personal development plan

University Degree Business and Administrative studies

Personal Development and Learning Plan

MUGE GUNGOR

ID No: 12416119

Autumn Term - 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Executive Summary/Key Findings ............................................................................... 4

1.2 Learning Development Plan........................................................................................... 5

1.3 Learning Style Analysis...................................................................................................6

2.0 Conclusion..................................................................................................................... 10

2.1 Personal Development Plan........................................................................................... 11

2.2 References..................................................................................................................... 13

1.0 Introduction

This paper seeks to prepare my learning styles in my field to become an effective manager in an organisation. Using learning techniques learned in this course give me strong analytical skills and ingenuity to provide logical solutions and getting feedback how others see me. Applying critical analysis tools will detect my learning styles and a create action plan which helps me to identifying and evaluating my goals. I will examine SWOT analyze to define my goals and explain my steps to achieve my goals.

My current situation is that working for a specialist in PR company facilitating communication between key individuals in each business area and developing contacts with each stakeholder group. My role is as a PR manager, develop, implement and deliver a proactive PR Strategy. This goal of this plan is to be able to attain the position of PR manager which requires the following: strategic decision making, analytical thinking skills, and creativity. This report will focus on the key improvement my career.

I used two different approaches in SWOT analysis, which helped to define current views of myself. Maslow`s hierarchy of needs pyramid which help me to define my current personal needs and Alan Mumford who analyse management development process and learning styles by using your learning experiences.

Executive Summary/Key Findings

This report presents the outcomes of the ′Personal development planning (PDP) in the 1 October 2008 to 1 March 2009 practice-focused development project for the First Six Months Theme. The PDP aims and objectives are set out in the context of the work of the other Six Months Theme, each of which focused on different aspects of personal improving in the first six months, and on other significant developments in PDP implementation.

The content of the report is outlined with reference to the outcomes – Personal Development Plan, which is appended.

The main body of the report examines the key issues identified by the learning styles questionnaire and discussion my preferred learning styles, which are used to illustrate some of the issues arising, as well as listing associated recommendations for the learning skills and motivation. The learning development plan has three key aims:

helps me to understand my learning strengths
encourages me to take responsibility for my own development
shows me how to make the whole process really useful.

This is a preview of the whole essay

The content of the report is outlined with reference to the outcomes – Personal Development Plan, which is appended.

helps me to understand my learning strengths
encourages me to take responsibility for my own development
shows me how to make the whole process really useful.

Finally, the learning plan′s concluding remarks bring together the salient points emerging from the project. The key message is that a clear rationale for implementing PDP which help me prepare a long-term improvement plan.

1.2 Learning Development Plan

The personal SWOT analysis and learning process help me to gain new point of view which improved understand of learning and cause me recognise and improve my own learning process. This vision is really important to compass realising how company see me. One of the key points to need to be developed that makes the effort to connect on a personal level with around me.

Working as a PR specialist public that I must show creativity, initiative, good judgment and have the ability to communicate thoughts clearly and simply. Decision-making, problem-solving and research skills also are important. I believe developing my reflector style of working would be helpful. Peter Honey and Alan Mumford (2006) indicate that “reflectors like to think about things in detail before taking action. They take a thoughtful approach. They are good listeners and prefer to adopt a low profile. They are prepared to read and re-read and will welcome the opportunity to repeat a piece of learning”. By improving my reflector style I will be happier to engage in thorough preparation prior to decision making/problem solving, I can prepared to set time aside to mull over experiences and clarify lessons learned and think through what to do better or differently. I will be more patient with researching a topic, gathering relevant data and generally checking things out and more respectful of other people's experiences and a better listener. My score 6 shows that this point should be improved. How I can strengthen my reflector style. The first step is to decide what aspects I would like to develop than I planned some actions that will give me practice in improving reflector style. For all actions are short of time to plan or think, I prefer to move quickly from one activity to another, being patient for action. I did my targets break them down into smaller, more feasible steps. I tried to observe people's behaviour. I kept records about who does the most talking, who interrupts whom and kept a diary and each evening write an account of what happened during the day and I could reach useful conclusions from them reflect on the day's events. I made a list lessons learned from this activity. I gave myself something to research, something that requires the painstaking gathering of data from different sources. I went to local library and spend a few hours in the reference section.

