Personal and professional development reflection, an example

Task 1: Be able to take responsibility for own personal and professional development

1.1 Reflect on own current skills and competencies as IT manager against professional standards set by BCS such as SFIA plus or personal and professional development plan or similar and how you contribute towards as an individual employee of Aldi to meet their organizational objectives

During the meeting I discussed different ways to evaluate different standard skills. The employees should be reviewed each month by their superiors as per the company guidelines to focus on the improvement and fulfilling target set.

The professional ability standards can be used to judge the skills and achievement of an individual along with the areas of improvement to meet professional standard. A monthly appraisal cycle in written can be the best way to record the work done. Someone’s working skills & ability can be set as an appropriate standard in professional and organizational.

1.2 Evaluate own development needs as an IT manager at Aldi and the activities required to meet them

It is helpful to keep a record of learning to judge one’s own development. It can be recorded in the personal diary for past review to make future action plans. This process helps everyone to self analyze their strength and weakness. A self analysis is the best way to know your own positive and negative side.

Proper interaction with your superiors can help you to develop your weak areas by seeking their advice. The Aldi Company’s various level standards can be referred to form an idea to develop skills. The negative side can be focused and improved from the suggestions provided by training manager.

Task 2: Be able to demonstrate acquired interpersonal and transferable skills

2.1 Communicate in a variety of styles such as verbal and non-verbal, openness and responsiveness and appropriate manner such as personal effectiveness, various levels such as form a working with others at l feedback to and from colleagues ,and informal at Aldi.

Presently there are various methods in the workplace for communication. The very first is written communication which can be presented on a paper and can be stored for future reference. E-mail and fax are digital communications. It is generally used by Aldi company for better communication in work areas. The stored documents which are deleted in error can be used as testimonials.

The second one is oral communication, it can be face to face or by telephone and now in it market Skype is famous. It is usually used everywhere mostly in stock exchange where everyone can listen.

Meetings are an opportunity to communicate face to face and it provides an better understanding to your superiors and colleagues. Any information given over phone can be misleading depending upon the people who is answering the phone and also upon the telephone network. At workplace telephonic conference with head office or central office can save time and money of Aldi Company.

Third one is information technology like e-mails, internet memos, and fax. It is quick, cheaper and best way to share information within company.

2.2 Demonstrate effective time management strategies such as adopted prioritizing workloads; setting work objectives; using time effectively; making and keeping appointments and reliable estimates of task time by it manager role in Aldi.

Time keeping is the top most elements for successful companies duly executed by an efficient employee. Time management depends upon the following factors as under:

1. Individual behavior and character
2. Balance in personal and professional work life
3. Companies approach towards individual
4. Time saving and accuracy by using information technology

Time management personnel should prepare priority based work plans. Individual should be aware about the effect of wasting time shall result in decrease in productivity which in turn affect the revenue of the Aldi company and their job security also. Employee should prepare a checklist including all works and regular updating the same after completion of every work. Effective time setting as per the work may result in increased productivity with accuracy.

2.3 devise a personal and professional development plan includes such as current performance, future needs, SWOT based on identified needs as it manager.

Proper interaction with the superiors shall give the individual an opportunity to identify the difficulties. The individuals can request for training to overcome from these difficulties through this process.

Employees should be enrolled based on their required courses. An individual can derive an action plan to prove management the benefit of the course and also the way to achieve the needs. The goals should be in action plan including the time frame along with steps to be taken care to achieve the target set.

Identifying the needs a plan should be brought into action to handle those objects. It is must to mention both the personal and professional improvement as because success in one leads to success in others. The objective set must include individual needs and the time frame for achievement.

Every target has some certain process to meet the target set in a timely manner. Lack of knowledge can be given importance before the frequent development can be ensured. A proper discussion with your colleagues and superiors can resolve the same. It includes flexibility on timely reported progress.

2.4 reflects on own development as an it manager at Aldi against original aims and objectives set in your personal and professional development plan

The learner can review their performance after their training sessions to judge the benefits of learning by self or by the help of tutor. The areas of improvement should be discussed during the review and change in the plan set shall be focused by the learner. A proper test can be conducted to establish the learning of the candidates. The progress needs to be compared with the target set in the action plan. Proper scale should be derived with the learning’s to view the gaps if any remains.

Based on the learning it is necessary to identify and adjust those areas which are still in need to be concerted on. The adjusted plan contains the way of achievement and time frame also. The action plan must be observed on regular interval to see the improvement. Planning and reviewing is a continuous lifetime process which help to judge the own capacity and develop self consciousness.

Task 3: Understand the dynamics of working with others

3.1 Analyze team dynamics such as informal and formal settings; discussing the roles people play in a team specialist roles, such as skill and style/approach mixes and how they can work together such as team building, identity, loyalty and commitment to shared beliefs to achieve shared goals in Aldi

Every employee depends upon someone to perform his or her work perfectly. Other employees have also similar work knowledge and willing to work on your position. This is not necessary to demand for your work. You and your family members depend upon the salary provided by the Aldi Company against your working. This should always be in your mind to restrict your behaviours not only to save your job but also for your job satisfaction.

