EThames Graduate School

Edexcel Level 7 Extended diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership

Unit Name: Unit Number: Credit: Assignment Submission Date: Assessor: Mode submission: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC MANAGERS 02 05 22nd April 2011 @ 23:55 MRS GEORGINIA COX/ MR FELIX SHABA of LIVECAMPUS FOR

Submitted By: Kamal jeet singh Student ID:21149

Table of Content
Page No.

Personal and Professional strategic management skills 1.1a: Importance of personal and professional skills 1.1b: practical methods to improve skills 03 04

Personal skills audit 2.1a: skills audit 2.2b: preferred learning style 05 08

Personal Development Plan 3.1a personal development plan 3.2b monitoring and evaluation of the plan 3.3c impact of own learning against the strategic goals 10 12 12

Conclusion

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Task -01 Personal and Professional strategic management skills

1.1a: Importance of personal and professional skills Carrying out meetings is a main activity of setting strategic goals and making strategic decisions in an organization. The manager must have specific ability to running the meetings and making presentation. The presentation should cover all essentials and not be too long and boring. Otherwise the decisions taken in the meeting cannot be successfully practically implemented within the organization and also the presentation should be meaningful and interested. Therefore the organizational success is depending on the success of the meeting (Hersey, and Blanchard 1977). The time management is most important. When we are doing a business, every activity has a particular time frame. If we start before the time frame it cannot fit and also if we were late it was also missing out the situation, therefore deadlines were most important to consider. So time management is very essential to go forward the business functions. When working in the organization the stress is a common situation. Therefore the stress management is a personal skill of the people. The main requirements for the stress less situation were time management, maintaining the good health habits, clear mindset and etc. The stress out situation of the individual will help to maintain the friendly environment with subordinates and colleagues, control responds to others, improve own health status and so on (Monks, & McMackin, 2001) Leader is the most influential person in the organization. There are lots of examples that the leader can improve the business as well as bankrupt the business. The leadership skills were very essential to the organizational existence and long time survival. The leader should have ability to initiate others, influence others decisions, better organizing ability, understand the future and trends and so on. Therefore we can see the leadership skills are also required professional skills to the personals in their carrier life (Katzenbach, and Smith, 1994)

The each and every profession use specific professional knowledge for their working load. So they must carry out professional education about in any professional body. Therefore this knowledge is also important to professional development and carries out quality work in the organization. Due to strategic decisions of the organizations will change their current systems in to new systems; therefore the employees must have ability to adapt to these systems. If they were lacking of knowledge working there those employees were not suitable to those organizations. Therefore the personal and professional skills were very important.
Bowie, L., and Bronte, J. (Dec 2006) THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH WORKERS http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2007_06_15_RB_ProDevel.pdf (Accessed on 26th March 2011)

1.1b: practical methods to improve skills The report written skills and presentation skills of top management are required to achieve strategic goals. The learning programs were carried out by the organization to improve the personal skills of the employees. Workshops were carried out by the organization to improve the personal skills (leadership, time management and etc) development in the organization. Through these workshops the employee can understand the own strengths and weaknesses. Self assessment is use to identify own weaknesses and strengths. Then improve the status of the weak points in the working place. The engagement of extra activities (meditation, yoga) and participation in committees and all reflect the physical and mental fitness of the personal skills of the individual. This will clearly manage the stress. The reading will improve the personal and professional skills. Therefore reading the books, newspapers, journals and search knowledge about the related topics will improve the humans. Time management is very essential personal skill of the individual. If the individual provide the required documents on time or work on deadlines is the way of time management in the on job
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training. The strategic goals must be taken on required time otherwise the business cannot be run and changes must be done on particular time frame. The good communication skills are also most important in every time. So maintaining eye contact and try to control the voice according to the time and using different techniques the communication skills must be developed. That must be developing in only communicating not just listening and waiting. When we are working around different people we should understand their emotions and maintain the friendly relationship with them. Therefore the outdoor activities will help to improve the personal and professional skill of the individual. Individual counseling and mentoring is very essential service carried out by organizations which operating large number of workforce. Because of the personal problems the employee work is not in particular standards. In that time the counseling helps to gain mental fitness of the employee.
Cherry, K. (2010) Practical Ways to Apply Psychology in Everyday Life http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/tp/applying-psychology.htm (Accessed on 29th march 2011)

