Personal Development Planning is a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. The primary objective for PDP is to improve the capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning, helping students:
· become more effective, independent and confident self-directed learners;
· understand how they are learning and relate their learning to a wider context;
· improve their general skills for study and career management;
· articulate personal goals and evaluate progress towards their achievement;
· and encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.
(Quality assurance agency for higher education (QAA), 2004, publications: progress files for higher education)
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN:
Personal development plan engage in recognizing,
What type of skill I need to understand,
The main feature is to improved us needs,
Abilities in which I am lacking and the region which I need to be given more concern in order to improvement.
Its nature is to self improvement, by adopting different method or approach in order to setting goal, Practice will make it more efficient and effective
It also achieved by seem internally what changes required and act on the plan, which change the way that how to react externally.
Start step by step, keep on going, regular monitor what happen, note in progress reports, if required clarifies the doubts, etc.
When ever need we can change or alter the personal development plan as per the situation and improvement.
The fundamental design of a personal development plan is as follows:
Recognize own current circumstances.
Classify own aspiration position.
Make plan to fill that gap.
Recognize own current circumstances:
Identifying own strengths, skills, abilities, weaknesses etc. in order to prepare personal development plan, firstly need to recognize what is own current level.
Classify own aspiration position:
In this stage, set own goal which have to achieved in time slot through, what ability and skill I wish to have? In order to achieved desired goals, what are the strength that I required? Which weaknesses should be removed? The plan is to concentrate more on what is required for prompt situation or desired goals.
Make plan to fill that gap:
In this stage, we recognize a plan on how to fill the gap between the present position to the desired position, which includes plan for resources that require obtaining, in which area to be learning, setting time slot and proper planning to achieve desired goal.
Having a personal development plan give us to make sure own knowledge, abilities, and skills are regularly upgraded. The obtain knowledge ultimately give the quality life and success.
With the help of proper personal development plan I can see myself in better position at any circumstances, whether on working environment or in personal life.
USED OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN PERSONAL LIFE:
In my college days I was like to prefer reflector learning style, and I was shy person, which results in problems in many areas like I feel difficulty in talking, sharing joke with other people in class except my friends. And even have difficulties in group discussion, decision-making in professional and personal life, communication barrier etc. due to all this difficulties and problems, I feel incompetence with my friends and other people in my class and in personal life.
At that time I was taken admission in BMS (Bachelor of management studies) with the help of contain of course it give me boost in my personal and professional life. Subject like;
Communication skills
Human skill in organisation
Human resources management etc.
With the help of all these broad topics it give me better understanding, what world want from me in these competitive environment in terms of professional and personal life.
In order to achieve my desired goals at my college days, I want be a good communicator, better decision-maker, good speaker in group discussion, leadership skill, feeling more freedom in competitive environment.
At that time with the help of one of my professor MR. IJLAL, who is my course co-ordinators, he help me to take certain crash courses which provide sufficient information and tactics to develop personal and professional skills.
He creates Personal Development Plan to my academic Performance, and action plan for me as per his guidance and under his supervision I started some of my courses are as follows:
ACTION
RESOURCES
TIME PERIOD
1.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
PART-TIME COURSE IN COLLEGE
3 MONTHS
2.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
PART-TIME CRASH COURSE IN PRIVATE COACHING CLASSES
2-4 MONTHS
The above mention Personal Development Plan, As soon as I completed half part of my crash courses which I started in my summer vacation, my co-ordinators keep in touch with me on regular basis, and we had couple of meeting regarding the improvement, which I made with the help of my crash courses, As we set my target on time slot in order to complete on some areas.
On that occasion I was like learning the thing which I suppose to learn at initial stage.
But as per my co-ordinator learning is a Continuous Process which never ends till death of individual.
After completing my courses it improved my personal skills and professional skills, which also going to help me in future. There are certain benefits due to personal development plan on academic performance.
Advantages of personal development method or approach to my studies are as follows;
Acquisition of clear concentration to my learning.
Assist to keep myself motivated.
Better ideas of how to learn and how to enhance own performance.
Maximise in enjoyment and lower stress from my learning, which become consciously skilled
Increase in consciousness that how to utilize my learning to tackle the difficulties and problems.
And academic performance can be strength by reflective thinking skills.
This is my college days, after completing my courses I was like I can compete in any problematic and difficult environment because I understood the method or the way in which one have to present him internally and react externally.
Today’s world an individual requires changing himself as per the surrounding environment changes. And upgrade him as per situation or competition needed.
USED OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
In my professional life, as I am working in B & Q, as a Customer Advisor in showroom department. Basically B & Q is a home improvement planet. This is a number one company in Europe. Deal in different type of products which is essential in improving and decorating home.
As in my college days as I am prefer to reflector learning style, and with same attitude in professional life its give me different opportunities in terms of knowledge from other or through technology, or through seniors and or through different training and development programme.
In B & Q all employees get job as per his/her abilities and skills. When I was started 3 years ago, my main aim is to be at management level like trading manager, stock manager, service manager etc.
I was appointed as a Customer Advisor in showroom department. So, my ultimate goal is to be a TRADING MANAGER or SERVICE MANAGER in B & Q in next 5 to 7 years time.
There is five levels in B & Q system, as soon as all level completed an individual employees can try for any management position but it has to be sign off on each level through his/her line manager.
I already set my desired goal which is to be a trading manager or service manager.
I know exactly
Where am I now? (as a customer advisor)
Where do I want to be? (as a trading manager or service manager)
How can I get there? (through proper personal development plan)
Where am I now?
