Section 1: Know how to identify development needs Through out this assignment we will be observing and identifying learning styles and development requirements. According to (Escuadro, 2023) Learning styles are the key thing you assess and consider when undergoing any training or learning activity. The reason for this is, when you understand your learning style and use that method as much as possible- it helps you understand the materials better and aides retention. This leads to a high rate of performance, motivation, engagement and confidence. In addition to understanding our learning style, it’s important to understand our development needs and raise our self-awareness. According to Covey (1989) we need to look at our selves through the eyes of others, and to do that we must become self aware. Self awareness is something which, for some, people, could be a new concept and only comes into practise when entering a management role or learning environment. Covey teaches the key areas to consider when becoming self aware are our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. Understanding these and how they can impact people around us helps us work better with others, and improve in areas that could impact our environment. Increasing our self awareness can improve our judgement, professional development, personal growth and aid the development/ growth of others. According to a Harvard business review(2015) there are 5 ways to increase your self-awareness 1-Meditate- using meditation you can bring yourself to the present moment and ask yourself • What am I trying to do? • What that I’m doing is working well? • What is causing me delays/ slowing me down? • What can be changed? 2- Capturing key priorities and plans- by doing this you can review progress and keep on track towards goals 3- Psychometric tests- there are tests you can take which help understand yourself and how others may perceive you 4- Feedback- asking trusted friends and colleagues for feedback can help you identify where you can improve and strengths 5- Ask for regular feedback. Asking for regular feedback can ensure you continuously develop and track progress. Becoming self aware can be daunting at first. However in my experiences the more you open are, the easier it is to receive. Another frame work I have considered is GO MAD (Gilbert, Chakravorty, 2002) detailed below- scoring each section 1-10 (1 being none at all and 10 being the highest level) Define your goal- if you don’t know where you going, how do you know you have got there? Using a SMART (George Doran1981) action plan will ensure you stay on track. Reason why- Simon Sinek has quoted multiple times in both his book and presentations “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe” ( Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action). Understanding why your doing something can help with motivation and focus. Self belief- self belief leads to motivation- For example if you self-belief score is 2- your motivation is likely to be low. The GO MAD principles highlight how important it is to speak kindly to yourself as this plays a large part in your self-belief. Involve others- most people would automatically presume this is exclusively friends, family and colleagues. However GO MAD teaches that there is more than just these pockets of people we can involve. The broader the involvement of others the wider perspective we will get. Possibilities and priorities- by looking at both what could go wrong and what can be achieved helps to increase motivation and excitement. Priorities ensure you stay on track and focused. Personal responsibility- teaches us that we are the only ones that can bring forward what we want and me must hold ourselves accountable for it. One final tool I have considered is the Johi window Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955.) The hohari window teaches us and helps us understand how our relationships are effected by both conscious and unconscious bias. The Johari window: Arena- open- which is known to self and others Blind spot- blind- not know to self but know to others Façade- hidden- known to self but not know to others Unknown- unknown- to both self and others Conscious bias are choices we make based on our perceptions and experiences. For example- “I don’t like people with blue hair-I don’t want to work with them as they are rude.” In the Johari window this could be the arena or facade section depending on the awareness of others. This is conscious bias. This is a choice and decision actively made Unconscious bias is something in our subconscious brain where we make the judgments/ decisions without thought or rational putting it in the unknown or blind spot window. This can be identified by trends and or patterns. For example- Audit has shown I never promote people with orange hair. This is usually influenced by our experiences and influences growing up and as far as instinct. To conclude this section- we understand there are multiple tools you can use to raise your self-awareness and using them to create development plans is a vital part of learning. 