Career Development Through Reflection

Introduction:

Reflecting personal experience and understanding is effective for the employee who tries to reflect on the experience gathered during the coursework so that it is possible to analyse the situation and develop proper action plan for future development (Kamal, Ward and Cornwell, 2017). Through proper reflection and analysis or evaluation, it is possible for the individual to create proper planning for personal and professional development. The aim of the study is to reflect on my experience and the reflection is on work based learning through which it is easy to reflect on skill and abilities that the individual have as well as the requirements of abilities that would be effective for the person to achieve future success in the professional career. Through this reflective assessment, I have a scope to share my experience and create action planning for achieving my future goal through personal and professional development.

Gibb’s Reflective model and work based learning

The Gibb’s reflective model is beneficial to analyse personal experience and reflect on own understanding and experience so that it is possible to develop proper planning for personal and professional skill development (Potter, 2015). The model includes six parts which are description of own experience and understanding, evaluation of the understanding, analysis of gathered experience, drawing conclusion and developing action plan so that one can reflect on the experience and understanding as well as create proper panning for future success through personal and professional development planning (Kamal, Ward and Cornwell, 2017). Hereby, through this model, I can express my feeling about the activities in the PPDI class where the teacher is cooperative and interactive which further helps me to share my experience and improve my skill and abilities in achieving success in my profusions career. The Gibb’s reflective model will be represented further,

Description:

Through description, it is possible to share own experience at the workplace (Kamal, Ward and Cornwell, 2017; Harrison, Burnard and Paul, 2018). I try to express my feelings and experience through Gibb’s reflective model, where I try to describe the situation properly. During the PPDL module, the group leader was weak, and the leader did not communicate properly with us for sharing their experience and knowledge so that it is possible for me also to collect more information and understanding successfully. In addition to these, the situation becomes worse due to non-cooperation where the leader did not have proper leadership skills and capabilities to lead the team members towards achieving success during the PPDI module. Additionally, I have also experienced that, without proper cooperation and communication, it is not possible for the members including me to become successful in the PPDI module where the leader did not want to cooperate with us for achieving success. In addition to these, the leader did not answer any queries even over phone which is also another serious problem for me to resolve my queries and improve my understanding during the PPDI module (Harrison, Burnard and Paul, 2018). The leader avoid me and told that he was sick but one of my group members has told that it was wring rather the leader was busy ion doing his own work which is frustrating for me during the project.

Feeling:

Feeling is necessary to express my thoughts and perception towards the situation of the teamwork during the PPDI module (Harrison, Burnard and Paul, 2018). I felt that, it was not a suitable environment to learn more during the coursework as there was non-cooperation and lack of communication. The group leader was not cooperating, and I felt to be ignored during the coursework where I was disappointed for the behaviour of the leader. I expect proper cooperation and support during the coursework, but I did not get where the project leader was not willing to communicate with me and I felt de-motivated during the coursework. I felt upset and distressed for my team and I was also very frustrated for such situation where noncooperation and lack of communication may deteriorate the quality of the project. I was feeling being avoided by the project leader and I regretted over my choice where I felt that choosing the project leader for our project is not good as he avoided us and did not cooperate at all rather he was busy in working with his own. Though I was very excited about my meeting with the project group and wanted to take active part in completing the project efficiently, but the group leader’s involvement was not there for which I can lose the chance of archiving success.

Evaluation:

Evaluating the situation is necessary which provides a scope to recognise the reasons of the experience gathered during the study (Kamal, Ward and Cornwell, 2017). I have felt that I was ignored and did not get proper support from my leader. Leadership style is necessary for encouraging all the team members and leading them towards achieving success. During this coursework, leadership skill is also beneficial for the team leader so that he can understand the role of the leader and manage the members successfully. I was feeling frustrated for such unethical behaviour of the group project leader and I tried by best to control my emotion and cooperate with other group members for completing the project successfully within proper time. I also realise that, I need to be calm and handle the situation first as well as perform well by analysing the way the project can be done efficiently. It is important for me to control my emotion during the project and I will try my best to manage time and improve my leadership skill so that I can have the chance to look back and analyse the situation for performing better in the project.

Analysis:

For analysing the situation, it is necessary to discuss the perspective of the situation and find alternative information for developing the situation successfully. I have gathered worse experience during the coursework where I seek help and proper support from the team leader but I did not get as the team leader work for his or her own benefit and he or she was not willing to cooperate with me fir better performance during the PPDI module. Hereby, it is difficult for me to improve my understanding without proper support from the team leader. According to Almatrooshi, Singh and Farouk (2016), cooperation and leadership style is necessary for the team leader where open discussion over the issue and research topic as well as internal communication are necessary to get proper understanding by sharing knowledge and understanding. Apart from that, as suggested by Frich et al., (2018), it is necessary to have emotional intelligence and creativity and cooperative manner so that the leader can collaborate with others and empower the team members for achieving success cooperatively. As per my experience, I failed to communicate with my team leader as he or she was not ready to give proper reply to my queries which is de-motivating for me to take active part in the PPDI module without proper support from my team leader. Moreover, showing empathy, respect, working in partnership and supporting each other are also beneficial to become a successful leader (Potter, 2015). However, I have experienced lack of communication; poor willingness to cooperate and empowering me in the coursework where the leader worked for meeting own benefits rather than supporting me for better understanding through sharing his or her experience and knowledge.

