Personal Development Planning
Abstract
Personal development planning is an innovative concept that was developed to ensure that the achievement of a student are tracked in a structured manner. Such a plan has been essential in enhancing their learning and career development, which are essential aspects of their learning and career development. Universities in different countries have facilitated students to develop PDPs, which are integrated with their transcripts. It is essential to note that PDPs have facilitated students to set clear goals that are essential in ensuring they achieve the desired objectives. Personal development planning has facilitated students to develop effective learning skills, as well as management skills. Further, it enables an employer to identify the capabilities of such students when they go seeking employment opportunities. Students are also able to track their performance and identify whether quality assurance accreditation standards (QAAS) as set out by the institutions, which is an essential aspect in evaluating their success.
Key words: personal development plan (PDP), goals, learning, Skills
Introduction
The primary purpose of this report is to illustrate my personal development planning, which will be first achieved by defining what it is with succinct examples as illustrations. The examples will be sufficient in illustrating the benefits of a PDP to a student. Further, this paper will outline a personal development planning outline, which will be essential in illustrating how the goals of the personal development planning are achieved. The paper will also entail the development of learning and study skills, management skills, strengths and weaknesses using a SMART objectives approach. The conclusion part will entail a description of how my studies and learning has met the graduate employability skills as set out by QAAS.
Personal development planning reflects the structured and enhanced process that individual students take for the purpose of reflecting on their learning and achievements in school, which facilitates educational planning and career development. An example in this case, includes an approach adopted by universities in the UK, where the institutions maintain a progress file that comprises a transcript, which is offered by the institutions to the students. The transcripts are used to record the performance of students and their individual achievements. Further, the university also adopt a different file that is used to monitor build and reflect on the student’s personal development (Elearn, 2009, p. 6). The development of a PDP enables students to develop the approaches they use when representing their complex achievements to graduate schools and employers.
Further, PDP has been found to support learning, career planning and development for students. It has been found essential in facilitating the individual development of the learners, facilitating them to achieve the short term and long term objectives in their education and career progression. Additionally, it has been used by learners to assist them in identifying their strengths and weaknesses, which is an essential aspect in enhancing personal development through beneficial management and utilization of such aspects. PDP has been found to increase self-awareness concerning understanding of the personal issues and beliefs that facilitate pursuit of life’s goals (Cottrell, 2010, p. 4). As such, this creates a sense of direction that makes the process of decision making easy and improved focus with effectiveness on the set goals. PDP has been identified as an essential tool in enhancing the motivation of students, because it creates certainty into the future creating greater resilience among students in their student’s life and life after completion (Leonard & Trusty, 2015, p. 32). Since the institution facilitates the development of the PDP, it is created in a way that enhances the achievement of more fulfilling relationships, which further improve personal development.
I have classified my goals in short and long term perspectives and they are wide range in nature encompassing different aspects of my life. In my PDP, focus has been on my career and financial, communication skills, physical and public service objectives.
Career Development Goals
The development of my career is pegged on the academic achievement and the steps I am undertaking towards enhancing my skills and competencies. I am looking to complete my Bachelor degree in management in one and half years after which I am looking forward to attaining employment as a management trainee and later as a professional. I have been attending conferences and workshops aimed towards attaining more information and networking with other stakeholders in the industry with a focus on enhancing progression of skills and competency. To that effect, I have had an opportunity to work as an intern in several three institutions, where I have gained hands on experience on various issues concerning my career. In the long run, after creating the necessary network and amassing the required resources, I am looking forward towards opening a business focusing on event management. As such, I will enrol for additional classes aimed at enhancing my skills towards managing events. This goal is also intertwined with my financial goal, which I will fine tune for the long term objectives based on employment attainment. However, in the short term I have been in a saving plan from the little finances I have been receiving and working for during my paid internships. I have been able to save six thousand dollars, which I want to invest in stocks for a period of one year. When I started school my objective was to attain an upper division on completion and to date my GPA is stable at higher points of the second upper. As such, my academic objectives are well on course and about to be achieved. Further, the participation as an intern in various companies has been in line with my career growth and progression, which I can say confidently that I have achieved significantly.