1.1 Identify learning styles for self and another I have identified the learning styles for myself and my colleague using the tools Honey and Mumford, Vark and Dantec. Honey and Mumford (1992) devised a learning style questionnaire which categorised learning styles into the following: Activists learn by experience and in the moment of the learning, they learn best during fast paced environments with little theory/ explanations. You will find an activist jumping ahead of material and completing exercises without reading the instructions, as they tend to learn in the moment- this can also lead to mistakes- however activists use this as part of their learning and correcting those mistakes tends to be motivating for them. Reflectors learn by reflective observations such as making notes. Reflectors learn best in a slower learning environment to digest what has been taught. You will find a reflector making a lot of notes. Reflectors tend to be more accurate with their learning- however their need to reflect can cause them to appear ‘slow’, and appear flustered when learning is fast paced. Theorists will want to know the theory behind the learning and will likely research material. They will ask a lot of questions, dissect information and want to see the ‘proof’ Learning where there is no set order can see them get frustrated and confused. They prefer to ‘test;’ theories and review them in detail Pragmatists will want to put the learning into practical use and to see an outcome. They work best where the goal is clear- and clearly see if something works. They work best in blended learning environments, putting the learning to practical use- with a clear comparison guide. This style can find learning which is only theory based difficult with no outcome or requirement to showcase understanding. As an activist- I learn best in engaging interactive environments, where I can put things into practise/ use experiences to understand information. This comes with the challenge of retaining information in classroom environments. To digest information I need to put it into context, therefore I learn best in the moment- or in a live environment. I am a kinsetic VARK learner- which has very similar aspects to an activist and pragmatist. You will find me completing the activity and once finished- checking the instructions to see if it was done correctly. This can be difficult if paired with a reflective learner doing the opposite. Using Dantec to further explore my learning style I identify as a common sense learner. I like to experiment with different methods and explore which one works. Other Dantec learning styles are • analytical- theory and facts, • reflective learner- work with people and have own goals • dynamic learner- like to take risks and learn from mistakes. In addition to different learning styles there are also different learning environments-formal/ informal. From my experiences a formal environment is learning policies, procedures and skills to conduct formal meetings such as disciplinaries, when obtaining accurate precise information is required. Adapting your learning style to a more reflective way of learning would be beneficial. I perceive informal learning to be learning a new skill or team building. Here a more casual learning environment would be appropriate with lots of activities and group work. I identified my learning styles as shown below, and a collegues Name Honey and Mumford VARK Dantec Tanya Activist Kinesthetic Common Sense Colleague Reflector Reading and writing 1.2 Use a simple technique for identifying development needs for self & another A SWOT analysis is a simple way to identify strengths and developments needs. I have explored this for myself and a colleague. This tool is effect as its quick to use- and can be adapted to the bigger picture as well as specifics. This tool can be applied to multiple aspects of learning and business management. SWOT Person 1 STRENGTHS Team worker- I always strive to include others and work together as a team. As an ENFP this is part of my personality type. This will allow me to build a team environment Work well under pressure- working in a busy call centre environment in previous jobs- I can make quick decisions and work towards tight deadlines as this was vital in such a fast paced environment. These skills will transfer to my learning Creative- I thrive when I get the chance to think outside the box and try something new. I love exploring new theories and ways or doing things. WEAKNESSES Numeracy tasks- I find tasks involving numbers both difficult and un-motivating. ADHD paralysis- with ADHD one of the main traits I have is task paralysis Activist- In a theory based course, it is a more reflective learning environment which I find difficult OPPORTUNITIES Applied leadership and management course- doing this course will help me explore what leadership and management is outside the organisation I worked previously in. It will also give me new skills and knowledge ADHD diagnosis- I have the opportunity to be assessed and diagnosed with ADHD. This will help me with my studies, business and day to day life Gain a qualification and degree- this is a great opportunity for me as my education level is currently college in subjects I no longer require. I have to opportunity to study with the mindset to do well and determination to succeed- unlike I did at school. THREATS Childcare- with two small children childcare is vital to both my education and business. Covid restrictions- as unlikely as this is to happen again there is always the risk of another lockdown. To overcome this, I ensure all my