Personal development plan essay pdf

Personal development plan essay example. Personal development plan essay example pdf. Personal leadership development plan essay pdf. How to write a personal development plan essay.
What is personal development essay. What is personal development plan pdf. What is personal development plan with example.

Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn WhatsApp Human nature is forgettable, that is why I would like to make my personal development plan.

I would like to see myself in next 4 years as a manager in my company where I am working now. My company is a large-scale company and we are doing corporate services such as a payroll, accounts.
Document keeping and outsources. There are lots of small scale and medium scale business in the markets who do not have possible to hire there on accounts and payroll works who do there outsource work to give companies like my company who provide above services. Now a days I am working as a admin assistant in my company I would like to
see myself as a manager in admin team. I have to do some plans to achieve my vision.
Get Help With Your Essay If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! Essay Writing Service There are some study skills I require to achieve my personal development plan. That’s why I start my study and l am doing my post diploma degree, this is one year plan and after that I will do my MBA
degree. Which will very helpful to achieve my goal and other side I have to develop my skills which is such an important for achieve my goal. I will try to analyse myself and I will try to eliminate my weaknesses and threats. In addition, I will strengthen my abilities and I will look forward for my opportunities. This plan is a way to a get perfection in life
and accomplish my goals. The aim of this Professional Development Plan is to establish a process of self-management and self-development. To develop myself, it is important to have an idea of my strengths and weaknesses and how can I convert my weaknesses to strengths. It also contains the opportunities that I have in me, I can take advantage of
them, and if any change happens in the environment, how can I face this change and get adjustable to these changes. This personal development plan is the key to carry out my goals. It will not only help me to develop myself but also will help me to reach my goals and be successful. SKILLS: There are two type of skills require to achieve my goal.
Fundamental skills Professional skills 1) Fundamentals skills : Discipline and time keeping Team work Stability 2) Professional skills Supervisory Sales skills Group activities Above skills are useful to achieve my personal development plan and my long terms goal. There are more skills are required such as communicating, roll model, attitude, self
motivation, decision making, hard work dedication, safety in work, carefulness etc .

I did my on exercise to achieve some skills. These are skills use to achieve my goal where I am now. I will try to complete all skills, which are taking me to my manager goal.
Support for Managers Framework – Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes Required: An understanding of the role of a supervisor/team leader Motivation and organisational skills Knowledge of relevant systems, processes, policy, legislation, quality standards and procedures Basic management models Management styles Team motivation Delegation i.e.
why, how and when Dealing with conflict Comprehensive knowledge of relevant systems, processes, policies, procedures, internal and external regulations, legislation and quality standards Basic principles of strategic management Methods of communication to individuals and groups Effective written and verbal communication Feedback and briefing
skills Understanding and interpreting the requirements of others Communicating information to others Dealing with confidential/ sensitive issues Purpose of a team Stages of team development Being an effective team member Supporting performance of others Teambuilding skills Balancing team roles and using strengths Team dynamics
Performance management principles Delivery of basic on-the-job training Delegation skills Reviewing individual and team progress and performance Coaching skills Recruitment and selection policies and procedures Basic interviewing skills Understanding of who to take issues to and when Problem solving cycle Developing creative approaches
Decision making (identification/solution/ implementation/ implication) Creative thinking Critical thinking Basics of project management Organising resources and prioritising activities Assessing and organising resources, and planning and progressing work activities Using basic Project Management principles Organisational skills Assertiveness Time
management/personal effectiveness Goal setting Developing and maintaining a network of contacts throughout own work area Adapting/transferring own skills to new circumstances Pursuing relevant professional qualifications Joining/progressing within own professional body Awareness (where appropriate) of wider developments in own profession
The above skills and managerial framework are helping me to know my area of goal. SKILLS AUDIT: I did my skills audit and its help me address of area where I have to change myself.
These are below. 1 Communication 3 I worked as corporate service company as an admin team member My responsibility was to communicate with customer and do there paper work. I also did letters, report and budget writing. Being from a commercial background, I lack some of the skills for effective business communication.
To improve this I have enrolled for management course. I am also taking BEC listening lessons. Practicing report writing, doing presentations, group discussion and debate are the ways to improve communication skills. 2 Problem Solving 3.5 During my one-year tenure as admin, office solved various problems related to business administration.