Communication Skills
Throughout my learning experience, I have come to realize that communication plays an important role in enhancing the personal and career life of an individual. As such, improving my communication skills is a top priority for me.
Public Service Objectives
I acknowledge the importance of giving back to the society, and since I joined University I have been part of the university community that has engaged in various activities aimed at cleaning the environment. Further, I have attended a training on community development, which has enhanced my ability to identify various issues concerning the community and how I can be engaged at the individual level.
Developing Learning & Study Skills
Study skills are essential towards enabling one to study and learn in an efficient manner. The first issue I have always considered in the development of study and learning skills is time and the need to develop a schedule or a timetable. I have found that a schedule works effectively saving time because it ensure I do not wander off the main objectives of the study. Further, it ensures that every moment and minute counts and it considers a wide aspect of the daily activities in and out school (Bingham & Drew, 2012, p. 24). For instance, it takes into account the time taken in lecture halls, social events, group work, private studies and physical activities among other activities. Further, the schedule has made me identify the effective time for different activities to ensure optimal productivity on every activity.
However, it is essential to note that the schedule is not always fixed but flexible meaning it changes with time depending on different issues under consideration. The strategies adopted further entail understanding the books required for my course and other subjects of interest which reduces time for acquisition of such materials. Reading is an essential aspect in learning and I have developed various strategies such ensuring I get the main idea from a text, as well as extracting important information and details pertaining a certain issue under study. Further I always take notes and outline textbooks (Bailey, 2007, p. 52). During lectures, I ensure I take accurate notes, which I keep reviewing and revising to ensure I understand the concepts that were being taught with clarity. Further I always combine this with research notes, which has always generated rich understanding of the concepts from a wider perspective.
Developing Management Skills
According to Pareto’s law, 20 percent of human efforts produce 80 percent of their output. Hence, I will seek to work less for more output than I have been doing in the past. Time management is a paramount management skill for any student or worker as it allows working for fewer numbers of hours with higher productivity as well as provides time to participate in social activities (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010, p. 41). Thus, I will enrol for a time-management training programme to ensure that I horn my skills in this area. However, I do know that time management skill involves recognising and solving time management problems, and I will develop a habit of not postponing what can be done now. Moreover, I will develop this skill by maintaining a calendar and starting to schedule everything I do even in college (Riddle, 2013, p. 42). Development of time management skills will include planning even for the free time and the chance of moving from one class to the other or from one meeting to another.
Financial management skills are essential for any person who wants to succeed in whatever they are doing. The discipline that is associated with successful financial management is so strong that it touches on every aspect of life (Dowson, 2015, p. 75). If I can manage to cope with every financial situation I find self in, I know I can achieve my career goal. The development of these crucial skills will require the creation of a personal budget and customise my spending to comply with its requirements. I will ensure that I keep all purchase receipts and compare my monthly spending with the budget (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010). Additionally, I will create reports on income and expense which will provide a global view of the financial situation.
Communication skills are imperative in sharing what is on the mind with confidence. I will ensure that I master my voice so that I can conduct successful conversations which will ultimately lead to the achievement of personal goals. Communication skills will provide me with the power to encourage and influence others and myself (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010, p. 23). Additionally, I will develop my listening skills to ensure that I can recognise both verbal and non-verbal cues. Therefore, I will take up few steps in improving my communication skills. First, I will be practising active listening by looking directly into the eyes of the personal speaking ponder about the words they are conveying. Second, I will be speaking slowly and asking questions to find out whether the other party understands what I am communicating. Third, I will ensure that I always edit my written works to ensure that the purpose of the message is clear and comprehensible to the audience (Riddle, 2013, p. 12). Fourth, I will always try to relax if I find myself engraved in my thoughts while listening.
Organisational skills are critical in accomplishing any personal or professional goal because they enable a person to allocate resources efficiently. The development of organisational skills will include throwing unnecessary stuff in the garbage and using personal information manager. It will also include filing paperwork in a consistent and understandable manner and minimising information collection points (Dowson, 2015, p. 51). Finally, I will develop strategies to continuously move forward in personal development so that I can enhance my time, financial, communication and organisational skills.