services have an online option. Errors in assignments- due to my lack of attention to detail due to my learning styles and ADHD- this may affect the quality of my work. This also leads to me becoming overwhelmed. I have found the key things which may affect my learning are numeracy tasks (an internal barrier) and childcare (an external barrier), which can lead to me feeling anxious and can affect my confidence. However, I do enjoy overcoming challenges and will ensure I give myself plenty of time to complete any tasks of this nature. In the next section I have documented ways to overcome these. SWOT Person 2 STRENGTHS Confident in writing- with current job role involving writing reports this skill has been improved over time Spelling and grammar- as above which will aid assignment writing Ability to involve others- key team player who enjoys working with other people WEAKNESSES Overly critical with own work- this causes delays and ‘brain fog’ Need for recognition- which can cause lack of confidence when this cannot be given as often as required Pleases people- so does not put self forward to give others a chance- missing out on leadership opportunities OPPORTUNITIES Working with others to track progress Lean new skills from course and apply to the workplace Gain qualification THREATS Prone to procrastination- overthink tasks which can delay progress Child care- two small children Deadlines- due to overly critical nature- she can loose sight of the end goal Gap Analysis person 1 Objective Current position Deficiency Action What do I want to do? What can I already do? What am I lacking? How do I fix this? Achieve degree and have successful business. Skilled in the field I work in with high ratings and reputation. Good team working skills. Eagerness to learn and work hard. Report writing skills for assignments and also business plans and reports relating to my business. Numeracy challenges for both university course and bookkeeping for my business. Lack of knowledge outside DVLA regarding leadership and management. Lack of social media knowledge for business pages Ensure assignments are completed within adequate time, allowing fine tuning and attention to detail. Also take on board feedback on each assignment to make improvements to the next one. Practise numeracy skills and invest time into re-educate myself on basic maths. Explore app such a QuickBooks for business. Explore new ways or working and complete ALAD degree Explore courses or online learning. Gap Analysis person 2 Objective Current position Deficiency Action What do I want to do? What can I already do? What am I lacking? How do I fix this? Climb leadership ladder Junior management position Team working environment. In job where progression positions are frequently available Limited higher management position experience Limited application writing experience and out of date CV Experience in project delivery which is desirable in higher management roles Time management Deputise and take on delegated tasks from manager to gain higher management experience Use ALAM course to develop these skills Volunteer and take the lead in up and coming project Ensure I put myself forward to build confidence Use time management frame works to improve and prioritise tasks. 1.2 Identify potential barriers to learning for self and another. A potential barrier to learning for me is childcare. This is both in the sense of attendance levels and at home work. Childcare is an external barrier where I have little control, as I rely on a very small circle of people to care for my children. Another barrier to my learning is I tend to get overwhelmed at the start of an assignment or task. This is an internal barrier which, with practise I can overcome and have control over. A potential learning barrier for my colleague is time management. This is an internal barrier, in which she can apply frame works to improve. 1.3 Explain how these barriers to learning can be overcome. Although childcare is an external barrier where my control is limited- I can still overcome this with careful planning and honest conversations with those who are my support system. Sharing my timetable and planning ‘study days’ will reduce the risk of no childcare as it will be planned in advance. I can overcome becoming overwhelmed by breaking tasks down into small bite sized tasks and working through them one at a time. In addition to this- allowing myself adequate time, and taking regular short breaks during study time will ensure I stay motivated and on track to achieve my goals My colleague can over come her time management barrier by planning, organising her time, and limiting procrastination with short breaks and achievable goals Section 2: Know how to develop self & others to achieve organisational objectives Whilst being in a learning environment, identifying development needs for yourself and others plays an integral part in improving and bettering oneself. In the workforce you will be working towards KPI’s (key performance indicators) and personal development. For the to continuously improve you can use SMART objective writing S- Specific- you need to know exactly what you want to achieve M- measurable- you need to know how you know you have achieved it (usually targets go here) A- Achievable- ensure it is something you can do/ achieve. R- Realistic- or relevant T- Timebound- this is a specific date you want to achieve you goal by A development need I have identified is being overwhelmed with tasks which can also lead to ADHD paralysis. To overcome this I can use Covey, S (2015) time management matrix. Sorting tasks into the following categories Important, not urgent Important, urgent Not important, not urgent Not important, urgent This will help prioritise tasks and filter out unnecessary work and stay on track of tasks. 