Conclusion:

It becomes difficult for me to complete the coursework without proper communication and cooperation as the project leader was not willing to take active part with me and even, he did not support me for completing the coursework successfully. In addition to these, I felt ignored and less valued in the workplace where the project leader failed to encourage and motivate me to take active part in the PPDI module. There are alternative ways to improve the situation through open communication, telephonic conversation and cooperation. After gathering the experience, I have felt that, it is necessary to work as partnership and empower all the members so that sharing experience and knowledge can be helpful for achieving future success together.

Action plan:

I felt to change the overall situation where I try to improve my communicative skill and be extrovert so that I can engage with the world for interacting and gathering more knowledge and understanding and improve multitasking skill. I aim to maximise my contribution in the organisation through seeking help constantly from my team leader and develop one to one conversation which will be effective for motivation and successful completion of the coursework. I also try to show respect and improve my emotional intelligence to control my emotion and interact with my leader and increase my convincing power for increasing interest of the team leader and convince him cooperate with me for better performance.

Task 1B: Reflective final report (Summative assessment of 10 weeks)

Introduction

Refection is one of the effective ways to assess personal abilities and skill as well as explore more opportunities for future success (Botelho et al., 2016). Through the critical reflection, it is possible to improve personal assessment which in turn helps to analyse personal strengths and abilities as well as develop effective planning for personal and professional development (Botelho et al., 2016). Through this study, it is possible for me to explore my skill and abilities as well as develop effective planning that would be effective for achieving success in near future which would be beneficial for me in aching professional and personal goal.

Kolb’s Reflective model and work based learning

Reflective assessment is helpful for the individual through which, it is possible to develop in depth meaning of learning and development for one’s personal and professional development (Frich et al., 2015). Reflective learning is a process of reviewing the experience of practice in order to describe, evaluate and analyse the learning on work based practice (Sessa, and London, 2015; Botelho et al., 2016). In this regard, Kolb’s reflective model is beneficial for me to analyse and evaluate the work based learning practice which I have experienced (Botelho et al., 2016; Sessa, and London, 2015). As per the Kolb’s reflective cycle, there are four factors which are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimental through which I can share my activities and these are discussed further,

Concrete Experience:

As per my experience, I was happy with a group of 6 people in this project where the leaders provide proper information regarding EVER and PPDI module. It was a mixed feeling for me of being nervous in interacting with the group members and being interested in taking taking part in the project. On the second week, I become more interested as I was informed about the learning activities and proper timing of completing the project where I know more about the project guidelines and we were highly interactive and cooperative to each other at the very first time. During this, I learned about how to interact with others ad share each other’s experience and knowledge in order to work as partnership basis and achieve the project successfully within appropriate time. The project is about the Empire consultancy for developing venue if Monet Holiday Park and it is a business project where new innovative ideas need to be constructed. I was taking active part in communicating with others and developing proper division for conducting the project successfully. I also gathered experience through taking part of the group meeting where it is important to gather more information and knowledge for improving my capabilities in doing the project proficiently. During the fifth week, I have experience in doing an elevator speech as a group and I was very excited to submit a business proposal collaboratively. As per my experience, I week 6, the project leader was not cooperating and he ignored the members which is very disappointing for me. I could not control my emption and I fail to convince him to cooperate with us as it is a group project and we have limited time to complete the proposal, but the project leader was busy in completing his own task rather than supporting us. In week 7, I tried to work individually and develop group proposal where we started understanding that the project leader was not effective to support us and it is now our responsibility to prepare elevator pitch and submit it successfully within time. Week 8 was a hectic week due to the level of team work and all the members are active to participate and contribute their full potential for developing the pitch. During week 9, I have gathered experience in improving my leadership and time management skill so that I can improve my personal and professional skill. In week 10, I focus on self motivation and self directed learning in order to continue the learning process and improve my personal and professional development.

