Leadership And Management Skills Portfolio

Introduction This reflective run focuses on assessing my ain weaknesses in different expanses. It starts by a self sound judgment of my own(prenominal) development deprivations.The next section looks at the elusiveies I experienced on various unlooses. Finally, the military follow up at law means for self-development in the various beas ar suggested.Portfolio Section 1Planning and private precaution skills victimisation a paper exercise, I assessed my planning and individualized counselling skills to steady down argonas of development. Concerning planning, I scored 13, which is a relatively let out score. This indicates an area for development because my score was less than 24, which was the score I had to attain to test that I did non get on development. I knew this was a weakness and a concern for me prior to starting my postgraduate studies while operative safe clipping. On the era anxiety dimension, I scored 15 and this endorsed a accept for nevert heless development. I should build a score of supra 24 to demonstrate that this area did non carry further development. The push through of fourth dimension management was a concern for me because of starting my postgraduate studies and working full era. I suck in had contests in the past characterized by attempting to do too much at work and non managing my prison term in effect(p)ly. The low scores on both planning and time management pick up that I ready challenges with trade union movement prioritization. An action plan for self-development in these areas is presented afterwards under task prioritization. tuition style Honey and Mumford designed a Learning Styles Questionnaire that is used in assessing the teaching styles of individuals, and these are categorised into activists, theorists, pragmatists, and reflectors (Jarvis, 2005). When I perfect this questionnaire, the results showed that I have a strong preference for the activist larn style and a moderate pr eference for the pragmatist learning style. As an activist, I enjoy novel experiences, I am active and depend on intuitive decision making and I have an aversion to structure (Jarvis, 2005). I learn best from learning activities that pop the question new problems and experiences, reference play and working together with separates in separate tasks and opportunities for dealing with intriguing tasks. In addition, I prefer tasks with high visibility including presentations, leading discussions, and chairing meetings.However, I learn less when I have to listen to lectures, think, write or read on my own, or absorb and understand a mickle of data. Furthermore, my learning is impaired when I have to follow precise instructions without both form of flexibility.As a pragmatist, I prefer risk-taking, congregation work and application and testing of concepts (Jarvis, 2005). I learn best when there is a clear association between the learning topic and unquestionable issues in life. Learning activities should be organise around demonstrating techniques for accomplishing tasks with clear, realistic advantages. Furthermore, I prefer to be provided with opportunities for trying out and practicing techniques with feedback or jalopy from a reliable expert. Similarly, I get hold of examples or models that I can emulate, and I should be taught techniques that are presently applicable to my work context. I similarly prefer existenceness erected with opportunities for immediately applying any new experience that I have learnt. As a pragmatist, l learn less when the learning activities are not associated with an immediate need, lack clear guidelines, and when there are obstacles to execution of instrument of acquired knowledge. Such obstacles can be mortalal, managerial, placemental or political in nature. These learning styles have an definitive influence on the learning activities undertaken in the action plan for ontogeny different skills as demo nstrated later. opinion of how I workIn a paper exercise, I assessed the agency I work and the results revealed that I procrastinate when faced with tasks that I do not really like, I spend a lot of time attempting to perfect things, and I am futile to find things and notes whenever I require them. This is an indication that I have poor prioritization skills, and this lead be intercommunicate through an action plan on task prioritization that is explained later.Personality superpowerI assessed my personality index using an online exercise, and the results demonstrated that I possess various traits. First, I demonstrate low assertiveness as I do not need to be in constant tell, and I have a higher(prenominal) orientation toward ag stemwork than tasks. Second, I am an extreme extrovert because I need to discuss issues in detail with other raft. Third, I am exceedingly impatient as I find it repugn to concentrate on repetitive tasks, and I have a high sense of urgency. Final ly, I am highly detailed because I want to acquire knowledge and become an expert. These traits of my personality affect how learning activities testament be structured in the action plan to make better learning.Portfolio Section 2Group loss leadershipIn the commencement workweek of my course work, I was leader of my classify. I did not know my faller colleagues very well as we had just started on the course. Therefore, stepping up and being a leader of great deal I did not know was yob considering that I am not a manager or leader at work. I had to lead the chemical group in the preparation of a group presentation on a reference study of mortal elses leadership skills and present with them. I needed to take control and set the direction for the team more rapidly, and a lot of time was diminished as I did not know what was expected of me as a leader. For instance, a group or team leader is requisite to set the goal of the group and establish instruction execution exp ectations (Morgeson, DeRue &038 Karam, 2010). This was a challenging undertaking as I decided to choose an informal antenna to this activity where the group members actively facilitated the border of setting goals and ascertain how the members would be held responsible in coition to the surgery expectations. This approach resulted in wastage of time because