During this course, we are given assignments that are more practical. Some requires solving problems. More practical assignment, where in we are made to think taking into consideration present market situation, present business scenario and people involved in them will definitely improve our skill of problem solving. Reading case studies, articles
and analysis report or various people and companies 3 Planning 4 When I joined company, I got one year planning to do all works with my clients, and I done this with on my hard work and plans. During the course, to complete the assignment we discussed and planned within the group to complete the task and meet deadlines. This assignment guides
us to plan thing for our career.

Maintaining diary to do planning regarding studies and personal matter After done my MBA it will be a platform to show our planning skills and to learn new techniques related to planning in the business world. 4 Supervision and Management 3 I was admin head in my company when my admin head was on holiday. In my last job in India, I was
department head in my school and I use to supervision and management my department.

Getting opportunities to lead a small team at the start, It would be beneficial. This skill matters how well we understand our team, so reading books on effective management and understanding team members’ psychology will help. 5 Innovation, Creativity and Development 3 During our first term in this course, we had assignment and various class
activities that involved creative and innovative thinking. Doing more assignments where research and problem solving is required. Showing our creativity in power point presentation 6 Organising 3.5 During my university education, I was involved in organising Technical Festival named FERVOR’08 and other technical events throughout the year. I
also organised annual function of our hostel in India when I was a Head Boy. Chance to lead and organise event or project will help to improve this skills. Not necessary to be a big one 7 Delegating 3 Have done during academics assignment and events, but not in business world. This skills can be improved by leading a team in assignment of project
or event. Reading books and articles for effective delegating will help to build up this skill. 8 Leading & Chairing Meetings 3 During university, I lead my sport team of our sport event. In business world, I have not yet reached this position. 9 Delivering effective presentation 3 I was involved in-group presentation for assignment in my last year of my
degree. In addition, I did well. However, there is lot of room for improvement. Delivering as many presentations as possible to different audience and on variety of subjects during this course. Also taking presentation audit that we already did, in every term. 10 Professional Knowledge 2 As an admin tem member, I have sound knowledge of my field
but I aspire to be in business management. I have little knowledge about business management. This course is the first step to learn business management. I could show my skills as well as learn and demonstrate my business skills. 1 Time Management 3 I have been timetable follower all my life.
Sometimes I do miss my timetable. We as a team planned to meet deadlines for the assignment. In addition, I manage time for my studies and part time job to build my career and also earn for my living expenses. Attending seminars on tips on time management, or making it a part of our course. Reading book on time management. Making daily log
and task schedules and following them. 2 Analysis 3 I many times analyse the situation before reacting to it. Still need to work a lot as far as analysis as a personal skill is concerned. Managing changes in organization assignment was on real estate, which required research and analysis. I have been able to do quite well Assignment and case studies
involving lot of research and analysis will help us to develop this skill from business point of view. Also analyzing and then addressing all issues that come on our way to make a successful career. 3 Objective Setting 3 To improve my managerial skills, which I am lacking, I enrolled for this course. My objective is to improve my technical skills and
managerial skills to be a competitive candidate in business world. Objective setting skills can be learned by discussing and brain storming session by counsellor, teacher, friends and family.
4 Prioritizing Work Tasks 2 I sometimes find difficulty in prioritizing tasks. We got assignment and Job as a Christmas Temp so it was difficult to manage and prioritize, as both were important. One for living and other for career Preplanning and brainstorming can be done to prioritize work. Maintaining diary and scheduling will help to improve this
skill. 5 Decisive / (Procrastination) 2 In this term, I have delayed my submission. Again, planning and challenging self to stick to deadlines will help. Also reading and taking tips to avoid laziness helps.
Doing Yoga to improve concentration and self control 6 Dealing with interruptions 2 When I am talking to someone and if other person interrupts, I lose my point of discussion and thus get frustrated with interruption. But when I am doing a task or studies I don’t feel interruption by music or a call by friend.
I get back to work as soon as I finish with interruption.
Improving memory Doing Yoga to improve concentration. Reading books on this. 7 Planning & Organising Skills 3 I plan and organise task before implementing. Like I have done in all my assignments In addition, I plan when it comes to personal or family occasions and matters. Learning to plan things in our work and daily life from our teachers,
parents and colleagues Reading books and case studies on planning and organising 8 Problem-solving 4 Right from my childhood, I have been away from my parents for study and career reasons. I manage my problems myself and solve them personally.
