Personal and Professional Development Portfolio

Activity 1: reflecting on your own values

Activity 2: Long

Activity 3: Reflecting on attributes

Activity 4: Skill assessment

Problem solving

For most of the part, I would say that my problem solving skill is fairly decent. Fortunately, I am not paralysed by a series of events and regard my problem solving capabilities. At my place of work, official social media account of the employees was suspended and we could not advertise our services over that particular social media platform. Our CEO was out of town and the manager was clueless. The staff was extremely worried as they need to fulfil the deadline and associated target. Everyone just sat for 2 days and did nothing to solve the problem. However, I took up a proactive measure to ensure that the technical problem is rightly addressed. I consulted with an external technical expert who then solved the problem stating the case of missing verification information being the major cause of account suspension. However, the glitch could have been managed by timely intervention.

Planning and organizing

Planning and organising is important for ensuring strategic management within the business organization. Thus, it is of prime importance to determine the specific tasks throughout the day. I prefer to keep a list and group the tasks together on the basis of their priority. In similar regards, it is important to set realistic timelines that can help in acheiving the required goals. Additionally, I worked on removing the potential distractions and delegating important tasks if any.

Attention to detail

Coding often demands analytical skills and ultimate attention to detail. In similar regards, it is important to ensure that paying attention to detail can remove the potential problems at work place (Eriksson, 2019). Being a team leader I need to supervise the work and make sure that the quality delivered is a premium level. On one such instance, I realized that one employee was facing work performance issues. In talking with the employee we found that the employee had no idea about the reason for his poor performance. Upon closer evaluation, it was found that the employee struggled with time management. Later I devised a plan that can help in meeting the deadlines and working as per the milestones

Data management

Reflection on data management is on top; however, there is a lack of policy development (Jones,’Connor & Boag-Hodgson, 2017). In the mentioned regards data management in the organization where I work, comprises of storing, protecting and validating the data for ensuring accessibility on time. The firm maintains a database for the employees’ information that contains the bank account details for the course of salary transfer. Due to some technical issue, the data was erased from the system. However, through the use of proactive measure, I was able to retrieve the data from the cloud which was stored for emergency purposes. If the data was permanently lost, then the salary date would be delayed, causing poor work performance due to unsatisfied employees. Similarly, updating the database would need time that could have been utilized for better purposes.

Self awareness

Self awareness is important for ensuring that the employees are well aware of their professional strengths and weaknesses that can work on improving their performance (Carlbring & Rafi, 2018). In certain cases I realized the importance of being self aware. While there was a vacancy in my organization, I thought of trying it out and check whether I can perform in that domain. My colleagues were apprehensive about my decision making me doubt my capabilities. However, I wrote down my strengths and weaknesses and that made me realize that I am suitable for this job.

Interpersonal

Once, a colleague was grieving the death of a near one. Exhibiting high levels of interpersonal skills can either make them feel better or worsen their grief (Cortina, Rabelo & Holland, 2018). I worked on making them feel better. I provided them with work that was engaging, but not stressful enough as the employee is emotionally drained.

Team work

I devised a team work plan for ensuring that the employees meet their professional target. I divided the tasks as per the skills of the employees that can work on enhancing the productivity of the employees. I completed the work and asked for employee feedback to ensure that the employees feel part of the team. I personally feel that teamwork provides effective results and high rates of profitability within the business. However, lack of communication can be termed as a major hindrance and poor work results that may ultimately affect the team and the members (Douglas & Leite, 2017)

Stress management

Managing stress is essential for ensuring high levels of productivity and satisfactory work (Fritzon et al., 2017). In similar regards, it is important to ensure that I worked on exhibiting a positive attitude at work and primarily it is critical to accept the fact that I cannot control the events. Overthinking can cause stress and poor productivity levels. For instance, I was tensed about meeting the deadline of certain tasks that gave me a lot of stress and further contributed to poor performance. I learned stress management techniques and worked on being assertive rather than aggressive

Verbal communication

Verbal communication works on providing clarity to the conversation being carried out (Olson-Buchanan et al. 2017). Citing an example of one such instance, it becomes important to note the fact I failed to enhance exhibit skilled verbal communication. I had to explain to a colleague about the work procedure and my colleague agreed that he understood the work. However, the ultimate result was disappointing as the expected level was not obtained. Later on it was found that the team member failed to understand certain instructions. Then I realized that my verbal communication skills were not optimum and needs to be sharpened for better results.