it was difficult for consensus to be reach outd among the group members on the goals and slaying expectations.Similarly, I had challenges in structuring and planning the group in wrong of developing a shared out pinch among the group members on the best approach for coordinating action and working together to achieve the open goals (Morgeson et al., 2010). I faced difficulties in determining how the activities would be performed, the individuals responsible for specific tasks, and when the group activities would be done. On the issue of when the group activities would be performed, it was challenging to achieve consen sus because the group members had conflicting schedules that interfered with choosing an appropriate time for the group meeting to determine the progress of the tasks. Although I faced various challenges during the initial march of forming group, I eventually embodied the fictional character of the group leader. However, I did not constantly allow everyone to have input. It is suggested that soliciting and using continuing feedback from the group members is vital for achieving the group objectives (Morgeson et al., 2010). By failing to allow the group members to offer their input into the group presentation, I ended up not including their diverse and useful views on the group activity.Coaching seanceI acted as a coach on how to reactively write. There are specific skills demand of coaches including social competence, emotional competence, listening, questioning, framing and contri stilling (Maltbia, Marsick &038 Ghosh, 2014). loving competence is associated with establishing relationships with individuals being coached by increasing a supportive and a safe environment that is characterized by freedom in expression thoughts, plebeian respect, and trusted partnership (Goleman, 2006). However, I lacked in this competency as I did not allow the individuals I was instruct to freely express their opinions on reactive writing. Rather than encouraging engagement with my peers, I monopolized the teach process. turned on(p) competence is associated with having self-awareness of ones emotions and those of other lot to ensure that the coaching relationship is experienced as productive, flexible, and open (Maltbia et al., 2014). I had a difficult time managing my own emotions when coaching others as I got angry whenever any person I was coaching did not understand what I was communication to him or her. Furthermore, I did not recognize the effects of my actions on the emotions of the mess I was coaching. For instance, some of the mickle I was coaching were visibly thwart during the coaching process but I did not take time to address these issues. Listening necessitates understanding the meaning of what the person under coaching is saying with regard to achieving desired upshots (Maltbia et al., 2014). When I started the coaching session, I did not ask the person I was coaching the specific outcomes they desired from this activity. It is suggested that a hierarchy should not exist in the relationship between the coach and the people being coached (OBroin &038 Palmer, 2009). By failing to include the objectives of the people being coached into this relationship, their agenda failed to take precedence in the coaching process.As a coaching skill, questioning entails inquiry for revealing the information necessary with the highest realise to the lymph node (Maltbia et al., 2014). I was lacking in this competence as I rarely asked the person I was coaching questions related to the coaching process. I took on the berth of an active co ach and requisite the people I was coaching to assume a passive role in this process.Framing is characterized by expanding the world views of the people being coached through an examination of whether learning is grow in experience (Maltbia et al., 2014). This skill requires the coach to establish whether the coaching process has had a dogmatic effect on learning in terms of addressing the initial challenge or problem that influenced this activity to be undertaken. During the coaching sessions, I did not frame the coaching process to establish if the people I was coaching had benefited from this activity. Finally, contributing entails effective communication during the coaching session as a mechanism for achieving balance between the support and challenge call for for facilitating growth and learning (Maltbia et al., 2014). As initially mentioned, I monopolized conversations, and this prevented the people I was coaching from effectively contributing to the coaching process. More over, I failed to offer adequate challenges to promote learning in relation to reactive writing.Role playing as a manager in an idea cognitive process appraisal is an important process as it is utilised in assessing recent achievement and addressing future opportunities and objectives (Chartered imbed of Personnel and emergence, 2014).). When conducting a performance appraisal, employees have to be provided with sufficient grade of the expected performance standards and timely and regular feedback nearly their performance (Heslin &038 VandeWalle, 2011). During my role play as a manager in an appraisal, I did not offer timely and regular feedback on individual performance toward the exploit of expected performance standards. It is also suggested that employees should have an input in the appraisal process and be provided with opportunities for challenging it if they view it as being unfair (Heslin &038 VandeWalle, 2011). Conversely, during the appraisal, I did not allow the individuals with opportunities for presenting their views and opinions in relation to assessment of their performance. In this regard, I failed to consider the voice of these individuals that would have provided a deeper understanding of the performance achieved.Acting as a consultantI took up the role of as a consultant in a team of two individuals to pitch to a client our ideas for their people scheme of their new trade. According to the Institute of Management Consultants (2014), consultants need competencies to deliver consulting services. Some of these competencies are balanced judgment, awareness of the organisational context and external environment, and listening (de Caluwe &038 Reitsma, 