Assignment 1: Personal Development Plan

• Assessment type: Plan & Reflection?

• Word count:

• How much the assessment is worth: 50%

• Submission: Monday 13.00 UK time Week 6

Instructions

As you progress through the development in weeks 1 to 6, you will undertake a range of self-diagnostic tests and also take part in

activities and exercises. These have been designed to gain self-awareness about your current personal skill, knowledge and

experience levels in a range of professional and Leadership skills areas.

At the end of each week, you were asked to reflect on your performance and add to a Personal Development Plan, recording your

personal skill development and identifying what and how you will develop your identified skills gaps as you progress towards your

career goals.

You will also write a short 500-word reflection to accompany the PDP around your journey through the personal skills

encountered so far. Some academic referencing should be included in this section about the reflective process you have

undertaken.

4

Further information is provided at different points during the module. Please use this only as a basic guide and make sure that

you use the assignment criteria grid provided to complete the work by the end of Week 6.

Grading

Students will be assessed using the following Grading Rubric. PG Generic Assessment Criteria(PDF)/nGUIDE to the COMPLETION of A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

What is a Personal Development Plan?

The aim of creating a personal development plan is to document a process of self-analysis,

personal reflection and honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses. This should

enable you to evaluate the value of the leadership and management training you have

received, and to consider your future leadership development.

What do I need to do?

An example of a PDP included later in this GUIDE, and should be read in conjunction with

the requirements outlined below. This task is relatively short, succinct and designed to be

helpful in evaluating your leadership development. It enables you to reflect upon your recent

experience and to focus on the next stage of your training and development. Creating your

PDP has three stages as follows:

a. Stage 1 - Personal Analysis. The first stage is designed to analyse your

strengths and weaknesses. You will be able to draw heavily upon your career and the

outcomes of courses that you may have attended. These should be supplemented by

the perceived opportunities that will have been derived from your experience and any

threats to your continued success.

b. Stage 2 - Setting Goals. This involves setting new and clearly definable goals

for yourself which are measurable. The example PDP provides clear guidance on

identifying these. You will need to consult your immediate superior (your first reporting

officer/line manager)/nthe perceived opportunities that will have been derived from your experience and any Comment

threats to your continued success.

b. Stage 2 - Setting Goals. This involves setting new and clearly definable goals

for yourself which are measurable. The example PDP provides clear guidance on

identifying these. You will need to consult your immediate superior (your first reporting

officer/line manager)

C. Stage 3 - Personal Objectives. This stage involves setting out your personal

objectives. These can also be set in context within your civilian employment as shown

in the example, which will be helpful in reinforcing its value.

Example of a Personal Development Plan

Mr A is a 25 year old graduate working for a well-known mobile telecommunications

company. He is 2 years into their graduate recruitment programme. He joined the

organisation while at university and transferred to his current department following

graduation. After a year he was encouraged to enter a managerial leadership and

management development programme. He re-joined his department as a junior

manager.

His employer is supportive and has been reasonably flexible and supportive in making

allowances for the additional time off work to complete all the training modules.

Once properly qualified and with more experience, he is keen to take on more

responsibility and be seconded to another part of the company.

The example PDP is set out over the following page/nPart 1 - Personal Analysis

Before setting your short medium and long term personal development plans, you should conduct a personal analysis: Eg - What are my strengths

and weaknesses? What external opportunities or threats might affect any plans I might make?

Strengths

My personal administration in the company and basic

skills are good and my detailed knowledge is generally

sound for my level of training.

I gained confidence from proving that I could cope with

the pressures of the L and M course, even with sleep

depravation. I was assessed to be composed during

practical work and provided clear direction.

Having the opportunity to lead a team over an extended

period of time, I demonstrated that I have the ability to

provide clear direction and manage people to achieve

specific tasks whilst under pressure.

Opportunities

Demonstrate to my employer that I have had both

structured management and leadership training and

Areas for further development

It was difficult to maintain the work/life balance and

maintain my physical fitness standards during

academic studies. As a result I have lost some

physical fitness.

I need to take more time in planning a task

thoroughly before briefing my subordinates. Ie

provide the solution not present the problem. My

understanding of the estimate planning process is

still superficial in places and requires more detail.

In order to build my confidence in command I need

more experience of team management in different

scenarios

Threats

Balance work and personal commitments./nexperience of leading teams to achieve specific tasks.

Also to highlight that I have been exposed to a more

structured approach to analysing problems which will

assist me in providing clear solutions will be of value to

the quality of my work for the company I work for.

This activity provides a space for renewal in a hectic

business environment to achieve a better work life

balance allowing me to be refreshed and more focused

at work.

I can call on the support of my line manager to give me

guidance on personal development.

The company formal annual appraisal process will

provide a source of guaranteed feedback./nPart 2 - Setting Goals

What do I want to

learn?

Greater depth of

knowledge of

leading in the

business external

activities

What do I have to do?

Complete M and L Course (4

weekends) Training and the

company Young Managers

(YM) development programme

Get to know my department

team and build their

confidence and trust in me.

Identify key training

opportunities in the Business

Forecast of Events and de-

conflict with work and social

life. Because of YMs course I

may not be able to engage in

all business activities

Widen my

Learn from the more by

understanding of observing experienced

Write Comment here

What support and

resources will I need?

1. Regional

Training Centre

and YM Course

Directing Staff.

2. Finding 2

weeks for the YM

could be difficult.

Advice from my

Line Manager and

team feedback

I will need to

discuss and agree

my priorities with

my Line Manager.

Senior colleagues.

How will I measure success?

1. Courses Assessment.

2. YM Course Assessment

report.

3. Line managers

Appraisal Report (LMAP)

including mid-year

appraisal will assess

performance and

potential.

1. Formal and informal

appraisal.

2. Self-appraisal.

1. Prioritisation of goals

forms part of my appraisal

process.

2. Ensure that I have

attended all the agreed

high priority training.

Mentoring and

performance abbraisal

Target date

for review?

Post 31

Mar

report

Post 31

Mar

report

Post 31

Mar

report

Post 31

Mar/nAchieve core

business skills.

Build confidence

in as a leader/

management.

Improve

planning/

decision-making

skills.

weekends.

Develop personal fitness

programme to improve fitness

and stamina.

Complete mandatory

organisation update training

ú.e. CPD

Volunteer to lead ad-hoc cross

functional projects to build

credibility and experience as a

leader

Gain further experience of

business analysis processes.

Use this in a working

environment to speed up and

improve complex decision

making

Write Comment here

Line manager

Use training

opportunities and

revision.

Test score.

Secure bonus benefits as

appropriate

Feedback from the team

and the project sponsor.

Good YMs course report.

annually

Annual

31 Mar

annually

End of

the

project/nPart 3 - Personal Objectives

Short Term Goals (next 12 months)

Complete Young Managers Course in order to become eligible for engagement in complex business project

activities.

(I accept that some of these goals may slip into year 2 but no further).

Have accountability for a significant cross-functional project at work.

Medium Term Goals (next 2-3 years)

Be given responsibility for leading and managing a small team of in support of a challenging business project.

Engage in supporting some functions of a cross-functional project team which gives me significant business

exposure.

Longer Term Goals (beyond 3 years)

Gain promotion to middle management and gain a support of work colleagues and senior managers.

Be given responsibility for managing a large team of direct reports/ a number of teams (Work towards

becoming a Head of Department).

Write Comment here