Abstract
The present paper is an attempt to present a personal development analysis which contains self criticism based on the weaknesses, strengths, developmental planning and strategies to handle the issue. The attempt is based on the psychoanalysis, cognitive features, and relevance and practice of professional developmental activities. It is a comprehensive package ranging from theoretical orientations to practice aspect related to a professional who as a human being as well as a personnel lacks certain qualities. He also has many strong points. However, the most important aspect is the realization of the personal needs for professional excellence. The focus on the weak point as felt the employee himself is the motivating factor to work properly which is expected to improvise day by day.
Question 1: What do you think your a) strengths and b) weaknesses are? And why?
Every individual is born with certain traits (Piaget, 1994), so am I. Part of my strengths is my innovative attitude and corresponding confidence to implement novel ideas into practice. I know myself, my own professional skills, potential, and area of interests. I always realize that I have a strong sense of empathy as I am social and people oriented. It is easy for me to create a rapport that enables my colleagues to feel free to participate and contribute to the organization.
I am a firm believer of learning by doing (Dewey,1938). I learn a lot of skills and techniques from my sub-ordinates as well because learning is based on interaction. I think being insightful and reflective is also part of my strengths. I analyze a lot before arriving at a conclusion. I also like helping others with their problems by offering suggestions.
In addition, I am also focused and task oriented. I can create short-term and long term goals and realize them. I can my own time well. I am always willing to learn and I humbly accept my shortcomings and work on my weaknesses. I love planning about my future goals both from short term and long term perspectives. I want to work on my own, and seldom dependant on others unless they prove their worth.
As a subordinate, I am always cooperative. I can adapt to certain situations and be a humble follower. However, I am always suggestive by nature as I voice out my ideas. On the other hand, I also listen well to other people’s ideas and proposals. I think I can communicate to a great extent. I come up quite strongly in pressure. I am in habit of fighting till the last. I do not usually give up until I realise my professional targets.
My weaknesses
As each individual has some strength one also has many weaknesses Some of my strengths at one time become weakness at other time. As I am very focused and task oriented, I become tough at times and neglect others’ point of view. Often I carryout activities singlehandedly that make people upset and alienated from the group task.
As a leader, it's difficult for me to find enough time for my sub-ordinates. I am often unable to develop my emotional intelligence as a result I am unaware of my sub-ordinates, their needs and working styles.
I am one of the leader types who don’t positively reinforce the team I am working with. However, I use negative reinforcement techniques quite often. To illustrate further, it is generally found that employees seeking a better professional and personal life might be motivated by flexible working time and easy environment, however strict in realizing the set targets. I foresee rapid changes for betterment of institution/organisations. I become aggressive if I don’t get fast results as many people are not quite positive for the proposed changes. I don’t always consult others while arriving at conclusions.
On the other hand, I don’t usually listen to other’s suggestion considering these biased and self-centred. I am not considerate about people’s lame excuses after failing in their missions.
Question 2 i: How do you learn best? Which resources are most beneficial to your learning and why? - Part i: PMS (Practice of Management Skills)
I learn best by being in a group of experts. Seminars, conferences and workshops are also beneficial for me. I realize my weakpoints and try to make up in anyways possible. Whenever I am confronted with knowledge or skill gaps that hinder me in realizing my objectives or in attaining a specific short term goal, I become more intense with learning. I think I am more motivated to learn when I consider knowledge ike an ocean, and being a thiesty man, I have only drunk a few drops (of experience and skills).
I feel more motivated when I get positive feedback from my superiors. I try to impliment according to the interventions no matter wat the source . As the present society is highly competitive and globally advanced, there a need to prove oneself equipped and updated. In this regard,continuous professional development is needed.i learn easily in academic/training activities like these. I also consider enhancing my knowledge and improving my skills to add value to my own self worth and to my self confidence. I really dislike it whenever I am engaged in a conversation and I feel that I am the only one who does not have an updated information or knowledge about the topic being discussed.
I consider myself as a “kinaesthetic learner.” (Pashler et al, 2008). This is because I prefer to learn through videos, and practical by emphasisng ‘seeing and doing’ concept. There are many learning resources such as books, library materials, professional training, online learning and researches reviews.But, the most important resources for is online material and workshops.
Being an independent learner, online reading materials nowadays is the best. I can learn a lot by reading those subjects, and improvise my skills through professional development activities. Training activities make me see the practical applications of concepts and things and I can easily follow the steps or processes involved in this kind of learning.
Question 2 ii: How do you learn best? Which resources are most beneficial to your learning and why? - Part ii: External Opportunities
Aside from my own direct and personal involvement in learning, I also learn through my outside observations and interactions. Since the knowledge of sociology, politics and philosophy are the subjects related to society, and learning takes place in the society itself, I exploit the knowledge and observation in those areas as well.
I also learn from historical personalities and happenings. I watch serials, documentaries and films made on events and personalities to pick some important aspects of learning. For instance, I really admire the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, etc. I learnt how they changed themselves, and the lives of others.
