EThames Graduate School

Edexcel Level 7
Extended diploma in Strategic Management and
Leadership
Unit Name:
Unit Number:

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIC MANAGERS
02

Credit:

05

Assignment
Submission Date:
Assessor:

22nd April 2011 @ 23:55

Mode
submission:

FOR

MRS GEORGINIA COX/ MR FELIX SHABA

of LIVECAMPUS

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

03

1.1b: practical methods to improve skills

04

Personal skills audit

2.1a: skills audit

05

2.2b: preferred learning style

08

Personal Development Plan

3.1a personal development plan

10

3.2b monitoring and evaluation of the plan

12

3.3c impact of own learning against the strategic goals

12

Conclusion

13

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
4

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

LEARNING
Provide deadlines in an on job working time

Written

skills

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

with Cooperation

others

Collaborate within a team or a group in the organization,

participate in group activities.

Negotiation

taking satisfactory outcome with dealing with different

people, try to deal with different people

Sensitivity

respond to the individuals who need extra help

Leadership

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
6

Organising

& completing work with systematically

planning
Research

gathers information and use to improve particular section

Analysis

understands and summarise the gathered information

initiative

takes correct decisions from that

Information

File

Improve the ability to store and take out the information

technology

management

if required, learning can be done in on job training

system
presentation

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

the Calculation

Ability to calculate without errors in the on job

number
Interpretation

Ability to analyse the calculations

application

Ability to organise the data to the daily operations

Own learning & Self awareness

Identify own weakness and strengths

performance
Effective

Learn form different working practices and situations

learning
Reflection

Reflect own abilities according to the situation

Reasoning skills Argue about something with evidence and knowledge

7

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.
9

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

10

Learning

and How to support to the Resources

development need

organizational goals

required

to Date

activate the needs

for

achievement/
review

Time management

Completing the work on Use of diary and help from

required dates

friends,

family

Every day

and

colleagues
Communication skills

Quality verbal, non verbal

Journals,

newspapers, Every day

and written materials

books, magazines and other

reading materials and help
form friends and family

Working with others

Successful team working in

Friends and colleagues

Every day

Friends, colleagues

Every day

the organization
Problem Solving

Improvement of analytical
skills

easily

obtain

the

decisions to the critical

problems
Own

learning

& Improved

performance

personal

and Personal audits

professional skills improve

the performance

Support

of the

from

colleagues,

organization

Ever day
friends,
boss,

subordinates

Personal SWOT analysis

STREGNTHS

WEAKNESSES

Specific knowledge about information and

Writing skills of creative writing and other report

communication technology

writing are not in a very good position.

My number working and its analysis were in a

Sometimes lacking in research carrying out

very good standard.

skills for a specific reason.

Problem solving ability of using quantitative

Most of the times I do not listening to others and

and qualitative data was in the higher place.

their ideas very much.

I am very responsible to the working place.

Still was not comfortable in some of the

11

Like to negotiate with others in the group

leadership skills.
Carrying out planned activities, as planned on

assignments and team working.

Always try to finish work load on or before the

time is not very good.

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

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.
12

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.

13

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

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

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15

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
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http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2427790/How-do-I-produce-a-Personal-DevelopmentPlan-(PDP)-Objectives[Accessed 25th February 2011]

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Available from:http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/tp/applyingpsychology.htm[Accessed 25th February 2011]

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http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm[Accessed 25th
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Know & grow yourself with your own personal development plan [Online] Available
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH WORKERS [Online] Available
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