Sometimes I do concern my family of teachers for this. Leaving independent life help us to learn this skills. Solving problems ourselves first and if it is too worse than only concern to others. I have read the book ‘Heart of Change’ by John Katter et al. that shows how people solve their business problems with simple techniques. 9 Team Work 3 Worked
in team in my job.
Team was productive and we did well to deliver the result.
Also worked in a team for organising various events during my university education as mentioned earlier Being a part of different team each time during new project will improve our skill. Also understanding our responsibilities and roles in the team will improve our skill. 10 Networking 3 I am extrovert and like to meet people and make contacts. I
am so many contacts from my university days.
This helps us to share and learn new ideas not only at personal level but also at professional level.
Making groups on networking website Like we have made an academic group “stcdms0910” on yahoo groups to be in touch not only for this course but throughout lifetime to share both business and personal information. 11 Self-management 4 I don’t change my plan or get distracted by my friend’s activities. I will do what I planned and what is
important to me. Learning self-control improves this skill. Doing Yoga, Reading books etc 12 Technology Skills 4 I did my bachelor in science degree with first class. I am interested a lot in reading and browsing about new technology. Keeping one, self well aware of changing technology, Reading and browsing for learning about new technology Never
be afraid of trying out gadgets or software packages due to fear of damaging it. 13 Communication 3 I have done well in presentation though I am improving on various aspect of delivering effective presentations. I am little weak as far as spoken and listening is concerned.
I have taken BEC listening lessons to improve my listening skills. I read a lot to improve my vocabulary. In addition, I do presentations. 14 Listening Skills 3 I am a good listener as my friends say. They approach me to discuss issues. I consider that everyone has talent and they are worth listening. However, as an activist as far as learning style is
concerned I feel bore to listen to long lectures. Firstly being patient. Understanding others feeling.
Taking interest in what others have to say. Doing Yoga to improve concentration will help. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: When I was making my personal development plan, I need several steps to achieve my goal. That why I follow bellow structure which are provide me to show my way to manager post in next 4 years. Step involve in personal
development plan. Regarding above structure I can consider myself now a days as a team member in my company.
There are many things are help me to achieve my goal. I would like to become a manager in my four years to come. Now days I am doing as a team member in my company and there are some skills which are good in my life and some of skills I need to be improve in my future. SWOAT ANALYSIS: To achieve my goal I have to do my SWOT analysis.
SWOT Analysis is a tool that will reflect your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats .it will help me to develop my currier way that takes best advantage of my ability, talents and opportunities. The first step of a SWOT analysis is the internal factor: Strengths and weakness. SWOT Analysis are inbuilt they are not inhere tent by others. Below
are my strengths and weaknesses. Ø I can learn things faster Ø I am bad in time management Ø Positive attitude Ø Short tempered Ø Punctual Ø Friendly nature Ø Energetic Ø Poor presentation skills The next step is considering the external factor these are things like economic, market, environmental change etc. Its involve opportunities and
threats. Ø Getting MBA degree in known university, Ø Lack of job in my field due to recession Ø Getting chance to work in UK & get PSW visa (work ) Ø Emotionally attached with the family in back home, Ø Chance to build my network, Ø Visa extension is very strict and may get refused, Ø Getting experience in market &my company , Ø UK is very
expensive to live &continue my study and future, GOALS: It is very important for me and every individual organisation to have goals in life, the goal should be SMART: S- Specific, significant, stretching M – Measurable, meaningful, motivational A – Achievable, acceptable, attainable R- Realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding T- time-base, tangible,
traceable My goal is after four years to become a manager in my company. As I use to deal with my work and I have complete knowledge for how can I reach there and how it works in my life. Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn WhatsApp Learning Outcome: 1. Be able to asses personal and professional skills required to achieve strategic
goals. 2. Be able to conduct a skills audit to identify learning style. 3. Be able to implement a personal development plan. This assignment is based on my personal development plan that helps bridging the gap between where I am now and where I want to be in a certain period of time successfully. At first, let’s find out what a Personal development
plan is.
