Task 1

What is PDP ?

Introduction

Personal development is a very broad topic and can encompass anything that involves your
transformation as a person. It means becoming the best you can be and reaching towards your
potential. When you become a 'better' person than you were yesterday (this does not mean better
than another person) your life and it's circumstances improve. This is usually achieved by
looking internally and then changing the way you act externally. When it comes to doing
something planning what you intend to do is essential. Writing down what you want is the first
step. It's no different when it comes to your personal development. Plan for it. Keep it brief and
monitor what happens. Write down the results in a diary. Writing down what you want and what
you get clarifies your thought process and cements your intention. You are allowed to change or
adjust your plan whenever you wish. If there is no success as you follow the steps in your plan
that's your signal to review what you have done or to adjust your plan.

Self Awareness

The awareness of the self is in essence how well you know yourself. How well does a person
know what they want? How much do they want and how really is it that they have plans for
executing/ achieving what they want?

Understanding oneself is something that can come through an analysis of one’s Social,
Professional, Cultural, Mental and Moral aptitude among many others. We shall gauze ourselves
by going through a set of questions and an equal number if not more of answers that will help
each individual understand what they are and what really is each one’s purpose. The assessment
can become a fun exercise. Not just bluntly sitting in front of a computer screen or a
questionnaire that any body could come up with. Assessment through exercise of the faculties
involved and required for each different person keeping a very strict operational code on
uniqueness that should be celebrated as life is meant to be.

Life Experience
Celebrating uniqueness has a lot to do with understanding yourself and then going on to
constantly better each Endeavour. Life experience teaches us enough that we can manage to live
happy fulfilling lives. But the world today is a teeming collection of newer ideas and
explorations that we see every individual needs to have a multi-faceted approach to life. This
kind of an approach can come only by rigorous testing and sharpening. It is a drill that each one
of us needs to follow with the extremity of what we would call a drive.

Consciously and sub-consciously we should always be on a quest of self betterment.

A). career interests and insights

B). reading, writing and speaking assessment

C). scientific, artistic and statistical analysis

D). Morals Values and culture

E). creativity, skills and superpolation

Based on the assessment of the above and a comparison with goals set we will firstly measure
how far we are from our goals both individual and collective. We will strive to continually
advance ourselves in the upward of the forward direction. All of us here today have come up to
at least a level of education that will enable us to absorb ideas at a fair rate. We are already aware
of what are our likes and dislikes. Also we are aware of the things that we like to do i.e. the
things that arouse our interests. Our skills have also come a long way, our writing, reading,
speaking skills are at a certain minimum that allows to communicate with each other with a
certain ease that we forget how the process really works and how is it really that we are to use
them to serve their purpose. We will now proceed point wise and cover a small area of the
vastness that lies in each of us and try and gain a foresight as to what we need to do on a
collective level to achieve that. Also at the same we will also be able to gain an assessment as to
what each one of us really has to do to get up on that curve of self improvement.

a) Innovative Learning Method

We will look to advance our honed skills through innovative learning methods that will help us
expand our horizons. That means we will look to improve if needed on our world view, the way
we look at the outside is a reflection of our inside. So in effect we will try and evaluate ourselves
so as to we can see what are our individual strengths, skills, learning preferences and
shortcomings for that matter. One thing that we will try and remember throughout is that all this
is in retrospect to what we individually expect from ourselves.

b) Goal Orientated Approach

On that goal oriented approach we will apply the latest in material and methods. Our counseling
media is made keeping in mind that every individual has to be catered to in a different way. Our
counselors themselves are either, experts and professionals who are involved in relation to where
we would like to see ourselves in or they are trained educators of Kollace who have gone
through similar evaluation processes and are acting on those very guidelines.

c) Self Understanding

College and school students need to understand that they need to know about their goals. That
they should understand the choice in front of them completely keeping in mind all the
ramifications of how it may affect their future. We will work towards a better self understanding
using the web and other media. We must remember that personal and collective satisfaction is
what we are working towards here. Personally we may not be very ambitious and may have a
simplistic expectation from life and our efforts in it but collectively it is indeed a little different
as we need to consider family also as an integral part of the loop that is formed here

d) Leadership Approach

Becoming a leader in everything that we put our efforts in to. Our world today is shaped by
competition and standards. We have to compete to be able to keep pace. Through our program
we will discover what it feels like to be on top. The peaks will constantly be set and reset to
higher points and altitudes for an individual who has the hunger for growth. For some there may
be satisfaction in climbing Mt. Everest and for some there may be that very same satisfaction in a
small personal achievement. Both need we be reminded has our energies focused on getting the
best out of ourselves.
e) Self Assessment

We will go through a lot of interactive slideshows and talks on critical areas where the individual
can choose to stand. There will be a constant assessment and re-assessment of our goals and
modifications can be done and followed. Becoming an individual who celebrates life needs for
every person to be bold and back their decisions and feelings. We will interact widely upon such
things with as much possible aid from various media as we can.