Task-02 Personal skills audit

2.1a: skills audit The personal skills audit carried out to improve the personal and professional skills of the individual. The different learning styles were use by different people to improve their skills. The following diagram clearly explains the skills audit and how to improve the skills through learning. SKILLS Time Management Communication skills Written LEARNING Provide deadlines in an on job working time essays, reports, minutes, letters, personal statements, posters and email writing in the on job and off the job for different purposes Verbal Informal talking with gatherings, organisation of social events (different method of convocation among different people), formal talking in presentations to the meetings/ clubs/ societies and so on. Nonverbal Listening and understanding body language of others in may time. Working others Negotiation with Cooperation Collaborate within a team or a group in the organization, participate in group activities. taking satisfactory outcome with dealing with different people, try to deal with different people Sensitivity Leadership respond to the individuals who need extra help ability to organize something and lead others to a correct direction Problem Solving Creativity Try to generate new innovations and ideas within the working schedule
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Organising planning Research Analysis initiative Information technology File management system presentation

& completing work with systematically

gathers information and use to improve particular section understands and summarise the gathered information takes correct decisions from that Improve the ability to store and take out the information if required, learning can be done in on job training

Working with power point and make meaningful presentations, not too long & boring ones

word processing Working with word and produce different documents as required spreadsheets Ability to work with functions and so on, off the job learning databases Working with data base and understand the security purposes and so on. Information & Working with internet and email was essential

communication Application number Interpretation application Own learning & Self awareness performance Effective learning Reflection Reflect own abilities according to the situation Learn form different working practices and situations Ability to analyse the calculations Ability to organise the data to the daily operations Identify own weakness and strengths the Calculation Ability to calculate without errors in the on job

Reasoning skills Argue about something with evidence and knowledge

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The above mention skills can be ranking using the following rating scale. The rating will provide idea about the profession, if required more training, or required deep knowledge about the skills or not required. The ranks were, Highly proficient Fairly proficient Adequate Not very proficient Unskilled

The personal audit document is provided to the superior, head of other departments, pears, subordinates and any individual of the organisation to fill out and get the feedback. As the marks received in the audit document, can be able to understand the current position and performance of my self. After the programme identified weakness points help to improve the performance, in order to improve the organisational quality work.
Know & grow yourself with your own personal development plan http://www.higherawareness.com/indexa.html (Accessed on 30th March 2011)

2.2b: preferred learning style The preferred Learning style of my organisation was effectiveness of learning by Kirkpatrick. The four symptoms (Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, Results) will helps to improve the personal skills. This learning method does not shown a big different from the current working practice. Therefore I was confident to improve my performance after the personal skills audit. This learning style was very practical. Reaction- identified reactions about (like, relevant to the job, timing, usage, comfort and my learning experience) the programme. Learning- identified abilities (what they taught or experience) of my own self and improvement in the job role in the Organisation.

Behaviour- I have continued the improved behaviour (level of knowledge, skill level and etc.) without any effort. Results-then I have reflected actual performance (values, number of complaints, time scales, investments and etc.) after the program. (Kirkpatrick, 1959) After the personal skills audit the training and development programmes was carried out by my organisation to improve the skills of the employees. I was also one employee who had participated in the training and development programme. I hope to improve my performance after the series of training programmes carried out by my organisation. Through the improve skills lead to increase the performance of the organisation.
(Source: kirkpatrick's (1959) learning and training evaluation theory [Online] Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm[Accessed 25th March 2011]

Strengths
The superior had identified the individual interested areas and abilities. Then he will decide the suitable place for to perform well in the future. The pears have clear idea about the job role and the work load and expected behaviour with them and the contribution towards the work schedules. The pears are sensitive with other personal skill. So the peers may not be bias. Head of other department were also participated to evaluation process. Third party evaluation is very effective and unbiased method. They have the knowledge about individuals boss and the subordinates. And they know the level of professional relationship with them and my contribution towards others. Therefore the third party has unbiased information about me. The subordinates know the actual performance and leadership of their superior. How much of contribution towards the work load? Therefore their evaluation may not be bias towards in my personal skill. The biasness or un-biasness was depending on the selected person and his position for the skills audit. But use of the different individual to the organisation to evaluate is un-bias. After the evaluation receive job rotations, promotions, bonuses and other incentives from the organisation. These will motivate the employee through incentives.
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The managers will identify hidden abilities of the individual own life and eliminate the misunderstandings and its problems after the skills audit. As the results of the personal skills audit document the boss identify the training and development needs of the individual to improve the skills.