This is required in each and every level of work where you should work as a team to be productive. You should always depend upon the working team to achieve the target set. You should always be ready to help your working team from your work contribution to meet the target.

There are some situations where you shall have to work without any team members to share your work. This situation usually arises at the top level, which forms part of a working team. Working as successful teams help the company to meet their target set. Together with a team, an employee can be much more productive as in the Aldi Company.

3.2 discusses alternative ways to complete tasks such as setting standards, motivating, innovative and responsive and achieve team goals in Aldi

For better result team work is more important in a company, where everybody is responsible for a company success. The swot analysis is derived to maximize the productivity and achievement of the set target.

Effort of every individual is accounted in the team work. Members involved in team need to combine their efforts to achieve the company goals. This has to be recognized by the top management and acknowledge that great things can happen with the team work. Every employee is unique and should be recognized and appreciated individually.

Responsiveness

• Good teams are very much responsive and flexible to opportunities and client requirement.
• Responsive teams can easily deals with any unknown situation.

• responsiveness is encouraged by:

• Developing plans as per the prevailing situation
• Issues to be communicated very clear
• Developing hindrance and issue resolution process

Innovation

• Better team work results in more innovation
• Teams should have quality standard, time frame and creative innovation to improve processes.
• Experience and ideas of seniors within any team should be taken which doing team work.
• Every employee should be free to provide his innovative ideas and be introduced to the brainstorming sessions.

Team work identifies that every members have different strength and knowledge. If the top management judge the individual’s skill, then appropriate job allocation can be done based on the individual knowledge results in timely completion of goals.

Task 4: Be able to develop strategies for problem solving

4.1 Review tools and methods such as timescale, stages, resources and critical path analysis for developing solutions to problems in the selected organization

One presentation is requested by the hr manager of Aldi Company on various problems. In this presentation one document will be handed over the audience i.e. quiz. The quiz will contain ten questions with work based problems. Candidates need to answer by selecting one of the four available alternatives.

The candidates need to answer the quiz with their best solution. The candidates who will answer maximum will be rewarded with a prize. One example of the quiz is , if an employee has a dinner conference at a graduate bureau suddenly an emergency meeting arranged with the superior. For this four options will be available. After marking the correct answers learners can discuss the answer. They get an opportunity to deal with the different situations in an interactive way.

4.2 develop an appropriate strategy for resolving a particular problem such as duplication of records in hr department in Aldi

Good analyzer uses different techniques and tricks to solve problems. Before using it analyzer needs to remember as below:

1. Take time to reach to solutions
2. Don’t make it fast to decide
3. Don’t give up
4. Be flexible to each and every character
5. Try it to the extent

To reach the solution one should follow the following steps:

1. Observation of the problem
2. Try to understand the base of problems
3. Don’t use the extra details available
4. Make a plan
5. Go through the plan with care
6. Check your attempts carefully
7. If solution does come then try another option

The best way to solve the problems is to draw a diagram and go through the same. Just take one example of how many diagonals a heptagon has. To overcome this you should draw a heptagon along with the diagonals. If it does not work then go for the trial and error strategy which everybody uses as a problem solving strategy. In this you will try one answer if the same is not appropriate you can try another. And will stop after finding the correct answer. This is good when few answers are available.

4.3 Evaluate the potential impact on the business measurement of solution against specification and desired outcomes implementing the strategy such as built a new hr system in Aldi.

Implementation includes proper planning and preparation. You should know that what situation is going to arise if first step is taken. Planning always depends upon the action plan followed by the problem. Action plan consists:

1. Who will do that
2. When and how to do that

In size planning depends upon the size of projects. If you need to implement any new thing, needs good support from top management otherwise implementation can get collapsed. During the planning and researching stage you need to convince everyone that your solution is the best and it will work within the set frame. During this support will arise and based on inputs given by others make changes.

After making necessary changes your adjusted plan will be ready to make others convincing for your support. A proper monitoring is required to judge your proposed plan.

• Are the people now available who were allocated to the tasks (Illness or holidays could prevent this)?
• Is the funds liquid/ready to be used?
• Are there any other complications that could interfere with the implementation?
• What alternatives could be applied?
• Did the first stage of the implementation go according to plan?
• If not, which immediate corrective action can be taken?
• What does such action involve?
• Is this all readily available?
• Are decision makers willing and able to allocate these resources?

References

Bandura. A (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.

Berko, R.M., Wolvin, A.D. & Wolvin, D.R. 2010:9-12. Communicating. 11th edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Golding, L. & Gray, I. (2006).Continuing professional development for clinical psychologists: A practical handbook. The British Psychological Society. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

Jasper, M. (2006).Professional development, reflection, and decision-making. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Levi, D (2010) Group Dynamics for Teams, Business and Economics; Sage Publishers

Murphy-Latta, T (2008). A Comparative Study of Professional Development Utilizing the Missouri Commissioner’s Award of Excellence and Indicators of Student Achievement. ProQuest. p. 19.

Speck, M. & Knipe, C. (2005) Why can’t we get it right? Designing high-quality professional development for standards-based schools (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

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