Reflective observation:

I was feeling excited and interested to gather more in depth knowledge an understanding so that I can take active part in the project of Holiday Park. I start working with the group members where the members are cooperative and they contribute with their full capability which is motivating for me to enhance cooperation and communication for completing the project successfully. We take the rule of engagement and partnership working to share each other’s knowledge and skill and prepare the project by contributing with full potential. During the period, the project leader was not cooperative which demotivates me and my team members also as we expect to get proper support from him. I was very annoyed and angry with the behaviour of the project leader and I try to keep calm and control my emotion. I realise that, it would be beneficial for me to work with other group members and share each other’s views and improve knowledge and capabilities to complete the project proficiently. I try to maximise my contribution in the project as well as encourage other’s participation so that we can collaborate and interact positively to develop the project. In this regard, I felt that, self motivation and self management learning are useful for the group members to support each other and develop proper project my utilising decision making and problem solving skill where each other’s skill and knowledge are useful to construct the project successfully within effective time.

Abstract conceptualisation:

As per the experience that I have gathered during the project, I try to improve my emotional intelligence up to 58 and also understand other’s emotion while working as a group. Additionally, I try to improve self organised learning by class avengers and self directed learning by visual leader where I try to listen other’s perspectives and cooperate with each other for sharing skill and experience so that self learning and self organised learning would be helpful for the team as a whole to complete the project successfully. As per my experience, I focus on collaborating and try to be innovator so that I can develop more effective decision for the successful project. I have gathered experience in different field and learn through the research and sharing each other’s experience so that I can develop innovative and creative way to complete the project proficiently. In addition to these, I try to improve my performance in the group to become the achiever where I cooperate with all the members and motivate for achieving success together. I also focus on pragmatist leadership style where I can make effective solutions to complete the group task successfully. In this context, I have tried to collaborate with the group members in the absence of project leader and we try to be interactive ad collaborative for working together to achieve the project aims. The skill and experience that I have gathered would be beneficial for me in personal and professional development.

Active experimentation:

I focus on improving my abilities to handle the team members through harmony and cooperation. I try to important my engineering skill for critical analysis and technical innovation so that I could develop creative solutions. It would be helpful for me to improve innovative solutions for the organisational success; it is my aspirations to contribute in organisational success through productive working practice where I focus on technical skill and innovation through developing creative thinking and analytical skill. It is hereby important for me to develop proper planning for improving my creative thinking and problem solving skill. Through improving communication skill, it would also be possible for me to manage the people and improve my leadership skill through gathering feedback and arranging general meeting for organisational success (Harrison, Burnard, and Paul, 2018). In this regard, I aim to analyse the organisational situation by improving my analytical skill and problem solving skill and apart from that, I am also looking for improving my decision making skill in order to develop suitable strategies for the organisation in future which would be beneficial for my personal and professional development.

Conclusion

The Kolb’s reflective model is beneficial for me to reflect my own understanding and work based learning practice where during the practice, I can reflect the experience that I have gathered as well as describe, analyse and evaluate my skill and knowledge successfully in this assessment. This is effective for me to share my experience and develop effective long term planning for achieving success sin my personal and professional career. I try to improve my leadership skill, communication and critical thinking so that I can contribute positively in making effective decision for the organisations.

Task 2A: Career and personal development plan

Personal Analysis

The major strengths are such as cognitive skill, interpersonal skill, emotional intelligence, collaboration and team work, integrity, fair treatment, managing people, respect and empathy and sharing views with others through which I would be able to achieve success. However, it is my aspiration to improve communication skill and leadership skill as well as increase innovation and creativity for contributing in organisational decision making practice and exploring innovative ideas and creative decisions.

Task 2B: Setting Goals

Goals

It is important for me to set proper goal of my future success and in this regard the major goals of mine are such as improving problem solving and critical thinking skill that would be effective for me to contribute in organisational success. In addition to these, communication is one of the important activities in the work based learning (Hughes, 2018; Griffith, Baur, and Buckley, 2018). It is also important for me to improve my interactive skill so that I can positively interact with the other people in the workplace and share experience for better understanding. Hereby, communication skill is important for me and I would like to improve interactive skill through which I can gather more knowledge and understanding. In addition to these, I aim at improving my leadership skill so that I can achieve future success in my professional career by managing people at the workplace and enhance the work based learning so that I can be effective to be creative and innovative in making suitable decisions for the organisations.

Task 2C: Personal Objectives

Smart goals

It is necessary to improve cooperation and enhance positive interaction as well as improve communication skill which is my short time goal, and these are effective for me to share my experience with others and gain more knowledge and understanding with proper support from my supervisor. In the medium term goal, I would prefer in developing an effective team and improving researching skill and apart from that it would be beneficial for me to develop creative thinking skills so that I could be develop solutions innovatively. In the long term goal, my preference is to become a good leader so that I can manage people efficiently and lead them towards achieving success. Being a good leader and leading the people with developing trust and loyalty is important for me to achieve professional success. In addition to these, I would like to contribute in the decision making practice of the workplace so that I can manage my responsibility and contribute positively in achieving organisational success.

Reference List

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