2.1 Analyse learning/development options to meet needs of self & another. Now I will demonstrate learning options to overcome my learning needs and my colleagues. My learning styles are in the moment learning, and best utilised in environments where I can apply the learning, so completing tasks timely will be a key part to my development. For my ADHD I have applied to the department for additional learning at the university to undergo an ADHD assessment a get the relevant support. To develop my social media knowledge for my business I have purchased a course online which I can use to improve my social media platforms and their content. My colleague, as a reflector suits a slower paced environment where she can take notes, read and go over information. For her- allowing adequate time and asking for downtime during her lectures will help her digest the knowledge. 2.2 Identify support mechanisms for the development of self & another A key factor to my support mechanisms is my mum. She has my children for me to be able to attend our full day classes and in the evenings. I am able to see my clients on my own terms which means I can focus my work and study commitments around my two children. I also have the option to attend session via zoom if I need to and also utilise moodle in the occasion I am not able to attend. The support and understanding of my tutor play a key part also. A key factor to my colleagues success is also the support of her parents and partner for child care. As a full time worker her free time is limited- therefore planning and utilising her time wisely will be vital. She has also been given 3 hours per week by her manager as part of her development plan, to dedicate to course activities or learning. 2.3 Prepare development plans for yourself and another person Development plan for self What do I want to learn? What do I have to do? What support and resources will I need? How will I measure success Target date for review Explain my knowledge of leadership and management outside of DVLA Attend lectures and complete assignments on time Explore new ways of leadership and management through group discussions and information in the course Enjoy being back in education and learning something new I will attend sessions and take notes to reflect on I will utilise the additional support team on campus to help manage my ADHD Use the HWB, library and moodle for resources and templates Have a high attendance rate Hand in and pass assignments Review my progress after each assignment and improve on each one Keep up to date with emails and Hwb information Complete key learning logs for each session I attend and each model of the course Adhoc Check ins with lecturer of progress After each assignment has been scored First review date mid way through the course approximately April 2023 End of first year July 2023 Personal Objectives Short Term Goals (next 12 months) Complete course Have business plan ready to expand business. Increase earnings by 30% Medium Term Goals (2-3 years) Have phase two of my business ready to launch. Increase earnings by a further 20% Long Term Goals (3-5 years) Start to work full time once youngest is in full time school. Move home Open shop Development plan for colleague What do I want to learn? What do I have to do? What support and resources will I need? How will I measure success Target date for review Wider leadership and management knowledge Complete ALAM course and go on to do higher levels Use allocated time at work wisely to develop Complete assignments and be open to feedback to improve HWB, Library, tutor and university resources through out duration of course Tie day job action plans into course to gain practical experience. Support at home with childcare Gain feedback from assignments Ask my manager for regular check points to review progress Set myself SMART objectives in both my job and university Assignment deadlines Quarterly check points with manger Complete course and pass mid 2024 Personal Objectives Short Term Goals (next 12 months) Deputise at higher grade and pass ALAM course Medium Term Goals (2-3 years) Gain higher management position Long Term Goals (3-5 years) Be earining 40k per year and have degree in ALAM 2.4 Method used to monitor the development of self & another. To monitor my progress and development I will be using the Kolb. DA and Fry (1975) learning cycle as shown below. As someone who learns best by experiencing and then reviewing it, this cycle fits my preferred way of learning. Using the above mentioned SMART principles I can add detail and context. Have the experience Review the experinces Conclude the experience Plan next actions My colleague will use check point meetings and SMART objectives to monitor her progress both in the work enviroment and during her course duration. These will suit her learning styles and give her time to plan her check ins- and review her progress.