Actually it is a career plan that contains employee’s goals and used to measure their performances. Don't use plagiarized sources. Get your custom essay on “ Personal development plan Final ” Get custom paper NEW! smart matching with writer In detail, it is the process of creating an action plan based on awareness, values, reflection, goal-setting
and planning for personal development within the context of a career, education, relationship or for self-improvement A personal development plan is one of the most important tools for students and professionals who want to achieve success in different fields. It enables one to keep track of the changes required in their life and areas of weakness
that require improvement. The plan provides a gauge for a person to see his or her development and progress and determine the skills required to achieve in the future.
It aids in the achievement of goals for personal and professional development. This is because success requires planning and setting of goals. The goals set in the plan have to be clear and measurable. The personal development plan for me is a chance to know myself better, I can realize what I want to achieve or where I want to go in the plan, in the
short- or long-term, and also identifying the need for skills, knowledge or competence.
It also helps me to define the appropriate development to meet those perceived needs. In this report, I am going to focusing on what my strengths are and where my Weaknesses are, also how to use my strengths in the field I will work into in the future, and how to develop my weaknesses to be my Strengths as well. CAREER ASPIRATIONS Chosen
role I would like to pursue a career as Stock Broker. A stock broker is commonly characterised as any competent and regulated professional who is involved in the buying and selling (trading) of shares or stocks. Also, a stock broker is an individual responsible for a business deal on a stock exchange. Usually, a negotiation is made between two
authorised members of the exchange. For the purposes of convenience, an ordinary person is no longer needed to walk into the premises of any institution, for instance, the New York Stock Exchange, to enquire on the trade stock. This exchange is done through a broker. However, a stock broker is not just confined in such plain participation in a
transaction as there are other stock broking opportunities such as execution-only, advisory dealing, and discretionary dealing, and other related services. Execution-only stock broker involves the implementation of the client’s instructions to buy or sell. A stock broker who focuses on advisory dealing informs and gives important information to the
client on which shares to buy and sell, but leaves the task of final decision-making to the jurisdiction of the investor. Meanwhile, a stock broker who is in-charge with discretionary dealing determines the client’s investment intentions and serves as the mainly involved person in all transactions and decision-making functions done on the client’s behalf.
In general, stock brokers provide relevant and useful information on trading stocks, for instance on the cases of which stocks or mutual funds to be bought. To be a full-pledged stock broker, I must be involved in activities and related opportunities that will increase my competencies, particularly those that I need to be a successful stock broker. Of
course, it is necessary to finish my studies first. I will begin by providing assistance to a certified stock broker. This is my short term aspiration. By being an associate, I will have direct exposure to the business transactions that my employer deals with. Gaining experience is my key motivation. My medium aspiration is to get promoted or trusted with
bigger responsibilities. For example, my employer will ask me to do things that are similar to his/her functions, allow me to decide on important things, expect me to be reliant to classified tasks, and the likes. After staying on this position for a significant period of time, I will try to evaluate myself if I am already capable of entering my long term
aspiration – that is – being a stock broker. I will immediately take up the needed examinations and eligibility requirements. Skills required for the chosen role The chosen occupation entails the management functions including planning, organizing, directing/leading, coordinating and controlling. These functions are goal-directed, interrelated, and
interdependent with each other. These are also needed in dealing with all elements of business – people, jobs or positions, technology, facilities and equipment, materials and supplies, information, and financial resources. Planning is very important. It is the most primary and basic process of formulating courses of action or organised behaviour ahead
of particular time (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 2003; David 2002). It appears to be foundational aspect to effective career management (Blustein 1997; De Voe 1998; Kaye 1997; Moses 1995; Orpen 1994; Shahnasarian 1994). While it is true that many people do not always plan their actions, it is important for an aspiring stock broker – like me, to
plan. Organisations pay particular importance to the planning ability of every employee. However, whether dealing with the context by which planning is occurring or whether on the individual or organisational level, the process takes place according to the prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and goals that are involved. On this case, the presence of definite
course of actions and organised behaviour is important in stock broking. Brokers have deliberate goals that needed immediate response in the most time- and cost-effective ways possible. When a stock broker is affiliated to any stock broker firm, the firm’s objectives should reflect standards of success in financial and competitive performance, as well
as acceptable levels of risk and rates of long-term growth (Roney 2004). The broker then is expected to present plans and interventions on the tasks and the resources to be utilised in achieving the predetermined goals. The lack of formal planning or poor planning process and ability can decrease individual as well as organisational performance
(Baird et al. 1993). According to most authors (Roney 2004; Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 2003; David 2002; Matthews and Scott 1995), managerial strategic planning minimises the potential negative consequences of lack of formal planning or poor planning (i.e. uncertainty). The success of several organisations and people rely on the outstanding
ability to plan, evaluate and materialise arrangement in connection to the achievement of goals.