f) Change and Adaptation

We will study change and adaptation. We will strive hard that by the end of our program each
person becomes more versatile, more mobile. We will learn about etiquette, listening skills,
conversations and how we can get the most out of any communication process.

g) Success and Failure

Failure and success are symbiotic. One can not exist without the other. Those who have
succeeded all of them have failed and that is how they have learnt to put one and one together
into a successful effort. Again trying is the secret behind it. All of us have come across great
stories and personalities who have repeatedly showed us the way. We must remember that each
brick of success comes only from the heat of the intense fires of failure. We will learn how to
take something away from every situation. Focusing on what we need to look for from our
failures. Once again there is only one secret to succeeding, try and try and try and then try again.

i) Out of the box thinking. Conventions are a good way of understanding out of the box
thinking. Every convention that we have today was once a new idea and was once looked upon
as grey. We have to learn to acknowledge that it is through an understanding of convention that
we will learn how to look beyond the mirror to look deeper into our personality. We will assess
and come out with our bad habits and shortcomings.

j) Experiencing learning, every step of the way. A child who is new to the world has the
best learning aptitude. We will try and emulate those at all levels. We need to keep our learning
switch on at all times. We will also give a strong focus to learning passively and with practice it
will become so that we will learn sub-consciously also. We will soon experience that through
this method we will markedly increase our performance.

k) Increasing our presence of mind. The very common uncommonly practiced theory of
common sense. Even though it is indeed the most common of terms upon observation it is easily
seen that it is not at all a common practice. We will try and bring out that presence of mind in
such a way that we become adaptive to situations and learn to think on out feet. Being
knowledgeable is simply not enough; we have to be street smart if we are to increase our chances
of success.

l) Inquisitive, Interactive, Informative. Any individual looking for growth has to understand
that they need to follow their curiosity. We learn things a lot faster if we are inquisitive about
what is going on. We will look to build up that inquisitive nature. Developing a hunger for
learning and constantly looking into one’s desires, feelings and questions will help us grow at
exponential levels. Working towards making learning a basic principle will help us in getting a
constant weight to every query we can have about ourselves.

h) Problem Response Stimulus

Understanding the question. Most of us pay a lot of attention to the answer, so much in
fact that we forget the question and we forget the purpose in doing so. An understanding of how
what why where when will help us understand the question and the answer and develop an
efficient Problem-Response stimulus. We will be able to grasp any situation and assess it in the
real world as we look for the origins and roots of why the question exists. The answer will then
come naturally without efforts wasted. A life long understanding will emerge.

(i) Reactions and Responses.

The subtle line between a reaction and a response needs to be understood. We should be
able to judge how to react and when to do it. Reactions are mostly based on haste and do more
harm in most cases that good. We need to understand that panicking and worrying will not make
things better. We have to get up and do something about. We have to respond and that response
is a culmination of our understanding and our personality.

j) Human Relationship
Human relationships are important for each one of us. Understanding human relationships will
help us become better communicators which will in effect help us with our management skills
also. Prioritizing the fact that most of us will go on to choose professional careers and even for
those of us who don’t it is important equally that we understand human relationships so as to get
a mutually beneficial result for both the source and the destination of communication.

k) Use of Resources

Tapping into the environment and making full use of available resources will help us minimize
our redundancies and establish a balance between the environment and ourselves in such a way
that we are the masters of the environment who also acknowledge the harmony that needs to be
maintained at all times.

l)

Learning from examples that art, nature, history, myth and achievements have brought us to
where we are today as a race. Drawing inspirations and setting ideals for us to work with always
gives us inspiration and example.

m) Values morals and development.

We will look to learn how we can become individuals. We will learn how to accept our doubts
and fears and anxieties and will learn to accept and thus overcome them. We will look to
understand the importance of morals and values towards shaping a radiant personality and
making success a habit. Understand that there is only one you and that has to be a model of the
present and a mould for the future.

n) Performance

Performance and stress are also closely related. We must learn to accept that stress is
something that we must learn to mitigate and minimize wherever possible. Keeping a calm
collective of ourselves we will look on how volumes of information that is processed always will
keep increasing and maintain a qualitative approach at the same time for it is quality that leads to
a long term expansion of the self helping us become super-selves of ourselves.
o) General awareness

General awareness is very important for every individual regardless of their professional
or non professional goals. As men and women of the informative age where so much impetus
comes on it from all vistas of life we will understand the importance of knowing our world.
Developing our opinion and expressing it is important for each one of us if we are to hitch a ride
on the road to growth and success.

p)

We will learn thorough exercise and theory on how we can become a teeming mass of
radiant energy focused on the preset and betterment of life experience. Focusing on oneself and
tapping onto the vast global collective will help us become more aware of our responsibility and
purpose.