Weaknesses
Superior may be bias in the personal audit. Some conflicts with the other employees will (as example: may be due to pour knowledge about new communication & technology) influence to the personal skills audit. Skills audit were lead to de-motivation of the job role in the organisation. The superior may be fear for loosing his position from the performance due to subordinate performance. Therefore protect his position he continue to provide lower marks to his particular subordinates audit skill sheet.
(Source: Griffin, R.W. (2011) Fundamentals of Management Cengage Learning)

Task-03 Personal Development Plan

3.1a personal development plan The personal development plan must have specific objectives. (SMART) Specific- the achievements were clearly established in the plan Measurable- the achievement were measured through different accesses Action oriented- express the required actions Realistic-the achievement were capable to and under control Timely- time scale was also developed credibly
How do I produce a personal development plan http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2427790/How-do-I-produce-aPersonal-Development-Plan-(PDP)-Objectives (Accessed on 28th March 2011)

Personal Development Plan

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Learning

and How to support to the Resources organizational goals

required

to Date achievement/ review

for

development need

activate the needs

Time management

Completing the work on Use of diary and help from required dates friends, colleagues family and

Every day

Communication skills

Quality verbal, non verbal and written materials

Journals,

newspapers, Every day

books, magazines and other reading materials and help form friends and family

Working with others

Successful team working in the organization

Friends and colleagues

Every day

Problem Solving

Improvement of analytical skills easily obtain the decisions to the critical problems

Friends, colleagues

Every day

Own

learning

& Improved

personal

and Personal audits Support colleagues, subordinates from friends, boss,

Ever day

performance

professional skills improve the performance of the organization

Personal SWOT analysis

STREGNTHS Specific knowledge about information and communication technology My number working and its analysis were in a very good standard. Problem solving ability of using quantitative and qualitative data was in the higher place. I am very responsible to the working place. 11 WEAKNESSES Writing skills of creative writing and other report writing are not in a very good position. Sometimes lacking in research carrying out skills for a specific reason. Most of the times I do not listening to others and their ideas very much. Still was not comfortable in some of the

 Like to negotiate with others in the group assignments and team working. Always try to finish work load on or before the deadlines and manage the time. I have ability to negotiate with others and come in to the decisions with them. I have identified my own personal abilities and weaknesses as well. Most of the times I am influencing others to work, building teams in the working place for certain events as a leader. OPPERTUNITIES

leadership skills. Carrying out planned activities, as planned on time is not very good.

THREATS

(Source: BTEC short courses, (online), Available from; http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/BTEC %20specialist%20and%20short%20course %20qualifications/302934_BTEC_L5_Advanced_Professional_ACD__in_Management_Studies_TSM.pdf (Accessed on 2nd April 2011)

3.2b monitoring and evaluation of the plan Evaluate the work completion deadlines, check if how many deadlines were missed out and how many were finished on time. And also check whether past data and after implementation of data of the personal development plan. Access the quality of the written materials and so on. How many business discussions were successful after the improvement of verbal and non verbal communication? The employee relationships, their attitudes towards others, respect to the seniors, responsible work and so on improved after the personal development plan. The quality of the decisions taken by the managers must be improved through this, therefore assessment of quality of the decision making process is also one of the monitoring method of personal development plan.
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Evaluation of overall performance of the organization is also a one way of monitoring the plan.

(Source: Cullen, B. (1994) A programme in the making: a review of the Community Development Programme Combat)

3.3c impact of own learning against the strategic goals Sometimes the own learning may not be applicable to the situation. That means the own learning was done in an incorrect way. Therefore the own learning was negatively impact on the achievement of strategic goals (Griffin, 2011) On the other hand the own learning is the way of understanding whole process very clearly about the situation and clearly identify the learning issues, conditions, implications and so on. The own learning will create a more experience and able to gather vast knowledge about the particular learning materials. Clear identification of the strategic goals, its limitations and so on.