Organising is the ability of putting similar elements following one or more rules (Morgenstern 1998). Generally, it includes the specification and distribution of tasks to appropriate components (e.g. people, departments, etc). It is also the assignment of authority and allocation of resources. The practice of organising is crucial in developing inputs to
planning, making planning decisions, and implementing strategy. To be effective, however, comprehensive management function in the business must be done in a continuous pattern (Hornsby and Kuratko 2005; Roney 2004). Yet, it is argued that the organising process that is to be conducted within the firm or among the individual is dependent on
the plans that must be implemented. On the case of a stock broker, organising includes the development of coordinated efforts and interventions especially in the performance of prescribed duties and eventual achievement of deliberate goals set ahead of time.
This is highly needed to cope up with the soaring demand of clients and the industry itself. Directing or leading involves the execution of planned and organised activities and interventions for the achievement of predetermined goals (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 2003; David 2002). The task of directing or leading is also connected to other
organisational factors such as the clients, the firm’s budget and assets, and all other firm’s resources (Roney 2004). Furthermore, it is encouraged to adapt participative approaches to directing/leading in order to elicit useful characteristics and elements that are useful for the individual’s and firm’s success level. Also, the development and execution
of appropriate leadership style is a vital determinant of effective directing or leading process. In the stock broking industry, it is still fundamental to study the practicable directing or leading applications to be implemented in accordance to the achievement of individual’s and organisation’s most important motives. Coordinating is the regulation of all
the various elements needed in the achievement of set goals. It is the integrating and establishing of linkages to diverse elements in order to accomplish harmonious operations and execution of plans (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 2003; David 2002).
Coordinating includes the effective flow of communication. Communication is the link to successful execution of plans and achievement of objectives because it serves a number of fundamental functions (Brown 2001). Among these functions include the management of data and information, its flow, and so on. Surveys focusing on areas of
improvement among corporations state that communication usually ranked as key element within the organization (Harris 1993). Eckhouse (1994) suggested that communication serves four major functions within a group or organization including control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. Communication is needed in a stock broker
career because of the presence of constant meetings and appointments with different groups and types of people. Controlling is the task of management in the course of providing positive controls on the efforts of various elements of the organisation such as people and financial resources (Witzel 2003). It has been demonstrated that the emphasis in
successful management lies on the man, not on the work (Gilbreth 1914 cited in Witzel 2003). According to Gilbreth, the man’s mind is a controlling factor in efficiency, and has, by teaching, enabled the man to make the most of his powers. A stock broker must be able to control the future of every transaction so as to uphold the premeditated
individual as well as organisational goals. Every action is planned, organised, directed, and coordinated towards a general consensus.
The future of every business deal is reliant on the ability of the stock broker to minimise potential hazards and increase productivity. Thus, controlling and all the other management functions mentioned above are relatively important.
Strength I recognised myself as someone who possesses the strength of the task of coordinating particularly on the case of communication. Petit, Goris and Vaught (1997) noted communication’s function is essential for cases like allowing employees to conduct meetings, make memos, provide feedback and share corporate-wide information. I believed
that the previous exposures and experiences that I gained help me acquired this core competency. Good communication skill was gained from giving presentations at seminars, supplier and customer service transactions (e.g. issuing clear and concise instructions, advising and assisting customers, etc).
I am also used at working on team projects particularly during my course. This involved different roles, which have developed my impeccable negotiation and persuasion skills. Considering the significant role of communication in stock broking, coordinating is among the basic ingredients of my professional success.
