Personal Development Plan - Essay Example

Personal Development Plan Introduction Personal development is the process of developing certain traits through learning and socialization. For this process to be achieved, some skills and knowledge is required. Armstrong (2006) contends that personal development plan involves learning and development of activities such as self-managed learning, coaching and mentoring. Development is an unending process of nurturing and improving an individual’s skills, and knowledge to ensure maximum effectiveness. This effectiveness is important as it will help me to fulfill my potential at each career stage of my life. Team Working Team work is the ability to work well together as a group in order to achieve or perform a precise goal (Belbin, 1993). Working in a group as a unit has certain benefits and indeed advantages. Some of these advantages are experiences that I will cherish forever. As our task got off the ground I was a bit uncomfortable working with somebody I had no previous close engagement with, but as we progressed on, I got to understand my group member well enough to feel comfortable in the group and even confident enough to contribute to the overall assignment. At first, I was shy about putting my ideas because I felt the other group member will not be receptive to my ideas or that my ideas will be mocked as being shallow (Pausch, 2008). This was not the case. As I gained confidence and my self esteem soared, I was able to bring forth constructive, well thought ideas and arguments to the table. The absence of a cordial working relationship will lead to diminished creativity hence difficulty in achieving competently any goal or task set. I was able to showcase my plans and suggestions which were welcomed by the group. I would rate myself as a good team player, not yet outstanding but well on the way to achieving that distinction. I fit very well in a team situation or in a group setting. Once a rapport has been established I relate very well with other members. I consider myself to be very sensitive to the needs of others. My core priority in a group is to try as much as possible to respect the presence of each and every individual in the group. I am very much in tune and aware of individual needs, worries and expectations. Even though the assignment is meant to be a group project, individual needs have to be taken into account in order to release their creativity. My shortcomings have also been exposed during this assignment. I am required to accept criticism, especially when it is constructive. In order to do this, I should be more open to different points of views, other than my own my ideologies (Pausch, 2008). Whenever we are in a team situation, I must constantly hold the belief that other ideas might be as good as mine or even better. I have to learn to be more precise and direct in whatever I do. This I can achieve by dedicating all my energy to the task at hand and not to be distracted by involving myself in other member’s tasks. Belbin’s questionnaire (2011) reveals that I tend to be indecisive in important situations that require a quick and final decision. This I can overcome by being confident and trust my ability to offer solutions. I should have faith in my ability to be competent enough to have intelligent ideas (Pausch, 2008).With this as a driving factor I will no longer be hesitant but decisive in whatever I do. Communication Skills Communication occurs when an individual displays or transmits a set of symbols to another (Rice, 2008) Communication is the process of expressing ideas or feelings to others. It is the medium through which one has access to ideas. Without effective communication, there will be no exchange of ideas. Communication is an important skill in life and more so in the business environment. Effective and good communication skills boost our self confidence. Developing effective communication skills is important in order to change one’s surrounding according to their ideas. I have no problem getting along with people. I connect well enough with my friends and colleagues. I am not afraid of speaking and therefore I can engage in a meaningful conversation. When I feel the need or desire to make a contribution via speech I go ahead and do it. As long as I am sure of what I want or need to convey I go ahead and say it confidently. It is through speaking that one will be heard. When engaged in a conversation I generally rely on facts to press home my point of view. Using facts will make my ideas more believable and acceptable. I do not have any problem when it comes to delivery of clear and precise messages. Once I say something and I am sure that is the correct position I will not back down. While speaking I have to be confident enough to command respect and therefore be heard. Faltering and hesitating while speaking will make the listeners lose the gist your speech or even not believe what you are saying. I am a very good listener. Being a good listener is one of the most important aspects or factors of effective communication. I usually listen and I do not interrupt when it is somebody’s turn to speak. When you listen to somebody you are bound to learn something new. In a conversation I will not just jump in and make my contribution. First I will listen, get the drift of the conversation and only then contribute. There are a few hindrances to my effective communication while communicating with others. The major factor is that English is neither my mother tongue nor my first language; therefore certain conflicts are bound to arise. Personally, when I am engaged in a heated and passionate discussion in English I sometimes stammer and my voice begins to falter as the discussion progresses. This hinders my ability to communicate in proper and grammatically correct English. I therefore end up being incoherent, and the delivery of my message will be frustrated. The above situation can be remedied in two ways. First I need to control my emotions when caught in a heated argument. Even though I should be passionate about my point of view, I have to make sure that my emotions do not cloud my judgment. I have to learn to correctly modulate my voice so that I do not end up being shrill or very low. Practicing reading out aloud when am alone and not distracted will go along way in solving this issue. Communication is the means through which I can express myself, be heard and thereby effect changes according to my views or wishes. It would be very difficult to effect changes if nobody is willing to listen, learn and embrace new ideas. My effective communication skills will help me to express myself better and also allow others to express themselves too. Problem-Solving Problem solving is the process of working and sifting through the details of a problem in order to reach an agreeable solution (Wood,2009) When faced with a problem I will solve it using the laid down techniques for getting solutions. I will go through all the recommended stages or processes of solving a problem. My first task will be to evaluate the problem at hand. This I will accomplish through gathering all the information I can get, whether first hand or from others. I will also try to define or classify the nature of the problem. All the information I will have gathered will be amalgamated in relation to the problem. I believe I have good skills for solving problems because I do not panic under pressure. Using techniques such as brainstorming and lateral thinking, various options will surface. I also need to learn to always break the problems into smaller units that are manageable (Honey and Mumford, 1986). I do not do this all the time as I have the misconception that doing this will dilute the solutions, but this is not true. Breaking the problem into smaller parts will actually speed up the process. Conclusion Even though my own assessment does not paint a grim picture, I still need to improve on certain aspects. It is incumbent that I continue practicing English and master the language to fulfill all the aspects in place. It is important that I engage several native English speakers. In-depth knowledge of the language will boost my self confidence, and this will go a long way in making me a better communicator. With an excellent grasp of English I will not endure the frustrations during discussions with others. I must also develop the habit of avoiding complex words and phrases. This will help my message to be concise and clear. The hallmark of a good communicator is the clarity of the message. References Belbin. (2011). Belbin Team Role Report for in Friend & Mate Relationships. USA: State Cambridge: Belbin Associates. Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (1986). Using your Learning Styles. Maidenhead: Publications. Pausch, R. (2008). Time Management. United States: BN Pub. Rice, W. (2008). Language a Definition from First Principles. Philica. Retrieved on April 25th, 2013 from < http://www.philica.com/display_article.php?article_id=136 > Wood, A., F. (2010). Julias Impeccable Man. Bloomington: IUniverse. Print. Read More