Evidence of Developed and Improved Management Skills
After the development of management skills, I expect that I will be able to practice integrity, empower people, motivate others, delegate duties and adapt to the ever-changing environment. Integrity is a critical aspect in school and at work as it helps to foster trust and loyalty. I cannot be an effective manager without having loyal subordinates. Empowering other employees to enable them to do their jobs in the best way possible is sufficient evidence that management skills have been fully developed and improved. Additionally, I should be able to motivate people I supervise and make them, happy in their work. Delegation involves assigning tasks to employees according to their skills and abilities (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010, p. 32). Finally, I will know that I have developed and improved management skills if I can adapt to any business environment.
Strengths and Weaknesses in Management Skills
Strengths
Management skills allow a person to achieve maximum productivity.
They enable a person to relate well with others.
They facilitate formulation of proper decisions.
Weaknesses
They take time to fully develop.
They require great commitment from the person concerned.
SMART Objectives in Management Skills Development
Conclusion
My satisfaction of the benchmarks has been fostered by my capacity to remain motivated in pursuing my ambitions. I have been able to develop a proactive structure and guidance in a bid to remain relevant. These are uncertain times where focus shifts regularly owing to the availability of various resources. Hence, this has enabled me to be ready to compromise and improvise. The hard fact is that one will always encounter unprecedented outcomes. That way, I value the need of weighing both the positive and negative views of an aspect. I have learned that life is not for the soft-hearted (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010, p. 109). It demands solid attention which is better served by PDP. Although it is difficult to answer some questions with certainty, PDP has braced me for the worst and compelled me to hope and pray for the best.
The plan has seen me endear to address issues like where am going with life or where I see myself in the following five or so years. This has given me a purpose in my life. However, this does not mean that I have not met challenges. As expected, I have experienced my instances where I am filled with doubts. It is my reaction to this doubts that govern my determination. In such times, PDP comes in handy as I define my situation in a structured way thus streamlining my ideas. Imperatively, I have nurtured the norm of leading a life without forgetting my long-term goals. In a world characterized by daily hustling and bustling, it is easy to lose oneself and derail from the set objectives. PDP always puts me back on track. I have intertwined knowledge, awareness, values, reflections, learning, and goals fixing. To that end, it is easier to secure continuous self-improvement in line with education and career development. I regularly reflect on my experiences and analyse my achievements.
Although I am not where I want to be, I am not where I was before embarking on this self-improving journey. I grow every day. I have managed to change my perception around my weaknesses. I invest intensely on my strengths and strategies on ways of reducing the effects attached to my low ends. Again, I increase the motivation of studying smarter, particularly because PDP is a promising learning technique. It breaks away from the monotonous and boring ways of learning. It is so enjoyable that it even helps in stress management. It explains why I have registered improvements in my academic life. Even better, I have managed to found a positive attitude regardless of the opinions others have about me (Watts, n/a, p. 334). For instance, I used to focus so much on employment. However, today I also consider entrepreneurship. I do not have to follow the typical cycle of life path. I can be different and still register accomplishments.
Therefore, PDP develops one’s confidence in decision-making and his/her capacity to keep up with the current competition. The person identifies the areas he needs to exploit in order to stay at the edge of competition. This is especially so given that today employers or business partners are looking for people who can adapt pressure without putting efficiency at risk. It is a necessary move to save the costs of offering personal development training to employees. Resilient individual thus have a higher chance of thriving since one can count on them to survive. Since PDP stimulates resiliency, it is a pivotal tool in one’s education, career and life in general.
Reference List
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Bingham, M. R. & Drew, S., 2012. The Guide to Learning and Study Skills: For Higher Education and at Work. London: Gower Publishing, Ltd..
Cottrell, S., 2010. Skills for Success: Personal Development and Employability. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Dowson, P., 2015. Personal and professional development for business students. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Elearn, 2009. Managing Yourself Revised Edition. New York: Routledge.
Leonard, E. C. & Trusty, K. A., 2015. Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management. London: Cengage Learning.
Ricketts, C. & Ricketts, J., 2010. Leadership: Personal development and career success. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Riddle, J., 2013. 5 personal management skills for being awesome. Available from: http://workawesome.com/management/personal-management-skills/ [Accessed 8 January 2017].
Watts, T., n/a. Career Development Policy & Practice: The Tony Watts Reader. London : Lulu.com.