I also believed to the spill over effects of effective coordinating function like the development of teamwork and successful working relationship. Teamwork is also attributed to the positive effects upon the psychological health and well-being of organisations member (Carter and West 1999). Through effective communication, people are motivated to
work in unity and towards the achievement of individual and organisational goals alike. Weakness Firstly, it is in depth knowledge which I think I don’t have right now. I do have the knowledge of a stock broker but I am not a specialist. Secondly, I tend to be little autocratic sometimes. So, this kind of attitude reflects as my weakness in terms of
directing or leading. Leadership is an important aspect of management. As stated by a few authors (e.g. Cohen and Brand 1993; Hyde 1992), management requires leader’s full participation and involvement instead of designating individual groups who will shoulder all the responsibilities. Furthermore, this also helps in creating a sense of
commitment and loyalty (Hill 1991). I presumed that I am the opposite of a favoured leader. I am autocratic which means I tend to be overly manipulative and domineering. I was engaged in an argument in my previous job placement out of my domineering attitude. This attitude hinders the development of harmonious relationship or esprit de corps
among colleagues and most importantly on the part of potential clients. I recognised the need to learn a leadership style that will be instrumental on the achievement of my intended career role as well as the development of other important values useful in my future as stock broker and person as whole. Opportunities I have plenty of opportunities in
this specific subject. In fact I have the world. The scope of learning here in United Kingdom is better than my home country. I am also active in this business right now and dealing with one of the biggest stock brokerage firm in Europe which I think that is one of the most learning experience I am having in this business ever. Threats The most
common and important threats in this business are the uncertainties, competitors and future world situations. REFLECTION ON MY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT We all know that fact that knowledge is power. So I think that I have to study more and more about the subject to gain more knowledge so that I can handle all the situations happens there in a
stock exchange individually. While I recognise my limitation of being an autocratic leader, I learned to lessen my domineering attitude and improved my leadership style. ‘In the business point of view, good leadership proves to be quite beneficial as aids in effectively meeting job-related demands, creating higher-performing teams, fostering renewed
loyalty and commitment, increasing motivational level, and reducing absenteeism and turnover of employees’ (Drucker 1995). From the last incident which I had in my last job with one of my subordinate, I considered having a reality check on my leadership skills – from autocratic to democratic or being friendlier. I gradually changed from
domineering to accommodating leader. By doing so, I am able to listen on other people’s voices and study the situation before giving my personal judgments. I should have been more lenient to the new employee. With this experience, I learned that autocratic attitude is not actually relevant particularly in working with teams because it hinders the
development of teamwork among team mates. Thus, I needed to reconsider other leadership style as option. Now, I will take all the opportunities whatever comes to my way. As my knowledge is growing day by day regarding this business, I think that I can make the best use of my opportunities. I hope, I can handle the threats as well. In this case, I
should have proper knowledge about my competitors; I should be more analytical while predicting the future business situations. So, from the above discussion, it is clear that what a personal development plan is and how to develop it. SWOT analysis is a vital exercise for personal development plan. The examples given here in this assignment are
based on my own life experiences and future plan. References: Baird, I. S., Kuratko, D. F., Lules, M. A. & Orris, B. B. (1993) “Formalized Planning in Small Business: Increasing Strategic Choices”, Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 38-50. Blustein, D. L. (1997) “A context-rich perspective of career exploration across the life
roles”, Career Development Quarterly, no. 45, pp. 260-274.
Brown, A. D. (2001) “Organization studies and identity: Towards a research agenda”, Human Relations, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 113-121. Cohen, S. & Brand, R. (1993) “Total Quality Management in Government,” San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, Inc. David, F. R. (2003) “Strategic management: Concepts and cases”, New Jersey, Pearson Education Inc.
DeVoe, D.
(1998) “Plans are key to success”, Infoworld, vol. 20, no. 31, pp. 75-76. Drucker, P. F.
(1995) “The practice of managemen”t, United Kingdom, Heinmann.
Eckhouse, B. (1994) “Competitive Communication”, Boston, McGraw-Hill, pp.
