badaracco Joseph L., Jr.(2006), The Discipline of Building Character, Harvard Business Review, Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2006/01/the-discipline-of-building-character/ar/1 9. Gallagher Greg, (2005), An examination of ethical issues pertaining to educational research Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://level3.dit.ie/html/issue3/ggallagher/ggallagher.pdf 10. Managerial Ethics, (2008), Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/managerial-ethics-316301.html 11. Managerial Ethics,( 2009), Retrieved on 3 August 2009 from http://planningskills.com/glossary/142.php Read More