Mind Tool Skill Set and Reflection in Class - Coursework Example

Development Record

Period from: Oct 2015 to May 2016 (write 1750words) you should write in each box

Key dates

What did you do?

Why?

What did you learn from this?

How have/will you use this? Any further action?

Mind Tool Skill Set

In the mind tools skill I took several tests to determine my skills and to figure out ways that I could improve those skills. On the test of leadership skills, I scored in the top bracket, which meant that I have a lot of inner leadership potential which can be perfected further with a bit of practice. My people skills turned out to be average, and I learnt that I have room for improvement on that front. My motivational skills turned out to be adequate, although ways were suggested to me on how they could be improved upon. My problem solving skills were found to be wanting, and I received the advice that I should stop having a negative attitude towards problems and instead perceive them as opportunities for personal challenge. I found out that my decision making skills were average and generally ok, but I could improve significantly if I became more proactive and looked at the options more analytically before making a decision. I discovered that my time management skills were excellent, and that I could learn to manage time more effectively in a more complex context. My productivity skills were found to be average, but I have the potential to steer those skills towards excellence by applying a few aspects of productivity. I discovered that my communication skills were excellent and that I was effective as both a communicator and a listener. Finally, I learnt that my creativity was average, and that I could challenge myself to be more creative.

I took the mind tools, skill test with the intention of evaluating my work place skills with the ultimate aim of personal improvement, as well as improving my chances at a successful career upon finishing my degree. In so doing, I not only identified my personal weaknesses, so that I could work on them, I also figured out my key strengths so that I could perfect on them further.

From these tests, I have learnt that there is always room for improvement, whether you are good, average or poor at something. I have also learnt that there are strategies that are time tested that can be used to improve one's skills. These strategies can be applied in many areas such as decision making, productivity and even in problem solving.

I have used the elements of productivity, namely being organized, having a positive attitude, integrating of information and the effective use of well thought out systems to improve the way I study. This has enabled me to study faster and remember more of what I read. I have also started to view difficult situations in a more positive light, as a personal challenge rather than as an inconvenience.

Reflection In Class

The curriculum for my management course entailed 12 seminars. The course was organized in such a way that each of the seminars covered a unique aspect of management.

In one of the first seminars I attended, soon after the introductory seminar, we were taught the aspects that characterize an effective manager. We took an in-depth look at the skills that were necessary in order for a manager to be effective at his job.

In the seminar that followed, we learnt the art of decision making and we reviewed a few hypothetical situations that real managers may encounter. We went through the motions of decision making in the manner that is considered to be the best practice in the industry.

Our next seminar covered the intricacies of problem solving as well as the issue of workplace equality.

We then embarked on the principles of leadership, which were taught alongside ethical issues. We had the opportunity of analysing the distinctions between management and leadership.

We had the chance to compare our own communication skills to the factors that we learnt were the characteristics of effective communication. We were able to identify both our shortcomings and strengths as communicators.

When we were halfway through with the curriculum, we were introduced to the use of storyboarding as a tool that we could use in the compilation of management reports.

We learnt about the corporate culture of different organizations, and how the managers played a key role in defining that culture.

We also learnt the value of teamwork in the workplace, and we also had the chance to study a few tricks used by management to build teams that are strong and productive within their organizations.

The methods and techniques used by managers to resolve conflicts made up for the final lectures of our course.

I took this course because I wanted to learn how to be a good manager, as management is my dream career. The seminar was also a great opportunity to improve my personal skills such as leadership skills, decision making skills, as well as my people skills. The seminar was also an opportunity to familiarize myself with workplace code of conduct, which has the potential to give me an edge in the job market when I include it in my resume.

I learnt that management is about leading by example at the work place. An effective manager is one that holds himself to a higher standard and is always ready to show those under him professional courtesy. A good manager is also required to stimulate good relationships between members of his team by coming up with team building exercises which serve to bring the staff of an organization closer.

I have used story boarding as a technique to compile some of my academic reports. Although it is meant for management reports, a slight adjustment could go a long way in simplifying the process of writing school reports. I have also tried to exercise the decision making skills I learnt in the seminar to make some of my personal everyday decisions, and it has for the most part been helpful.

Reflection In Other Classes

The other courses I took played an equally important role in training me as a manager. Although they were not exclusively managerial in content, they were tailor-made to supplement the core management courses and at the same time to broaden my perceptions as a manager.

In one of the modules, I learnt how to make use of both spreadsheet software and graphical representation to simplify the analysis of business models and computations. These are the standard methods used professionally to analyse complex business problems and it is therefore necessary for prospective managers to learn them in preparation for a career as someone in charge of people with backgrounds in business.

I also took business classes where I learned the basic theoretical operating principles of most business enterprises. In order to be an effective manager, the knowledge of how businesses operate in theory is essential.

Additionally, I took classes in financial decision making where I learnt how to prepare financial documents, analyse financial information and even understand the financial challenges that I am likely to encounter in a managerial capacity.