q) Up-to-date Knowledge

Up gradation of our technical knowledge and skill. Through assessment we will understand and
look to gain introspects into our future paths and will look to make the best of what we can with
the latest resources. In this respect we will learn that we need to set our own goals and not follow
a herd mentality as we work and set our goals. We will also try and recreate professional work
conduits with the aim of looking ahead and gauzing our comfort and satisfaction on the paths we
are about to choose and weather we are indeed possessing of the attitude that our aim demands of
us.

r) Knowledge Sharing

Share yourself with the world. We will lean that we can grow only by sharing our ideas. The test
that we need to pass in order to boost self confidence in a way that we are able to assume and
take responsibility to step up to take the stage when it requires for us to do so. We shall go on
assessing doubts and fears that we can possibly encounter along the way. Know and understand
your roots. We need to historically, socially and culturally understand where we come from.
Also knowing that we are all a part of a universal consciousness we will try to gain more
momentum and focus on improving the overall quality of life.

Task 2

The aim of a Personal Development Planning is to ensure that members of staff have access to a
structured framework for reflecting on their personal and career development aspirations, and
developing a plan for achieving them. It will also provide the opportunity to set objectives which
will support continuing professional development that go beyond simply attending a course.

Objectives

The PDP process is intended to provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on their personal and
career development aspirations, identifying any gaps in their personal portfolio of skills,
knowledge and experiences that they will need to fill if their aspirations are to be achieved. The
process includes the option of having a structured meeting with his or her line manager to discuss
their individual PDP.

Self Review Importance

This meeting needs ideally to take place with the line manager as they are best placed to advise
on whether or not the individual’s current role can be developed in line with their own personal
and career development aspirations. In addition, if the line manager has a clear understanding of
the gaps in an individual’s skills, knowledge and experiences portfolio, that need to be addressed
in order for the individual to achieve their aspirations, the line manager will be far better placed
to provide reasonable support to the individual as opportunity arise.

The PDP meeting is an opportunity to focus on career aspirations, within or beyond the
participant’s current role, and to set and review goals in order to achieve those aspirations.

It is envisaged that the process will be followed flexibly to meet the needs of the participant.
Once an individual has opted to participate in the process, regular reviews of how progress is
being made against the agreed plan are advised. This review can be formal, e.g. a meeting with a
line manager, or informal.
Members of staff are encouraged to present paperwork associated with the PDP process in
support of applications for promotion or re-grading, or for discretionary or accelerated
increments, if they wish. However, there is no requirement to do so. Such paperwork will be
treated in the same confidential manner as any other documentation submitted as part of these
processes.

BENEFITS

It is intended that PDP will provide the benefits outlined below:

For individuals

• Provide the opportunity to take time out to focus on future career options

• Provide the opportunity to reflect on personal and career development aspirations

• Improve their ability to work effectively in their current role

• Develop their strengths and identify areas for improvement

• Create a greater awareness of themselves

• Helping them stay up to date with the skills and knowledge that individuals need to meet future
challenges

• Being proactive in seeking and using the development opportunities that are available within
the Company

• Enable them to consider appropriate development opportunities to help achieve those

aspirations

The Individual’s Role in a Team Work

The purpose of the PDP is to provide the individual choosing to participate in the process with an
opportunity to participate in a discussion that enables them to reflect on their personal and career
aspirations and develop a plan that will help place them in the best possible position to achieve
them.
Any individual wishing to participate in a PDP discussion needs to accept that it is their
responsibility to take ownership for setting up the discussion and for progressing any actions
agreed.

An individual who chooses to undertake a PDP is responsible for:-

• Implementing the PDP process

• Ensuring he or she has a development plan

• Owning the delivery of that planning

• Ensuring their line manager is aware of specific development needs and support identified

• Reviewing the progress of achievement of the agreed actions identified during the process.

Development Timescale and Problem Tackling

Individuals are encouraged to think about their development needs in terms of the short, medium
and long term to overcome the hurdles in their way. This helps the individual identify a
development ‘pathway’ that takes account of any immediate training needs to help them do their
current job effectively, as well as developing skills and experience that will help them progress
their career in the longer term.

Short term development (0 to 6 months) may involve objectives which can be met quickly and
with little forward planning. They may include objectives that help individuals meet the current
needs of their role.

Medium term development (6 months to 2 years) may involve objectives which require larger
amounts of action or some forward planning. They may include objectives that help individuals
meet the changing needs of their role and equip them for the future.

Longer term development (beyond 2 years) may involve objectives that require considerable
amounts of action and/or substantial forward planning. They may include objectives that help
individuals meet their career objectives.

Development Needs
Individuals should identify their short, medium and long term development needs to help them
do their current job more effectively and help them progress their career.

A good starting point is to consider the following

1. What are the objectives of my Department and my team?

2. What are my objectives? These should have been identified in your annual Performance
Review meeting.

3. How might my work change in the next few years?

4. What are my long-term career goals?