53. Gilbreth, L. (1914) “The Psychology of Management”, Sturgis & Walton, New York. In Witzel, M. (2003) Fifty Key Figures in Management, New York, Routledge. Harris, T. E. (1993) “Applied Organizational Communication: Perspectives, Principles, and Pragmatics”, Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Hill, S. (1991) “Why Quality Circles
failed but Total Quality management might succeed”, British Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 541-568. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2003) “Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization”, 5th ed., Singapore, South-Western. Hornsby, J. & Kuratko, D. (2005) “Frontline PR: a Handbook for the Emerging
Manager”, Crawfordsville, IN, Thompson. Hyde, A. (1992) “The Proverbs of Total Quality Management: Recharting the Path to Quality Improvement in the Public Sector”, Public Productivity and Management Review, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 25-37. Kaye, B. L. (1997) “Up is not the only way: A guide to developing work – force Talent,” 2nd ed., Palo Alto, CA,
Davies-Black Publishing. Matthews, C. H. & Scott, S. G. (1995) “Uncertainty and Planning in Small and Entrepreneurial Firms: An Empirical Assessment”, Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 34-56. Morgenstern, J. (1998) “Organizing from the Inside Out”, New York, Owl Books. Moses, B. (1999) “The good news about careers:
How you’ll be working in the next decade”, Toronto, ON, Stoddart. Moses, B. (1995) “The manager’s career coaching guide”, Toronto, ON, BBM Human Resource Consultants. Orpen, C. (1994) “The effects of organizational and individual career management on career success”, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 15, pp. 27-37. Pettit, J. D., Goris,
J. R., & Vaught, B. C. (1997) “An examination of organizational communication as a moderator of the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction”, The Journal of Business Communication, vol. 34, pp. 81-98. Roney, C. W. (2004) “Strategic Management Methodology: Generally Accepted Principles for Practitioners”, Westport, CT,
Praeger. Shahnasarian, M. (1994) “Decision time: A guide to career enhancement”, Odessa, FL, Psychological Assessment Resources. Witzel, M. (2003) “Fifty Key Figures in Management”, New York, Routledge. Personal development is an ongoing process that drives you to improve your knowledge, skills and experience, so that you can achieve your
goals. A personal development plan (or PDP) is a method of focussing your goals into achievable steps, which helps you keep track of your personal development. Download Free PDP Example/Template Why Should I Create a Personal Development Plan? Your plan may be aimed at your education, career or personal goal, or a mixture of all three – that
is up to you to determine. Whatever the case may be, a good plan will provide you with a clear sense of focus. It helps you map out a path towards your goals, strategise a plan to achieve them, record the actionable steps you will take, and set a timeframe for completing them. Focussing your goals into a PDP helps you maintain your vision, keep on
track to achieve your targets, and reflect on your progress. Simply put, a PDP can help you build a clear understanding of what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it. A clear plan can also support your positive mental wellbeing and improve your level of satisfaction. It can provide a sense of direction, purposefulness and a feeling of
success as you start to fulfil your potential.
All of these can have very positive impacts on your mental health. Therefore, discovering what your goals are, getting organised and giving yourself a sense of direction can be incredibly beneficial. This article will give you an understanding of how to write a personal development plan, as well as provide you with a handy template to support your
development journey. How to Write a Personal Development Plan There are seven steps to writing a PDP: Set yourself goals. Prioritise those goals. Set yourself deadlines for when you want to achieve them. Recognise threats and opportunities. Develop your skills or increase your knowledge. Use your support network. Measure your progress. 1. Set
Yourself Goals The first step is to set yourself goals.
Think about what you want to achieve, whether that’s within a few weeks, within a year, or over your lifetime. Deciding what you want is not only the first step in planning, it’s also the hardest. Once you’ve figured out what you want to do, that goal will provide clear direction and a structure for your resulting plan. At this stage, your goals will feel
big. You might be wondering how you are ever going to achieve them. Don’t worry – the next step is to prioritise and turn those goals into smaller, actionable steps that will support you on your way to achieving them.
2. Prioritising Your Goals Now that you have your goals, the next stage is to break them down into smaller steps.
When doing this, it’s important that your goals are SMART: Specific.
Avoid large, ambiguous steps. These won’t support you on your way to achieving your goals. Insted, make sure that your goals are specific and clearly highlight the skill, knowledge or experience you want to develop. Measureable. You need to be able to monitor and reflect on your progress. Therefore, your goals need to be measurable, such as by
setting a goal to develop your SEO knowledge with a measurable target of growing your website traffic by a set, defined percentage. Attainable. Your goals need to be achievable and realistic. You need to think about if it is something you can realistically achieve with the time and resources you have. If not, you will likely be setting yourself up for
failure. Relevant. It’s important to keep your overall goal in mind and make sure that every step you take is supporting you to achieve it.