Conclusion
Personal and professional skills are very important in the organization. Making presentation, running meeting, leadership skills, stress management, time management and so on are important among other skills. Workshops, self assessments, extra activities, reading, daily practicing of weak activities like communication, outdoor activities are will improve the personal and professional life of the individual. The time management, communication skills, analytical skills, information technology, application of number, own learning and performance and using other skills the personal skills audit were carried out. Then identify the preferred learning style as a Kirkpatrick learning style to improve the strategic skills of the manager. The four actions of reaction, learning, behavior and results are use to improve the learning of an individual. And also discuss about the strengths and weakness of personal skills audit as well. That means there were limitations in the personal skills audit as well.

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The personal development plan was created to improve the required personal and professional skills of the individual. With the plan the monitoring and evaluation processes of activities were also carrying out. The own learning through these activities will impact on the achievement of strategic goals of the organization.

Reference
Clark, T., Grant, D. & Heijltjes, M. (2000). Researching comparative and international human resource management. International Studies of Management, 29(4), 623. Cullen, B. (1994) A programme in the making: a review of the Community Development Programme Combat Poverty Agency. Department for Education and Skills (2003) Management and Leadership Attributes Framework. DfES Leadership and Personnel Division, April 2003. Deutsche Lufthansa AG (1998) Leading With Goals: Lufthansa Leadership Compass. FRA PU/D, July1998.

Decker, Greg (2003).Using data to drive student achievement in the classroom and on high-stakes tests, T.H.E. Journal, 30(6), 44-48.)

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Griffin, R.W. (2011) Fundamentals of Management Cengage Learning. Grint, K. (2000) Literature Review on Leadership. Cabinet Office: Performance and Innovation Unit. Heifetz (1994) Leadership without Easy Answers. Cambridge: Belknap Press. Hersey, P. and K.H. Blanchard (1977) Management of Organizational Behavior. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice Hall.

Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 2004, promoting a Positive Culture A Guide to Health and Safety Culture overview of managing health and safety quality and culture.

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Kamoche, K. (1996). Strategic human resource management within a resourcecapability view of the firm. Journal of Management Studies, 33(2), 21333. Katzenbach, J. and Smith, D. (1994) The Wisdom of Teams. New York, Harper business.

Kets de Vries, M., (1996) Leaders who make a difference, European Management Journal, Vol 14 (5) discusses a helpful framework for strategic leadership competencies.

Laurie, J.Mullins, (2007), Management and Organization Behavior, Seventh edition, Dorling Kindersey (India), Pearson education.

Mintzberg, H., 1994, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, The Free Press renowned management guru exploring the impact of strategic decision making.

Monks, K. & McMackin, J. (2001) Designing and aligning an HR system. Human Resource Management Journal, 11(2), 5772.
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Web Reference BTEC short courses [Online] Available from:http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/BTEC%20specialist%20and %20short%20course %20qualifications/302934_BTEC_L5_Advanced_Professional_ACD__in_Managem ent_Studies_TSM.pdf[Accessed 25th February 2011] How do I produce a personal development plan [Online] Available from: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2427790/How-do-I-produce-a-Personal-DevelopmentPlan-(PDP)-Objectives[Accessed 25th February 2011]

Importance of stress management [Online] Available from: http://www.womenover40health.com/importance-of-stressmanagement.html[Accessed 25th February 2011] Kendra Cherry, Practical Ways to Apply Psychology in Everyday Life [Online] Available from:http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/tp/applyingpsychology.htm[Accessed 25th February 2011] kirkpatrick's learning and training evaluation theory [Online] Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm[Accessed 25th February 2011] Know & grow yourself with your own personal development plan [Online] Available from: http://www.higherawareness.com/indexa.html[Accessed 25th February 2011] Lillian Bowie and Jacinta Bronte (Dec 2006) THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH WORKERS [Online] Available from: http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends2007_06_15_RB_ProDevel.pdf[Accessed 25th February 2011] Skills audit and training need analysis [Online] Available from: http://www.peoplepulse.com.au/staff_skills_audit.htm[Accessed 25th February 2011]

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