Written communication

I tested my skills of written communication through the use of email. The prime objective of my written communication was to keep it short and simple and concentrating on the issues. I wrote an email to all my team members and explained them the need to enhance the level of productivity and the informed them about the meeting that would discuss the possible gap in management. The employees met and discussed the issues; fuelling the level of productivity in the next financial year (Costantini, Sartori & Ceschi, 2017)

Influencing

Influencing people is of great importance as people often need guidance due to lack of perspective (Grant, O’Connor & Studholme, 2019). Recently, a team member was bent on following a way of work that required less time. However, on analyzing everything I realized that the shortcut way of work gives poor results. I explained my colleague about the possibility of poor results. The colleague was not bothered about the poor result as he wanted that the work to be completed. I explained that poor work results can hamper his reputation and promotion. I additionally helped in offering help that can boost his confidence. My act of offering help was highly influential and he agreed to work properly

Creative thinking

Creative problem solving is termed highly innovative. I realized that we were running low on resources and minimising the use of resources was not an option. I devised a plan and made sure that the team mates do not face any problem. I worked on understanding the possible cause of resource shortage. After brainstorming a series of ideas I realized that over utilization of resources is one of the major causes of resource shortage. I quickly calculated the possible requirement of resources of each employee and allocated the same; reducing the chances of over utilization of resources (Brock et al. 2017)

Taking the initiative

An undertaking proactive measure of workplace is highly important (Van der Westhuizen & Shange, 2018). During a recent malfunction of social media accounts, the employees failed to access the social media accounts causing disruption in business. The absence of CEO made the things worse. I took the right initiative with confidence and connected with an external technical expert. My act of taking the initiative can be termed as a right step that made the official social media accounts functional.

Leadership

In absence of my manager I had to take up the role of a leader. During that time I realized making the employees follow my instructions was difficult as they worked under the guidance of a different leader. I would describe my leadership style as transformational leadership style, where I allowed the other team members to express their views and opinions. The transformational leadership worked on fostering a warm bond with the employees and finally helped in delegating the tasks

Key skills I am good:

Developmental skills

Leadership skills

Auxiliary skills:

Emotional intelligence

Influencing people

Weaknesses:

Self awareness

Activity 5:Potential area of employment

On the basis of the quiz, it can be seen teaching assistant is a job of my choice. The skills needed for the job, such as a motivating nature and a strong leadership quality can be termed as my strong point. Thus, I feel teaching is an appropriate career choice for me.

Activity 6: Action plan

Reference list

Brock, S. E., McAliney, P. J., Ma, C. H., & Sen, A. (2017). Toward more practical measurement of teamwork skills. Journal of workplace learning.

Carlbring, P., & Rafi, J. (2018). Effects of a workplace prevention programme for problem gambling: a cluster randomised controlled trial. In 12th European Conference on Gambling Studies and Policy Issues, Valletta, Malta, September 11-14, 2018.

Cortina, L. M., Rabelo, V. C., & Holland, K. J. (2018). Beyond blaming the victim: Toward a more progressive understanding of workplace mistreatment. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 11(1), 81-100.

Costantini, A., Sartori, R., & Ceschi, A. (2017). Framing workplace innovation through an organisational psychology perspective: a review of current WPI studies. In Workplace Innovation (pp. 131-147). Springer, Cham.

Douglas, K. M., & Leite, A. C. (2017). Suspicion in the workplace: Organizational conspiracy theories and work‐related outcomes. British Journal of Psychology, 108(3), 486-506.

Eby, L. T., & Robertson, M. M. (2019). The Psychology of Workplace Mentoring Relationships. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7.

Eriksson, C. (2019). Adlerian Group Interventions on Workplace Behavior. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (pp. 1-4). Springer, Cham.

Fritzon, K., Bailey, C., Croom, S., & Brooks, N. (2017). Problem personalities in the workplace: Development of the corporate personality inventory. In Psychology and law in Europe: When west meets east (pp. 139-165). CRC Press.

Grant, A. M., O’Connor, S. A., & Studholme, I. (2019). Towards a Positive Psychology of Buildings and Workplace Community: the Positive Built Workplace Environment. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 4(1-2), 67-89.

Huss, R., Jhileek, T., & Butler, J. (2017). Mock Interviews in the Workplace: Giving Interns the Skills They Need for Success. Journal of Effective Teaching, 17(3), 23-37.

Jones, L., O’Connor, E., & Boag-Hodgson, C. (2017). Enhancing workplace learning for international students in psychology: Learning from students’ and supervisors’ perspectives. In Professional Learning in the Work Place for International Students (pp. 183-202). Springer, Cham.

Olson-Buchanan, J. B., Boswell, W. R., & Lee, Y. E. (2019). Toward a workplace that facilitates civility while encouraging prosocial and remedial voice. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 12(4), 400-404.

Van der Westhuizen, T., & Shange, P. L. (2018). Key Success Factors for Developing and Implementing a Workplace Skills Plan. In Improving Business Performance through Effective Managerial Training Initiatives (pp. 147-176). IGI Global.

Zineldin, M. (2017). Transformational leadership behavior, emotions, and outcomes: Health psychology perspective in the workplace. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 32(1), 14-25.