2010). Balanced judgment entails a comparison of potential courses of action and evaluating available information and using relevant criteria, which leads to realistic decisions (de Caluwe &038 Reitsma, 2010). In the role of consultants, my colleague and I only focused on a integrity course of action for the organisation in relation to the people schema for the new business. Consequently, when the clients asked us any alternative courses of actions that might be undertaken, we were unable to provide satisfactory responses because we were unprepared. Furthermore, external environment awareness is related to being adequately informed about issues in the business environment that have influences on strategies and utilising such knowledge for the benefit of the organisation (de Caluwe &038 Reitsma, 2010). In our case, we considered legal, scotch and technological factors that affect an organisations people strategy. However, we failed to consider trends influencing tender resources in the organisation and political issues. Thus, the clients were dissatisfied as the people strategy we developed did not take into consideration all the factors in the business environment that have impacts on the organisations human resources management strategy.Listening skills ar e important in management consultancy as they provide the client with the space for expressing their opinions, focusing on their reactions, responding suitably and posing further questions (de Caluwe &038 Reitsma, 2010). Regarding this, my colleague and I did not focus on the clients reactions. We were focused on pitching our strategy and thus we were unable to capture nonverbal signals that would have communicated to us whether the clients were in agreement with the arguments we had made in the people strategy that the organisation had to adopt. Regarding organisational context, management consultants are expected to understand how an organisation operates and considering these issues when developing an action (de Caluwe &038 Reitsma, 2010). We strived to develop a people strategy that reflected the organisations current practices related to management of human resources. However, the information related to this issue was not easily available. Therefore, we ended up pitching a peop le strategy that we considered as non-existing in the organisation. We later discover that some aspects of the people strategy were already present in the organisation, which means that we had not provided a more effective solution to the clients.Task prioritisation I had two finance classes but missed the first one but then I attended the second class. It was only after attending the second class that I realised that I should have attended the first one. The content cover in the second class was only a continuation of the issues communicate in the first class. Therefore, by failing to attend the first class, I missed out on the necessary context for understanding the topics covered in the second class. This negatively interfered with my learning. Upon reflection, I learned that I did not attend the first class because I did not prioritise the things that I had to do. I have to deal with conflicting demands of working full time and pursuing my postgraduate education (Armstrong, 201 2). In this regard, I missed the first finance class because I was attending a meeting at work where I was presenting an important report to higher-ranking management.Negotiating as a ClientMy colleague and I assumed the role of a client negotiating with a parcel vendor on delivery times and price. As clients, we argued and overturnd with the software vendor on the relevant issues. For instance, there was prolonged argument and debate on the delivery times because we were considering small insignificant factors on this issue. The outcome was that the arguments related to the main issue of delivery times were largely neglected. Indeed, it is suggested that it is important to have awareness of any insignificant arguments that might derail the duologue process (Pinet &038 Sander, 2013). In our case, we concentrated on being right quite than winning the arguments associated with the price and delivery times. The negotiation process deviated from the agenda established prior to the meeting with the software vendor. Consequently, a lot of time was wasted on these arguments and compromises were achieved after a protracted process.Portfolio Section 3This section presents an action plan for developing my postgraduate, management and leadership skills further. The action plan covers skills required for group leadership, management consultant, appraisal manager, coaching, negotiation, and task prioritization as presented below.Action plan for group leadership skillsObjectiveTo improve my skills in leading and managing groups in completion, of course, related tasksTasks canvass and brainstorm with my peers on available literature including books, reputable online articles and journal articles about team leadership. I allow foring focus on literature that looks at leadership functions on the different phases of teams namely the conversion and action stages. The transition stage is a time when a group or team focuses on activities associated with the teams structu res, planning tasks, and assessing the performance of the team in terms of the whether the team has the ability of achieving its objectives (Marks, Mathieu &038 Zaccaro, 2001). The specific leadership skills that I go awaying learn about for this phase include defining the mission of the team, goals, and performance standards, structuring responsibilities and roles in the team, and promoting feedback processes (Morgeson et al., 2010). The action stage is where the team or group members are focused on tasks that directly contribute to goal achievement (Marks et al., 2001). In this phase, I will learn relevant leadership skills including creating a positive climate in the group, encouraging autonomous actions by members, resource scholarship for the group, problem solving, involvement in the groups work, and monitoring the group(Morgeson et al., 2010). address with managers and leaders in my workplace about effective approaches for leading and managing groups or teamsmilitary rat ingAfter acquisition of the