To broaden my horizons, I took international business classes, where I had the opportunity to learn new and emerging global business trends. I also had the chance to glimpse at the complex nature of businesses that are run in multiple counties at the same time, and the challenges that they face with regard to the differences in legal and political environments in the countries where they operate.

Finally, I was able to study the various phases that constitute the production of goods, starting from raw material up to the end product. This was covered in my logistics class. The understanding of logistical operations is key, especially in the management of companies or establishments with production operations as well as massive transportation operations.

The reason for the inclusion of these courses in a management curriculum is to familiarize a management student with the working of businesses and from a theoretical perspective. As a management student, I will eventually end up being in charge of a business enterprise, and therefore the understanding of how businesses work will enable me to make the proper decisions that make sense from an economic or financial perspective.

From the supplementary modules, I learnt that there are usually many components that make up a successful business. Although management is a key aspect of a successful business, it is practically worthless without the other components, especially the technical bits of a business enterprise. The role of management is to ensure that the other parties that make up the business are working efficiently and in sync with each other.

When I get to be a manager, I will ensure that the decision I make adhere to the economic and financial principles that I have learned. I will base all my decisions on empirical data that I have carefully analysed and interpreted. In case the complexity of the analysis is beyond what I have learnt in my modules, I will seek the advice of competent economists within the company.

Reflection on Working in my Home Country

Back home in Qatar, I worked in a branch of the American based international chain restaurant, Kentucky Fried Chicken. I found the whole experience to be greatly rewarding, and it puts a lot of things into perspective for me.

Being an international company, KFC has franchises in many major cities across the world. The management structure and the organization culture of all the branches are remarkably similar. As a KFC employee back home in Qatar, I wore the exact same uniform that is donned by KFC employees in the UK. This sort of consistency across the continent is a testament to the good management and to the established and well implemented an organizational culture of the chain restaurant.

The training and the team building is part of what makes KFC remarkable wherever it is established. Before being enrolled as an employee, I was trained by one of the more seasoned employees. I was informed that KFC holds the principle of good customer service dear, and that as a server, I was the public image of the company. We always worked as a team because the management encouraged us to do so, and we also found out that it was the only way we could be more productive.

KFC also had the culture of rewarding its employees with promotions and raises, depending on how hard they worked and how loyal they stayed with the company. I couldn’t personally rise through the ranks because my employment was temporary, but I saw a lot of my friend and colleagues get promoted.

As a management major, I could appreciate the ingenuity of the management techniques used by KFC. The whole job was also a learning experience for me as I got to witness first-hand the management tricks of the trade, as used by a hugely successful international business.

The reason I took the job at KFC so that I could have some experience on how a well-organized work environment was managed. Although I worked in the service department the whole time, I still got to achieve my objective of observing how hands on management is done. The job also gave me a chance to get some extra pocket money for use during my next semester.

I learnt the value of teamwork in effective management. The synchronized teamwork that we practiced making every task simpler and it saved time and greatly increased our collective productivity. I also learnt that as a manager, I can increase the hard work of my employees with proper incentives such as promotions and pay raises.

When I eventually become a manager, I will strive to develop outstanding teamwork among the people under my charge. I will also try to establish a corporate culture that stands out from that of rival organizations in order to enhance the image of my organization and make it unique and respected.

The Difference Between Management And Leadership

Management generally defined as handling something or someone while leading on the other hand is more about setting a vision or a standard which is to be followed by others. A manager is charged with controlling individuals or systems with the aim of producing the best possible outcome, while a leader has the responsibility to inspire people and to show them the way. Although management may be distinguishable from leadership in its definition, the responsibilities of the manager and a leader are similar. The duties of the manager are often considered to include increasing efficiency, hiring staff, planning and strategizing, being accountable for the actions of the people under him, incentivizing employees and giving directions. On the other hand, a leader is to innovate, to inspire people, to change the way people think and to give motivation.

It is important to distinguish between leadership and management so that the managers can be able to know then to act as a leader and when to act as a manager in the workplace. When professional insight is required, the manager is supposed to use his management skills to coordinate the workflow in the company or organization. Sometimes, however, leadership skills are what a manager needs to exercise in order to inspire his staff.

I learnt to be smart enough to be both a leader and a manager when I am in charge of a company or a business. When technical knowhow is what is required, managerial skills are to be used. Leadership skills on the other hand, are to be employed in situations where more interpersonal matters are at play.

I plan to use my managerial and leadership skills in my future place of employment. Meanwhile, I will keep practicing both managerial and leadership skills in my interactions with friends and family, and most importantly in the everyday running of my personal life because practice makes perfect.

The Unfair Treatment Of Women In The Workplace

The equal treatment of women in the workplace, among the many other women’s issues has been up for public debate for decades. Although there has been a lot of improvements over the years, women still don’t receive fair treatment in the workplace. Studies have shown that women get paid less than men for doing the exact same job. Women are also less likely to be promoted in most industries to leadership positions, even when they have similar or better qualifications than men. To change this, campaigns dating back to the feminist movement have been launched, but to date none have succeeded in effectively eradicating the unfair treatment of women in the workplace. Issues like wage gap and unemployment gap persist to date. The result of this unfair treatment of women has been found to be the demoralization of women, with many women despairing and resigning themselves to minor roles in society.