You don’t want to be spending time doing things that don’t get you where you want to go. Time-bound.
Set yourself key targets to achieve and deadlines in which to achieve them. This will help you stay focussed on achieving your goals. However, it’s important to make sure you are realistic in what you can achieve in any given period. Don’t try to achieve everything all at once. It’s unrealistic and you won’t be setting yourself up well to achieve them.
Remember that personal development is a journey – your PD plan can continue to grow and develop as you take those steps towards your goals. Once you have your goals, you’ll need to prioritise them. In your PDP, you should be setting yourself mini goals to make the big ones happen. For example, if you wish to pursue a career in academia as a
senior lecturer and then a professor, a necessary step to succeeding in this goal is to achieve a PhD. So that would be one of your long-term goals. You then need to break it down into steps, such as: Learn about the PhD application process.
Find a suitable university and supervisor for a PhD.
Look at routes for funding. Find studentships to apply for or apply to your university of choice. Write and submit your PhD application. Download Free PDP Example/Template 3. Set Yourself Deadlines Knowing when you want to achieve a goal is crucial, and picturing your future is an important source of motivation and inspiration. Having goals and a
set deadline will drive your motivation to achieve them. For example, if your goal is to buy a home, knowing when you want to achieve it will help you calculate exactly how much money you need to save each year in order to get your deposit. The same is true for your skills, knowledge and experience development. As mentioned above, setting realistic
and time-bound goals are essential to achieving them. One good way to understand more about achieving your goals is to speak to those who have previously trodden a similar path. Learning about their experiences can help you understand key barriers to, or methods of, success that may also be applicable to your PDP. 4. Recognise Threats and
Opportunities When considering your goals, you should identify your own strengths, consider areas of weakness you can develop, look at the opportunities available to support you in achieving your goals, and any threats that may hinder you in your progress. This is called a SWOT analysis. Note that these threats may be external or they may be core
skills that you can develop as part of your PDP. For example, a lack of motivation could hinder your plans to apply for a PhD. However, once you’ve identified your tendency to procrastinate or lose focus, you can put in place methods that will keep you motivated. There are also going to be things that you could do, and connections with people or
resources you could take advantage of, that will help you on your way. These are your opportunities that you should commit to doing. For example, if there’s a conference coming up, take advantage of that. Go along and network, stay up to date on the latest knowledge, or even present a paper. These are all opportunities that could help you achieve
your goals. 5. Develop Yourself Once you have an idea of what could help or hinder you, this is when you can capitalise on those opportunities you recognised. Make an action plan about how you’ll make that progress. Whatever it is that hinders you, there’s a way to stop it. Your plan is the first step to making sure you stay on track. So, why not take
a look at how to upskill yourself, develop transferable skills in today’s rapidly changing jobs market, or even discover an online learning opportunity. Download Free PDP Example/Template 6. Use Your Support Network The next thing you need to realise is that: You don’t have to do everything by yourself. And you shouldn’t. The support network
around you is a valuable asset, so use it and don’t underestimate it. In your PDP, list the people who can help you. This could be a financial advisor, a friend, or a colleague. People are often so happy to help you, more than you might realise.
7.
Measure Progress After you’ve achieved some progress, whether it’s big or small, take time to reflect on how far you’ve come. Recognising what has gone well is an effective way to bolster your motivation and remain dedicated. And after a setback, this is another time to take stock. Wallowing – briefly – is a good way to feel what you need to without
holding on to it. Holding onto sadness, anger or frustration, however, will only deter you. These emotions will take you nowhere and will only hinder you. You should also spend a little time figuring out why it went wrong. Can you identify a skills or knowledge gap? If you can, then you can get yourself back on track by focussing on your next step.
This will reignite your sense of purpose and help you regain control, which is integral to making progress. Continue to reflect on your progress. You can gain significant insight from your reflections and this can help you grow. Remember that you should update your plan where necessary. Don’t overload it at any one time but, once you have achieved
your small steps, reflect and then update your plan to focus on your next move. Free Personal Development Plan Example & Template In this article, we have discussed how you can create your own personal development plan, so you should now feel ready to start considering your goals and developing your own plan.
To help you produce an effective personal development plan, we have created an editable template that you can use. Take a look at our example PDP, and download your free template below: Download Free PDP Example/Template Further Resources: