Essay Sample on Personal Management and Development Skills

As much as professionalism and work ethic is good for an organization's performance, it is imperative for the employees to feel valued and part of a company's progress. Employees can increase their output when they have autonomy and can participate in some decision making in an organization (Sharma & Jain, 2013). Servant leadership is a management model that can influence the required changes in the employees. It involves engaging employees in meetings where they can be made aware of the direction the organization is going to take. Their ideas can be implemented in the organization's plans such that they feel they are part of the company. An organization is likely to succeed when everyone is aligned with the same goals and motivated to realize the ideas that they contributed. Therefore, servant leadership is the preferred model of choice for one that wants to facilitate an increased level of effective leadership and management.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

There are other models of leadership that can be applied to increase the level of effective management. The autocratic model is one of them that helps managers establish the type of relationship between them and the employees. The autocratic model lets the manager control all processes with little or no input of ideas from the staff (Sharma & Jain, 2013). It is popular in military groups where one has to strictly follow the line of command. It helps with efficiency such that everyone is told what is expected of them and have to work towards set targets. There are managers who prefer this model of management to maintain a respectful relationship with their employees. It also keeps a balance in the work environment where people are aware of and obedient to authority. This model is better than the servant leadership model because it establishes the work environment and can help in emergency management where something is required in a hurry.

Things need to be done fast in an emergency situation that calls for the use of the autocratic model of leadership. It helps to save time that would otherwise be wasted on a discussion. The autocratic model is helpful especially for an unskilled workforce who require direction in the input. They need a leader in such circumstances that can guide them because of their limited experience and knowledge (Sharma & Jain, 2013). Even in the event that the workers are skilled, there can be complex decisions that can only be made by top management. The autocratic model of leadership will help to deal with situations where decisions are complex and time conscious. People in an organization are able to focus on their specific goals in this model. There are those that come up with the targets while there are those who implement them. It is a popular model of leadership used in many organizations where there are managers that make decisions which the employees implement.

Yet another leadership model is the transactional model that uses the reward system to encourage employee performance. An employee who performs well in his or her assigned task is given praise and a reward such as a promotion while the one who fails in an assigned task is shunned and possibly demoted. Everyone would know their duties and find the motivation to do well. It is a model that ensures every employee can find satisfaction in their work because of the impending achievement (Sharma & Jain, 2013). It is fulfilling to achieve a set target, and it gives one the urge to make more achievements. Besides, the reward system gives employees the opportunity to grow within a company especially when they get promoted. The transactional model needs constant communication between the manager and the employees where he or she has to train and then assess the employees. The agenda needs to be clear, and so communication is critical in the transactional model of leadership.

The leadership models can be used interchangeably depending on the required outcome and what suits the business and employees. A manager needs to focus on assessing the values and needs of the employees as well as what motivates them. It is critical to value employees to achieve any successful business implementation. For this reason, the preferred leadership model is the servant leadership model. Employees feel part of the organization and thus work towards set goals that they themselves contributed to in meetings or discussions. There can be one-on-one meetings or department meetings that the management can engage the employees in the organization's direction. Everyone's expectations can be met in the servant leadership model because of the constant interactions (Sharma & Jain, 2013). The only problem is the lack of respect that can emerge from employees who would feel equal to their manager. Nonetheless, one can still facilitate an increased level of effective leadership and management through a personal development plan.

Personal Development Plan

Strengths

Excellent basic skills for my level of training and detailed knowledge in the administration of the company. There is also an improved ability to cope and work under pressure. I provide clear direction and I am composed in practical work despite the challenges of sleep deprivation. I have had the opportunity to lead a group of people over an extended period that has allowed me to know how to motivate myself and the team.

Opportunities

I am able to learn how to provide clear solutions to the quality of my work in the company through exposure to the structured approach to analyzing problems. There is also the opportunity to be more productive and have a balance in my work life in the business environment. There are opportunities to improve my personal development since there is support from my line manager. I have achieved a myriad of targets that build my confidence where I am becoming more experienced than before in leading a team. Finally, there are annual appraisals that provide feedback on my performance that guide me on where to improve.

