What I Dream of Accomplishing During My Career
In my career, I dream of completing my Business program in management. The skills of management that I will acquire in this course will enable me to influence and change management approaches in the business world. Further, I wish to develop my skills to an extent that as a manager, I will cause change in the organization that I will work for by positively motivating employees and enhancing teamwork among the subordinates and superiors.
My Where I see myself in Five years
In five or ten years, I see myself having a family and being a business owner, such having my own Laundromat called Omo International Laundry. Further, I see myself influencing other aspiring young mangers that are work-driven. In addition, I see myself working part time as a lecturer teaching and researching new management concepts and approaches.
Goals that I can Set Now
My plan after I receive my degree is to start a Laundromat business. Secondly, I wish to continue increasing my management skills by taking additional short courses in management. Further, to ensure that I achieve the goal of being a business owner, I will start saving some money aside to act as capital when I decide to start my business officially.
How to Develop my skills to Achieve my Goals
Achievement of my goals will require that I establish networks among different people. This will aid in developing my cultural aspect towards management. Networking in an organization can be a vital aspect especially where cultural change is to be carried out (Cramer, Parise and Cross, 2007). Thus, having such a perspective will be of quality in the implementation of cultural change in the organization that I work with.
Personal and Professional Development Plan
Section 1 Assessment
Significant Leadership Accountabilities indicators
This will involve setting up indicators and benchmarks to help establish what is required in leadership and evaluate qualities of leadership that I possess. Important indicators of determining improvement in leadership will be the ability to motivate employees and other individuals. The ability to enhance cohesion and value change in the organizational culture will also be used as an indicator (Cramer, Parise, and Cross, 2007).
Improvement Opportunities worth investing in
An important indicator in this area will be the level of employee and customer engagement (Fleming, Coffman, and Harter, 2005). It will be crucial to ensure that customers are extremely satisfied to ensure that they return and provide more business for the organization. Motivated employees will be more inclined to engage customers (Fleming, Coffman, and Harter, 2005). Hamel (2009) provides a form of improvement opportunity in the area of empowerment. Employees able to make decisions on their own increase timely delivery of service to customers or clients. Therefore, knowledge and information will be shared more transparently and efficiently (Hamel, 2009).
Section 2: Goals
Important goals will include listening and having open communications with clients and employees. Secondly, increasing performance of the organization will be of equal importance as a goal. This will require setting performance measures indicators. Achievement of high performance will require application of different approaches that will be suited to the different tasks. The different scenarios will require different approaches to attain high performance (Kirby, 2005).
Section 3 Actions
Critical issues, which will ensure that this plan is a success, will involve me taking lead in issues such as solving management problems or leading in major initiatives in the organization. Further, having a mentor will be essential in guiding me in the right direction on a professional level.
In mentorship, I look for a mentor who embraces change. A mentor that embraces change especially in the field of management can provide assistance on the difficulties of various approaches in management. Further, a mentor who embraces diversity will help me in understanding and appreciating how to incorporate diversity in the workplace to increase performance of the organization. According to Hamel (2009), diversity ensures corporate stability where innovations are encouraged. Additionally, a mentor who has the zeal for innovation can be a good influence to me and can influence me positively to develop my own ideas.
Challenges That I may Face
One of the challenges that I may face as a manager in the future will be the ability to put the wishes of the clients before the needs of the shareholders. As Pfeffer (2009) notes, organizations such as Southwest Airlines that focus on customers more than they focus on the shareholders are able to boost their performance. Shareholders in most organizations influence management decisions, and this can be a challenge. Being an instrument of change will require me to embrace diversification and cultural organizational change.
References
Fleming, J. H., Coffman, C., & Harter, J. K. (2005). Manage your human Sigma. Harvard
Business Review, 83(7/8), 106-114.
Hamel, G. (2009). Moon Shots for Management. Harvard Business Review, 87 (2), 91-98.
Johnson-Cramer, M. E., Parise, S., & Cross, R. L. (2007). Managing change through networks
& values. California management review, 49(3), 85-109.
Kirby, J. (2005). Toward a theory of high performance. Harvard Business Review, 83 (7/8), 30-39.
Pfeffer, J. (2009). Shareholders first? Not so fast. Harvard Business Review, 87 (7/8), 90-91.