necessary leadership skills, I will apply to future group assignments in my course work. I will evaluate the acquired group leadership skills by asking my peers to rate my performance as a leader. I will design a checklist where the group members will provide their responses about my overall leadership skills and areas that require improvement. look into dateThe reading of literature, applying the relevant knowledge to actual practice, and evaluating leadership skills will be reviewed on a regular basis whenever there is a group assignment.Action plan for coaching skillsObjectiveTo become a very effective coachTasks state books, journal articles, and online publications on the coaching process and the required skills and competencies for this activity followed by a cogitate exercise with my colleagues. Participate in training in coaching provided by my organisations to equip with necessary skills. want a senior manager in my workplace to act as my coach to enable me to understand this process from a practical perspective and model it.EvaluationThe knowledge acquired from literature, training, and on-the-practice will be utilised in coaching my peers in coursework on different topics. The performance data that will be collected to establish the level of my effectiveness as a coach will be obtained from interviewing the individual that I will be coaching. canvas dateOngoing throughout my course work.Action plan for management consultant skillsObjectiveTo enhance my skills as a management consultantTasks indicate available literature on management consultancy and look at case studies on the process of management consultation. After reading alone, I will brainstorm these issues with my study group. Discuss with management consultants within and outside my organisation to learn the criteria for success.EvaluationEvaluation will be based on establishing the extent to which the client is able to achieve desired outcomes in relation to th e consultation services I will offer them. This will be achieved by using a questionnaire to ask the clients whether I demonstrate the skills of a management consultant. Review dateOngoing based on management consultancy projects.Action plan for managerial skills in appraisalsObjectiveTo improve my skills in conducting performance appraisalsTasksRead widely and brainstorm on skills for performance appraisals. Role playing with my peers on posing the right questions to the individual under appraisal. Discuss with senior managers in my workplace about successfully performing performance appraisals.EvaluationThe assessment of my skills in this area will be based on determining to which I successfully complete a performance appraisal. This will involve asking individuals involved in the appraisal process to rate my performance using a checklist.Review dateThis activity will be completed on a monthly basis.Action plan for negotiation skillsObjectiveTo improve my negotiation skills as a c lientTasksReading widely and brainstorming with colleagues on negotiation skills for clients to understand negotiation skills, negotiation phases, and sources of conflict in negotiation process. Engage in role play to assist in clarification of responsibilities and roles in working in a negotiating team.EvaluationEvaluation will involve collecting evidence indicating whether I applied competencies and skills required in negotiating as a client. This will be achieved by interviewing the other parties to the negotiation process to determine the level of my skills in negotiating as a client. Review dateThis will be completed by February 2015.Action plan for task prioritizationObjectiveTo enhance my skills in prioritizing both work and education tasks.Tasks lean all the tasks that I have to perform on a mundane basis in my work and college and categorising them based on their impacts on my work and educational pursuits. Using a personal calendar to plan my tasks. Using a checklist to d etermine completion of tasks on daily basis.EvaluationPerformance in task prioritisation will be evaluated by assessing the extent to which I complete all the tasks required in my workplace and at college.Review dateThis activity will be completed on a daily basis.ConclusionThis reflective work has identified areas that require further development in improving my managerial and leadership skills. Based on this reflective work, it is evident that I lack skills in different areas including leadership, task prioritization, effective coaching, managerial skills in performance appraisal and management consultancy. Therefore, these skills have to be improved to ensure that I am effective as manager and leader. Therefore, action plans for improving the different skills have been presented. It is expected that implementation of the action plans will equip with skills that are applicable to my workplace and educational setting.ReferencesArmstrong, M. (2012) Armstrongs handbook of management and leadership developing effective people skills for better leadership and management. PA Kogan Page.Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2014). Performance appraisal. Online operational from http//www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/performance-appraisal.aspx (Accessed 15 Dec. 14).De Caluwe, L., &038 Reitsma, E. (2010) Competencies of management consultants a research study of senior management consultants, In Buono, A., &038 Jamieson, D (Eds), Consultation for organisational change, pp. 15-40. NC Information age publishing.Goleman, D. (2006) complaisant Intelligence the new science of human relationship. NY Banam books.Heslin, P., &038 Vandewalle, D. (2011) Performance appraisal procedural justice the role of a managers implicit person theory. Journal of Management, vol.37, no.6, pp.1694-1718.Institute of Management Consultants (2014) The management consultancy competency framework. Online Available from http//www.imcusa.org/?page=CONSULTINGCOMPETENCY (Accessed 15 Dec. 14).Jarvis, M. (2005) The psychology of effective learning and teaching. UK Nelson Thornes Ltd.Maltbia, T., Marsick, V., &038 Ghosh, R. (2014) Executive and organisational coaching a review of insights drawn from literature for inform HRD practices. 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