Another key point is important to have a strategic linking plan that will able me to improve leadership skills in the work place. I have not enough experience management skills, I want to become a more effective manager. I will research the way how to be effective manager for the people I manage.

I feel that I cannot use my time effectively because I am going to monitor it. This is supporting by the results from the workshop in which Time Management questioner (University of Bradford, School of Management) was only my score of 33. I want to be a good time manager. It needs to develop my own time personal action plan.

1.3 Learning Style Analysis

The Swot diagram gives me a chance to control my strengths, threats and focus on better articulating my performance characteristics. SWOT helps in understanding the career aspirations of an individual and assessing how far I am willing to reach my career planning. Using SWOT for the improving my skills help to understand learning opportunities.

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford (2006) have identified four main learning styles. It indicates to learning type by getting a score 13 of on the learning style score for an Activist. “Activist likes to take direct action. They are enthusiastic and welcome new challenges and experiences. They are less interested in what has happened in the past or in putting things into a broader context. They are primarily interested in the here and now. They like to have a go, try things out ad participate. They like to be the centre of attention. So, in summary, Activists like: to think on their feet, to have short sessions, plenty of variety, the opportunity to initiate, to participate and have fun”.

STRENGTHS

Adaptability, hard-working, self motivated, self discipline, confident, good team player, good contacts, high level of energy, ability to work under pleasure, well educated. I look for new experiences and jumps in at the deep.

WEAKNESSESS

Lack of work research skills, leader ship skills, weak of job-hunting skills, creativity, make a decision and time management, often take unnecessary risks.

OPPORTUNITIES

Quick learner, have in the field by enhancing my education, professional development in Human Resources.

THREATS

My visa restricts jobs, lack of the advanced education, not be native English speaker.

According to the Maslow’s Needs Pyramid, it shows that my goals are included Esteem Needs. Internal esteem needs are related to self-esteem such as self respect and achievement. I will develop my leadership skills by learns about and cultivates the qualities of a good leader and knows when to exercise leadership. Share leadership with others or allow others to take the leadership role. Exercises leadership as a member of other teams or units within the organisation and acknowledges the contribution of all members of the team.

Figure 1: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm)

The SWOT analysis suggests that I have trouble to make a creative project. I need to improve my reflector learning style to help me to become more creative person. I usually learn most when observing individuals or groups at work and producing reports and analyses, performing tasks without tight deadlines. In figure 2 (the learning cycle) gives me a useful model which develops my practice. According to the theory “The learner must make the link between the theory and action by planning, acting out, reflecting and relating it back”.

Figure 2: The Learning Cycle (Peter Honey and Alan Mumford, 2006)

The learning cycle is the best approach to get knowledge from day to day experiences and I view myself how I did a task then I have a chance to review it. I can start anywhere in the cycle because each step link to the next. It is like a dominoes game. It fits with my work life. I have experiences in PR, if I would like to apply my experiences in HR or I could start at stage 4 choosing to learn a new process. I can see clearly how I would cope with a similar problem in the future.

2.0 Conclusion

This analysis has solidified my belief that having a personal career plan is essential activity in today's workplace. It is very clear that this analysis determined where I am in my career and where I want to go, designing an action plan with my goals. A personal career plan provided a direction like a career path. I enable to set goals and take the actions that will lead to best destination.

The SWOT analysis help to me to clarify my strengths and weaknesses identify opportunities than I gain more knowledge about myself to detect threats. I evaluated my current situation and reflect internally (strengths and weaknesses), also I can look to the future and explore externally (opportunities and threats). The SWOT analysis focuses on goals and strategies that can help me to open up opportunities down the road by working to reduce some of my weaknesses (or making my strengths even stronger). I can use this table to help me prepare a long-term improvement plan. I preferred active learning styles which help me to see key questions. Will I learn something new? Will there be a variety of different activities? And I try to apply theory to practical situations.

It is really important that I accomplished one of my goals which I will renew it with a new aim. I will keep on making personal development plan for long-term and keep asking question myself to set of new goals which I will regularly improve.

2.2 References

Pedler, M. And Burgoyne, J A. (2002), Managers Guide to Self-Development, London: McGraw-Hill

Honey P. & Mumford A. (1992), The manual of learning styles. Peter Honey, Maidenhead

Honey P. And Mumford A., J. (2006), The Learning Styles Questionnaire, London: Peter Honey Publications