In addition, I read biographies of successful businessmen such as Bill Gates, Tata, Jindal, Ambanis etc who became billionaires from zero level. I also learn best from inspirational speakers because communication skill is quite important in business management. No leader can be great unless he is able to communicate effectively with his subordinates and even the superiors.
The most beneficial thing about the lives of leaders and managers is the way they transform our value system. They specialize in helping us face challenges and solve accordingly. It is often than after their speeches, the intent listeners would want to be like them. They empower their own audiences to attain success in their endeavors.
The most effective thing about them is that they instruct us through personal illustrations. These are instances which really hapen to them in the past. It gives them a certain level of reliability when they start to share their incredible stories and how they overcome their special challenges and circusmtances to be where they are now. These are life changing concepts which are not learned from books.
Question 3i: Taking the answer to question 1b (personal weakness), how will you work on one of your weaknesses? Part i - Goal Setting
There is no denying the fact that everyone has certain weaknesses therefore he /she is unable to handle managerial situations in a proper manner. As mentioned earlier, the weaknesses which I have assessed for myself are my attitude of being headstrong and my inability to easily adjust to rapid changes. The good part about this is that there is already self awareness on my part about these weaknesses. (Whetten&Carmeron, 2007,p.6)
The motivation must be there in order for me to work on this weakness. Hence, I set out to improve my weakness by internalizing the advantages of being techno savvy and flexible. I will try to identify the significant relationship between being adaptive (technologically) and how being less adaptive with technological changes is not helping out in my pursuit of my goals. I will try to reinforce this with the thought of those positive values associated with attaining this goal. Then, I shall set out my goal as a concrete one by keeping it in a journal, complete with all the different motivations, objectives and target for this goal.
I will list all the details; including specifying the circumstances and practices I have which hinder me from being technologically adaptive. I shall then consider enrolling in a technological appreciation course. If not, I will try to get as much educational resources on understanding technological applications. If there is an online course about this, I will enroll in a simulated course because I think this will be more effective in overcoming the barriers to being adept with technological innovations.
Even when it seems difficult at first, I will remind myself of the benefits and the long lasting effects of being techno savvy compared to the negative effects of being less technologically adaptive. I would try to magnify it by motivating myself. For instance, I will think of how I can achieve more if I am more techno savvy. Then, I will practice and do more with the books and with the online resources that I have to overcome my weakness.
I will also have a good friend to encourage and teach me with overcoming my problem with technology. I will choose someone who is well verse with technology and who is also very patient with slow learners like me. I will try to get in touch with him/her the same time that I am taking the course or reading the book. I will share with him/her about the topics which I feel lost or will ask him/her about those areas which I did not understand. I will carry on with my tasks until I realize the goal of being adept with technological applications.
Question 3 ii: Taking the answer to question 1b (personal weakness), how will you work on one of your weaknesses? Part ii - Action Planning
Knowing our weaknesses is not enough. We must work hard to overcome them, if we realize that there are stumbling blocks to our growth as a person and as a professional. Knowing what needs to beimproved about ourselves will help us to grow as an individual and it can also develop and nurture out personal and professional relationships.
In deciding which weakness I wish to work on, I will think of the ways how I can change my being head strong. Hence, now that I know this is the weakness I want to change about me, I can easily map out an action plan how to realize this. (Cooley, 2012)
My action plan is a smart one, which means that is it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time related. I will set out two months as the proper time to be able to overcome this behavior. I will also think about the indicators of my being headstrong through a group score card which I will have my friends or classmates grade for me, each and every time we have a task and when this behavior of mine is showing itself up.
In attacking this weakness, I will try to put things in perspective. I will always remember that I am still a good person, even when I have some negative behaviors such as being headstrong. I will also internalize this behavior in such a way that it is not a very negative behavior for me but only a hindering attitude which I need to dispose of. I will also contextualize the behavior by thinking that each of us has their own negative behaviors or attitudes. The motivating factor here is that I will become much more betetr than I am if I can overcome this negative behavior.
I will set aside a certain amount of time to study this behavior – when I am like this and what are the things which trigger me to display this sort of behavior. Then, upon realizing the instances, I will try to plot a course of action to correct it. I will list down the triggers and find ways to address them. I will also involve myself with self help and psychological books. I will also try to understand my own personal dynamics and see what internal and inherent motivations make up for this behavior. (Knight et al, 2001) I will also try to consider therapy or ways to share this tendency with close friends.
Instead of being so focused on this negative behavior, I will try to focus more on the things that I can accomplish. I will spend more time in concentrating on achieving important tasks than just merely overcoming my weakness. I will give myself another extra month if I did not fully accomplish changing my behavior in two months. I will be easy on myself and more centered on my strengths to build up my confidence. At the same time, I will have another person assess my improvements. This is to ascertain the changes that I have been following with regards to my plan of action for this negative behavior.
References
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Knight, D., Durham, C. C., & Locke, E. A. (2001). The relationship of team goals, incentives, and efficacy to strategic risk, tactical implementation, and performance. Academy of Management Journal, 44: 326-338.
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Whetten, D A &Carmeron, K S, Pearson (2007) Developing Management skills, Prentice Hall
