Theoretically, self-assessment exercises are viewed as a ‘necessary’ evil of complying with either an educational institution’s policy or an organisation’s. Since I am still in the studying phase of my life, I believe administering self-tests to gauge my skills and competencies, as well as areas of improvement is a timely – and crucial exercise; this is a very important outcome that this Management course has enabled me achieve . While curriculum assessments determine the extent of information that students have acquired in a given discipline, personality based tests allow for a more introspective analysis of the self, and help us understand ourselves better, thereby helping us evolve into improved versions of ourselves.
The first one was a work-life, or in my case a study-life balance test that I self-administered. The interesting part of it was that I have never considered myself as a bookish, nerdy student, with ambitions of over-achieving. Those closes to me have also always considered me to be a committed student, yet not someone with great ambitions. My answers to the questions however revealed that, perhaps subconsciously, my education and future career hold a significant meaning in my life .
Furthermore, the results analysis mentioned that I am also a person who is willing to put in the extra effort and the number of hours needed to achieve a goal I have set for myself. As unexpected as this result was for me, I believe this commitment to personal goals that I have is in fact an excellent skill to possess, particularly when I will be starting my professional career.
Perhaps less surprising was my performance in several personal imitative exercises that I participated in, offline and online. As I have mentioned above that I am perceived as a serious-minded yet relaxed individual, one aspect of my personality that has often been pointed out as an area of improvement is my lack of drive. I do not believe that this weakness stems from a lack of self-confidence or low self-esteem, as has often been pointed out to me over the course of school and college. Rather, I believe that originates in my somewhat laid-back attitude when it comes to actively looking for and committing to what I want to achieve. The problem, as far I understand, is not my lack of ability in achieving, but rather indecisiveness, and an inherent habit of procrastinating action.
Given this laziness that I know is something I need to rectify, especially when it comes to important phases in my life, such as choosing the appropriate elective courses, I was surprised to learn that I rank quite highly on the social interactivity quotient. While I may not be very active on social media with an extensive social circle, as a member of a team, I am able to gel with almost all kinds of people without interpersonal conflicts. Being able to plan and coordinate activities and deliver quality results on time is also an important competency to have, both as a student in a learning environment as well as a professional who is a part of a project team or department .
But, while I am a good team player, popular with class mates, all of the leadership questionnaires I tested presented me with more or less the same picture when it comes to my leadership and motivational characteristics. Unlike those who have the natural flair and charisma for leadership, all the tests dubbed me more of a follower, appropriate and accurate, since my personal schema is that I am more a member of a flock of sheep, as opposed to the shepherd driving and controlling the flock’s movement and activities .
Given the weaknesses that I have identified above, there are several self-enhancement plans that I intend to implement. However, prior to implementing these plans, it is important to establish objectives or the intended results that are to be achieved. In order to ensure effective goal setting, I will be employing the SMART goals method.
The first objective is to ensure that in the next six months, I distribute my leisure time evenly between studies and other recreational activities so that I do not get too stressed and anxious (Specific, Attainable and time-bound). Achieving this balance will not only ensure greater productivity and better academic results, but will also help me in developing a well-rounded personality (Relevant); two key characteristics for success at school and at work. To achieve this balance, I am looking to identify hobbies that I can take up (Measurable); sketching is going to be one of them so as to allow my imagination and creativity to flourish and maybe even enrol in an arts & crafts after-school class.
The second key objective that I am going to work towards in the long-run (next one to three years) is to improve my leadership abilities (Time-Bound), especially with regards to taking charge of a situation instead of waiting for instructions and then acting (Specific). In order to improve my performance in this aspect, I will keep note of the number of time I volunteer for class projects as well as the frequency with which I share my ideas and opinions in class (Measurable). This is not going to be a short, practice-based activity, but rather I am looking at it from the perspective of becoming an effective executive in my working life as well (Relevant). Another avenue I am looking to explore is to apply for internships, or after-school work activities that will allow me to hone my interpersonal skills to complement the theoretical knowledge I am acquiring in class.
Works Cited
Gallo, Amy. "The 8 Self-Assessments You Need to Improve at Work This Year." Harvard Business Review 20 January 2016: 1-4. Web.
Lawlor, K. Blaine. "Smart Goals: How The Application of SMART Goals Can Contribute To Achievment Of Student Learning Outcomes." Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (2012): 259-267. Print.