The fair treatment of women in the workplace is important because women's equality is the hallmark of human freedom and civilization. Unfair treatment of women or any other group of people takes the entire human race back to a point in the past which we are not proud of. Denying women their hard earned place in society also make the human race fail to realize its full potential in terms of development and progress.

I learnt that as a manager, I ought to give everyone an equal opportunity to prove what they are capable of writing off a potential employee on the basis of their gender is immoral and unethical. Undervaluing a productive employee could also end up being detrimental to the progress of a company.

When I am a manager, I will ensure that women are given equal opportunity as men under my watch. I will protect the rights of women and take disciplinary action against anyone who abuses the rights of women. I will also give the women a reasonable amount of paid leave time if they are expecting, and I will see to it that none of their careers suffer on account of their gender responsibilities.

Reflection on Class

I took a management module make up of 12 seminars that covered the various aspects of good management and leadership. We were introduced to management and then we were taught the characteristics of a good manager. We learnt the intricacies of decision making and we practiced on how to make such decisions on hypothetical situations. We then learnt how to solve problems and how to deal with ethical issues. The principles of good leadership were taught to us alongside workplace equality. We learnt the how to communicate effectively, and we had the chance to evaluate our own person strengths and weaknesses as communicators. We also learnt the use of story boarding as a tool to aid us on reporting as managers. We also learnt the role of managers in defining the corporate culture of an organisation. We finally had the opportunity to learn the inherent value of teamwork in the workplace. As mangers, we were taught how to build teams that could potentially work with harmonious efficiency in the workplace in order to maximize productivity.

My reason for taking a management class was that I wanted to learn how to be a good and effective manager since it is my dream career. I also had the chance to markedly improve my personal skills especially my leadership skills, communication skills and decision making skills. Learning about how to conduct myself at the workplace was also a vital part of my experience from that class. I learnt the true value of leadership as a complementary aspect to management, and how managers ought to hold themselves to a higher standard. I also learnt that a good manager has to enable good relationships in the workplace in order to keep the staff motivated. I intend to apply these principles in my life and in my future job as a manger in order to be successful on both fronts.

Reflection on Other Class

The other modules I took supplemented my managerial course and served to make my business expertise more rounded. These courses were not exclusively about management, but they covered business knowledge that is absolutely essential for prospective managers. They were supplementary to the management course in the sense that they broadened my understanding of business principles as a whole. I learnt how to make use of graphs and spreadsheets to analyse data for purposes of decision making. Such methods are often used to simplify otherwise complex computations in real life business environments, and understanding them was therefore important to a manager. I also attended classes where they taught basic business principles. I learnt the theoretical aspects of most businesses, which is important because for one to manage any business, they first have to understand how it works. I also learnt the fundamental principles of financial decision making. This course helped me conceptualize the methods of analysing financial situations and coming up with decisions that optimize the use of financial resources, and therefore streamline the management process.

To further broaden my knowledge on business issues, I took a class in international business where I learnt the new and emerging trends in the world in general. I learnt about globalization and the management of multinational business, and the cultural integration that is involved in such global ventures. I learnt how the emergence of global economies posed new challenges to managers and how these challenges could be dealt with. Finally, I learnt the processes involved in mass production businesses and the challenges encountered in complex logistical and transportation operations. These principles of business will be vital in aiding me to be effective as a manager as they will give me the insight and understanding necessary to appreciate the complex and technical nature of businesses that I will be in charge of.

Reflection on Working in my Home Country

While I was back in my home country of Qatar, I had the opportunity to work on a temporary basis at a branch of the international restaurant, the Kentucky Fried Chicken. During my short period as an employee, I was able to observe and learn how the company conducted its business and in terms of management. I worked as one of the servers in the restaurant and I interacted directly with customers on a daily basis. This gave be a chance to learn how to be effective in the service industry and how to be a vital part of a company’s public image.

While working at KFC, I learnt the value of team work as well as the makings of an organisation culture. As employees, part of our organisation culture was to dress in a uniform. This uniform was the exact same one worn by employees in all branches of the company worldwide. This was a vital part of the corporate culture of the company because it presented consistency in the public image and service of the company. Teamwork was rooted deep into the culture of employees at the company. The more seasoned employees went out of their way to help new employees such as myself adapt to the work environment, and they offered guidance and assistance wherever necessary. The management also motivated the employees to work harder by offering bonuses, pay raises and promotions to those who performed the best.

I learnt a great deal about how effective good management can be to motivate employees. This was particularly educational for me because I had the opportunity to look as management from the point of view of a subordinate. Being in a position of someone being managed was eye opening for me because I was able to experience first-hand how a member of staff would respond to certain management techniques. When I eventually become a manager, I will apply what I learnt as a subordinate to predict how those who work under me will react to the management decisions that I make.