Personal Development Plan: Improving My Understanding

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Personal Development Plan Aim 1: Improving my understanding of what a leader is and my ability to lead a team. Action: My current employers have offered to put me through a two-day leadership course with Impact Factory. I will watch and understand presentational talks on ‘How to be a great leader’ via TED Talk. Learn from observing experienced managers doing their job. Resources: Training course, presentations, observation. Measurement: Impact Factory course assessment report, current employer’s quarterly performance review, presentations. Review Date: All these actions will be received by the latest of this time next year (March 2020).

Aim 2: Improve my self-confidence within the workplace. Action: Volunteer to lead the next project that arises at work to build credibility and experience. Watch presentations to get a better understanding of how to build my self-confidence and also to understand that it’s okay to fail. Become more outgoing in work and friendship groups. Resources: My senior manager’s approval to control the next project, work colleagues, and friends. Measurement: After project report from colleagues and manager, test myself by entering situations I usually avoid and analyze outcomes, feedback from colleagues and friends on personality change. Review Date: Aim to complete these actions by September 2019, within the next half year.

Aim 3: Active Listening – I would like to improve my listening skills to better understand situations as they arise. Action: Watch and understand videos on effective listening skills via TED Talk. Read Forbes article ‘6 Ways Effective Listening Can Make You a Better Leader’. Hold regular meetings with my supervisor where he will question aspects of work. Resources: Videos, article, supervisor’s approval. Measurement: Apply learned listening skills in real scenarios, analyze performance improvement, receive feedback from supervisor. Review Date: Complete by March 2020.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective leadership and self-confidence are crucial components for career development and personal growth within the workplace. This essay presents a comprehensive personal development plan (PDP) that reflects on existing skills and outlines strategic actions to enhance leadership capability, self-confidence, and active listening skills, all vital for effective management and professional success.

Self-Reflection on Existing Skills and Subject Knowledge

My current strengths include a strong work ethic, the ability to observe and learn from more experienced colleagues, and a genuine interest in developing leadership skills. I am proactive in seeking opportunities for growth and open to feedback which helps me identify areas needing improvement. However, weaknesses such as limited practical leadership experience, low self-confidence in new responsibilities, and underdeveloped active listening skills hinder my effectiveness in team management and communication. Recognizing these weaknesses allows me to set clear targets for growth and tailor strategies to address these limitations effectively.

My understanding of leadership has primarily been theoretical, gained through academic coursework and informal observation. I acknowledge that practical experience is essential, which motivates my plans to participate in leadership training and observe senior managers. Additionally, my self-confidence fluctuates depending on the situation, and I often find it challenging to voice my ideas or take charge. Improving active listening is crucial to understand team dynamics and meet leadership expectations effectively.

Personal Development Plan

This PDP aims to develop three core skills: leadership understanding, self-confidence, and active listening. The goals are to cultivate practical leadership skills, enhance self-assurance in workplace responsibilities, and improve listening capabilities for better communication and team management.

Aim 1: Improving understanding of leadership and team management

Actions: I will participate in a two-day leadership course with Impact Factory to acquire structured knowledge and practical tools. Additionally, I plan to watch TED Talks on leadership to gain insights from renowned speakers. Observation of experienced managers during their daily duties will serve as a practical learning method, enabling me to see leadership in action.

Resources: The training course provided by Impact Factory, relevant TED Talks, and opportunities for observation within my current organization.

Measurement: Success will be assessed through the impact factory’s assessment report, feedback from my employer’s quarterly performance reviews, and my ability to deliver presentations confidently as observed during internal evaluations.

Review & Time Scale: All objectives are aimed to be achieved by March 2020, providing ample time to reflect and integrate learning.

Aim 2: Building Self-Confidence in the Workplace

Actions: Volunteering to lead upcoming projects will serve as practical exercises to boost confidence and credibility. To complement this, I will watch presentation videos addressing ways to foster self-confidence and normalize failure as part of growth. I also aim to improve my interpersonal skills by becoming more outgoing in workplace interactions and social situations.

Resources: I will rely on my supervisor’s approval to take charge of projects, support from colleagues, and feedback from friends to monitor personality improvements.

Measurement: The effectiveness of these actions will be gauged through project reports from colleagues and supervisors, as well as self-assessment of behaviors by analyzing situations I previously avoided. Feedback from close colleagues and friends will further assist in measuring perceived changes in my confidence level.

Review & Time Scale: These actions are targeted to be completed within six months, by September 2019, emphasizing timely growth within my career timeline.

Aim 3: Enhancing Active Listening Skills

Actions: I intend to watch educational videos on active listening via TED Talk to understand key techniques. Reading articles such as Forbes’ ‘6 Ways Effective Listening Can Make You a Better Leader’ will deepen my understanding of employer expectations. I will practice these skills in regular meetings with my supervisor, where targeted questions and active listening will be emphasized.

Resources: The curated videos, articles, and the support of my supervisor’s guidance are essential resources to facilitate improvement.

Measurement: Evaluation will involve applying active listening techniques during real interactions, analyzing any improvements in comprehension and communication, and obtaining regular feedback from my supervisor to track progression.

Review & Time Scale: All listening-related objectives will be pursued with completion targeted for March 2020, aligning with the overall development timeline.

Conclusion

This personal development plan provides a structured approach to cultivating key leadership qualities, boosting self-confidence, and improving communication skills. These targeted actions, supported by relevant resources and measurable outcomes, will foster my professional growth and prepare me for higher responsibilities. Achieving these goals within the specified timeline will not only enhance my individual capabilities but also positively impact my contributions to my organization.

References

• Goleman, D. (2013). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
• Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. Jossey-Bass.
• Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.
• Rogers, C., & Farson, R. (2019). Active Listening. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2019/05/active-listening
• Schwartz, T. (2014). The Power of Self-Confidence. Random House.
• Carnegie, D. (2010). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Simon & Schuster.
• Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House.
• Heifetz, R., & Laurie, D. (2017). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. Harvard Business Review.
• Baer, D. (2013). The Confidence Gap. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2013/10/the-confidence-gap/
• Forbes. (2020). 6 Ways Effective Listening Can Make You a Better Leader. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/02/20/6-ways-effective-listening-can-make-you-a-better-leader/