In this stage, while I am working in B & Q where in every 6 months time all employees have their personal development programme, and at that occasion I can easily understand where am I now? And what are the steps or development programme I have to work-out in order to compete within the B & Q. with the help of that I can achieved my goal as per time schedule set.
And also with the help of some management tools I can work out, where am I now? Where am I lacking? What are the resources available? And what are the danger zone?, I have to ask some vital question in order to know myself better in current position, with the help of SWOT ANALYSIS are as follows:
S- Strength (what am I good at?)
W- Weaknesses (what do I need to work on?)
O- Opportunities (what could help me along?)
T- Threats (what might stop me?)
SWOT ANALYSIS AS A CUSTOMER ADVISOR IN B &Q
STRENGTH
Product knowledge
IT skill
Customer relationship
WEAKNESSES
Communication skill
Lack of leadership skill
Short-temper
Qualification
OPPORTUNITIES
Knowledge and experience from seniors
Attending crash courses soon
THREATS
Lack of support by seniors
Lack of support by management
In house competition
While considering SWOT ANALYSIS reports I can understand in which area I am good and in which region I want to improve and what are the opportunities I have within the organisation and what are the threats to me.
In order to prepare myself to achieve the desired goal within the time period I have prepare proper plan. B & Q provide personal development plan to each employees in every 6 months time. In terms of appraisal or recognition or development programme.
Where I do want to be?
This stage is quite difficulties because when I set my desired goal or objective in B &Q, I want to be a trading manager or service manager, in order to achieved it I have to fulfill all the requirement and needs. Might be there are lots of difficulties and obstacles in achieving the goal within the organisation in set period of time, which are as follows:
Lack of leadership skill
Communication skill
In-house competition
Lack of support by seniors in terms of experience and knowledge
Lack of support by management level etc.
In order to overcome all the above listed problems and obstacles to achieve the goal on time slot set.
Proper personal development plan has to be done.
While taking part time courses problems like communication skill and leadership skill can be overcomes.
Better working in an organisation with honest, patient, and hard-working etc. an individual trust can be maintain and get hold on in-house competition.
With the help of interpersonal skill better relationship can be builds with seniors and management. And provide service to the customers in better ways.
B & Q HAVE DIFFERENT TYPE OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS AVALIABLE TO MEET INDIVIDUAL OBJECTIVE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
E- Learning programme.
HIKQ (HOME IMPROVEMENT SKILL QUALIFICATION) LEVEL – 2
Product information programme.
Health & safety training programme.
Customer service training programme.
Seminars and get together etc.
Above mention resources which provided to all employees in respect to achieved the aspiration goal.
How can I get there?
As I am a reflector learner I have to be very careful in making my plan, because in this type of learning style it required more time.
Some characteristic mention below:
Monitor individuals or group of people at work environment.
Generate reports and task analysis in an working environment without fixed deadlines
Listen to others view
Evaluates what has happen and think what learned from that
Some time required information to work on
Think about all angles and its implications before making any conclusions.
While considering my own learning style and making the proper personal development plan with the help of my line manager, by looking my internal and external reaction, knowledge, experience, qualification, and skills to meet and fulfill the desired objective and goal in set period of time.
B & Q also provided different type of training and development programmed for the employees within the organization, line manager are also responsible for all employees in there department regarding each employees personal development, proper training, update product knowledge, skills which require to meet the organization objective.
IN B &Q MY PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN HAS BEEN SET BY ME AND MY LINE MANAGER IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE MY OBJECTIVE.
ACTION PLANNING, PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?
HOW WILL I ACHIVE THIS?
BY WHEN?
Complete level-1 (customer services and product knowledge)
Through E-LEARNING Module, (try to complete within provision period)
6- Months
Complete level-2 (interpersonal skills)
Through E-LEARNING Module, In-house Seminars,
9-12 Months after completing level-1.
Communication skill, personal development
Through part-time crash courses, or In-house training and development programmed.
I can carried out or arrange my courses along with working schedule.
Complete level-3 (trade expert)
Through E-LEARNING Module Programmed, (HIKQ) home improvement skill qualification.
12-15 Months after completing level-2
Free from stress, short-temper, patient on work
Stress management courses,
(during holidays or weekend courses)
Complete level-4 (initial stage in mgmt)
Through E-LEARNING Module,
15-18 Months after completing level-3
Leadership skills, (i. e. motivator, innovator, encourager, charismatic, technical, operational, social etc.)
Through E-LEARNING Module, Part-Time Crash Courses, Workshops, Seminars, share experience with seniors through informal get together,
I can carried out or arrange my courses along with working schedule.
Complete level-5 (management level)
Through E-LEARNING Module, management seminars and focus group meeting, experience and knowledge etc.
18-24 Months after completing level-4
After completing the personal development plan within the organization between me and my line manager, it is shows the clear picture or image for my prospect future. Also give me the right way in order to achieve my aspiration goal and target. And also explain me about the activities, programmed, Responsibility, commitment, which I have to show or give during my working tenure.
In that way I can easily workout on my target, which I set to achieve my goal through proper personal development plan.
BENEFITS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO PROFESSIONAL LIFE:
Clear plan or image regarding the kind of work and life I want.
Maximize the level of confidence in the preference which I make.
Maximize the level of confidence in qualities, skills, and element which I bring to the career of my preference.
Being in a Best situation to compete for my work or job.
Being able to discuss my personal qualities, skills, and capability with my employers.
Improve the problem-solving and planning skills.
Create positive attitude and method associated with successful professional life.