Areas of Further Development

I have experienced a loss of physical fitness as I found it difficult to maintain a balance between my personal life and professional life. I will need to make time or a schedule for an exercise routine that is less demanding on energy so as to prioritize my work. In meetings, I need to take care to provide solutions and not simply problems for the team to solve. I thus need to put more time into planning a task before I brief the team. I need to gain more understanding of what is required in the planning process where I can include more detail. I need to have experience in different scenarios to build my confidence in team management.

Threats

The chief threat is the imbalance I have between work and personal life. There are many commitments at work with equal commitments at home such that one side suffers when my focus is on the other. Therefore, there is the threat of underperforming in either of the two places. The other threat is the lack of respect that at times emerges from my servant leadership model of management. The employees become too familiar with management that they at times argue when they should be following given instructions.

Setting goals

What I want to learn

I need to lead the external activities of the business and thus need a depth of knowledge in that regard. I also need to widen the understanding that I have on leadership. I also need to improve my personal fitness by having a proper work-life balance. I also need to achieve core business skills, build my confidence, and improve my skills in decision making.

What I have to do

I need to enroll in a management program where I can learn how to be conversant in my position. I also need to get to know my team, build their confidence and trust in me. I need to readjust my schedule to give ample time for a personal life that is lacking and avoid the clashing of work and personal life. I will have to engage with more experienced managers than myself that can act as mentors in my journey. I will attend all the update training of the organization to build my skills and credibility as a leader. I will also need to establish a communication channel to help everyone remember the manager's position as the final say.

Resources, self-assessment, and Timeline

I will need to request for time to attend the training programs and time for personal life. I will be able to measure my success through the appraisals. I will depend on the feedback from the team and my line manager to assess progress. I can also conduct a self-appraisal to measure my success. I will include my employers in setting up my priorities where they would be aware and in support of my personal goals. The senior colleagues will help guide me on how to improve my weaknesses found in the appraisals. I can assess my fitness monthly, my work performance with every annual appraisal, and my management skills through feedback from the team members.

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are those qualities that one possesses as they move from one organization to another (Nagele & Stalder, 2017). They include supportive communication, motivation, empowerment, conflict management, and team effectiveness.

Supportive Communication

With limited work experience, one can find solace in good communication skills. Communication skills can help one get employment and relate well with those around including colleagues and clients. Supportive communication as the name suggests is the ability to respond positively in any given scenario. It involves listening and both written and verbal communication (Nagele & Stalder, 2017). People communicate frequently in any organization, and thus there is a need to be able to decipher the information shared to implement it as required. Messages can be misinterpreted or lost without the supportive communication ability to listen. There can be lost opportunities and costly mistakes when there are no listening skills. Therefore, it is necessary to demonstrate the ability to listen to others. It can be done by not interrupting them and by providing follow up questions to what was being communicated.

Verbal communication is also an essential aspect of supportive communication. It entails being able to express oneself clearly and to articulate responses in a manner that is concise, organized and logical. An organization deals with various types of message sharing within and outside its confines (Nagele & Stalder, 2017). For this reason, one needs to be able to address colleagues, superiors, subordinates, and clients in a professional way that encourages future cordial communication. The verbal communication can be supportive by addressing all the concerns raised, and then responding to any other follow-ups. One can be enthusiastic, persuasive, and engaging when communicating with others and sharing ideas.

Written communication is also another component of supportive communication that involves clearly written and grammatically correct wording. The wording can be in documents such as response letters or memos that communicate with the staff or clients. The words can persuade the reader or inspire logical thinking. Either way, the wording should be considerate of the person addressed in such a way that it demonstrates their value (Nagele & Stalder, 2017). Proper salutations and choice of words can help one feel appreciated and supported.

Supportive communication involves being able to recognize the other's position and respond appropriately for the benefit of the organization. It can be implemented in an organization where it all starts with listening. One can be supportive by listening to what a colleague or an employee has to say in a meeting or one on one discussion.