Unit Title: BSBWOR501B: Manage personal work priorities and professional development

Activity 1

1 What characteristics do you believe a positive role model in the workplace should demonstrate?

I believe the 10 characteristics you do need to be a positive role model are.

* Integrity/Honesty

* Positive energy

* Good work priorities

* Courageous (prepared to have ago at something new)

* Committed and dedicated hard worker

* Can think outside the box

* Goal orientation

* Can encourage others

* Staying level headed

* Approachable and a good listener.

2 Describe a person you have looked up to as a positive role model. What qualities in them did you

admire? What made them a suitable role model? What did you learn from them?

When I worked in Disability Employment, my area Manager was a person I greatly admired and

looked up to. Merle was a working mother with three children and a partner who worked away

from town.

The qualities I admired most were:-

* Merle always had a positive attitude and always had, or made time, for the staff .

* she was able to explain tasks and demonstrate what was required to complete the tasks in a

manner that everyone was able to understand.

* Merle always provided feedback with a positive attitude, yes even bad feedback news/results.

* She was confident in her own role as well as the roles that we had to fulfill, and our abilities
to achieve the required outcomes.

* Merle was able to get me to go the extra mile when needed without making hard to achieve.

Because Merle was always positive, friendly and outgoing she was very easy to approach, Her

knowledge and skills where very high and she was always ready to help if needed. In my mind

this is what made her such a fantastic role model.

The main thing I learnt from Merle is “Leave work at work and home at home”, this was a

favorite saying of hers’ , basically she meant, to not left your work affect your home life and do

not bring your homelife problems to work (where possible).

3 Can a person be a positive workplace role model if they are poorly organised and do not operate

effectively?

Generally, No, a person cannot be a positive role model if they are poorly organised and do not

operate effectively.

Being poorly organised may mean tasks are not completed or completed at an unsatisfactory

standard. Other staff members then learn to complete tasks in an unsatisfactory standard as

well, not realising correct ways of doing things.

In my opinion, we can actually learn more from the bad role models, for their misbehavior hit us

harder, and in a more visceral fashion that makes longer-lasting impressions, as long as there is

someone who can show us why their behaviors are wrong/bad.

The bad role models educate us in what we don’t want to be, and that can be extremely

valuable if we recognize what we can really learn.

Activity 2

1 How would you ensure that you personal work goals reflect the organisation’s plans, and your

own responsibilities and accountabilities? Do not limit your ideas to those provided in the text.
Firstly I would find out what the organization’s plans and goals are. Then I could assess whether

my personal work plan is in-line with the company's. To ensure my personal work goals reflected my
workplace I would make sure that I :

a) Have a full understanding of my job description/duty statement

b) Have a good knowledge of the company policies and procedures

c) I know my own strengths and also the things I’m not strong at.

d) Ensure i have assigned enough time to complete assigned tasks/duties

e) I remain committed to the job at hand.

f) Know who to go too to ask for assistance

2 A member of your team has presented you with their work goals for the next quarter. You are

surprised to see that they all focus on this person pursuing a particular project that they raised with
you last month. You need to have this person working on the new product launch and you cannot
see how they will have time to spend on a project that does not contribute in any way to the new
product getting to market. What strategies could you use to help the team member understand the
goals of the organisation and the team, and realign their work goals to reflect the organisation’s
plans and goals?

The strategies I would use to help the team member understand the goals of the organisation

and the team to realign their work goals are:

* Show and discuss with the team member the organisations strategic plans

* Discuss the goals and targets of the organisation and the team with them.

* Make sure they have an understanding of what is needed to be achieved in the next quarter.

* I would not the goals that they have set into a negative, but would highlight all of the above, I

would explain why their goals for the next quarter cannot be the sole focus at this time. I

would however encourage them and offer incentives for early completion of the main project

Activity 3

Which of the time stealers found here could impact on your personal performance in varying work

conditions? Using the table provided, mark the areas that might affect your personal performance.

Which of the time stealers you marked on the list can be fixed by you? What method would you use

for dealing with each of the time stealers and thereby improving your personal performance?
Upload your answer for assessment.

Time stealers | Yes/ No | Can be by me—yes/ no | Method |

Interruptions – telephone | yes |y | Turn your mobile off. Be brief, ask that messages
be taken |

Interruptions – personal visitors | yes |y | Tell people to only come at set times
(lunch/Tea breaks) or before /after work |

Mail and email | yes |y | Allocate set times during the day to address mail/emails |

Meetings | yes |y | Use a calendar (outlook) plan meetings around quiet times/rosters
|

Tasks you should have delegated | yes |y | Learn to Delegate, May need additional
training |

Procrastination and indecision | yes |y | May need self awareness training/self esteem |

Acting with incomplete information | yes | y | Double check that you have all the
relevant information before starting, Remember always measure twice and cut once |

Dealing with team members | yes |y | Allocate set times to meet with staff, use calendar
appointments |

Solving problems that should be solved on the floor | yes |y | Learn to delegate back to
where the issue should have been resolved |

Crisis management (fire fighting) | yes | Y & N | If your role involves these roles you
cannot do much about them, but is you are not required, Get out of the way |

Unclear communication | yes | y | Ensure you fully understand what is being told to
you, if you are not sure ASK Questions. If you are passing on information Ask someone to paraphrase
what has been said. |

Inadequate technical knowledge | yes | y | If you do not have the technical skills to do
a job, get someone who is to do it. As for training in the technologies to be included in your PDP |

Priorities and expectations of others | yes | n | Unfortunately you do no have a great deal
of control over other peoples Expectations. All you can do is re-enforce your abilities and capacities
|

Workload from unrelated sections/ divisions | yes |y | Where possible, delegate back to
the correct departments, Learn to say NO |

Rework and mistakes | yes | y | If rework is an ongoing issue then re-training/re-skilling

may be needed, slow down and take your time until you get it right then you will elevate mistakes
|
Waste management | yes | Y & n | Do I really need to print this? If not do not print it, this
way you can cut down on personal Waste quantities. |

Unclear objectives and priorities | yes | y | If you are unclear about a task you have
been asked to do, you MUST ask for clarification |

Lack of planning | yes |y | Hold meetings, use a calendar (outlook) have

brainstorming team sessions |

Stress and fatigue | yes |y | Take your breaks, go for a walk, Talk to someone if you
need to |

Inability to say ‘No’ | yes |y | May need Management skills training. |

Desk management and personal disorganisation | yes | y | May need self awareness
training/self esteem, adopt a clean desk policy and lead by example |

Lack of competence – self or others | yes |y | Re-training, re-skilling of self/workforce

|

Paperwork and routine trivia | yes | y | Maximise your time, think do I really need to do
this / keep this if not. STOP, THINK, DO.Stop Doing it/ using it, THINK of a better way, and then DO
that |

Double handling of work – doing what someone else is doing | yes | y | Hold workflow/
Toolbox meeting to discuss and allocate work. This can help stop double handling |

Shifting goals | yes | Y & N | Plan your work week where possible, however there will be times
when work priorities change beyond your control |

Attempting to do too much | yes | y | Prioritise your daily/weekly work load. Start one
task and finish that before starting the next one |

Lack of confidence | yes |y | May need self awareness training/self esteem |

Lack of authority | yes |y | May need Management skills training |

2 Make a list of any other contingencies that might directly impact on your personal performance

and explain how these things can be accommodated in work plans.

1. Medical/illness. Unplanned illness cannot be planned for, however normal medical things like

doctors appointments and treatments can be forward planned into rosters. If you know you

have appointment coming up plan your work around it.

2. Study commitments. If ypu have study commitments then plan them into your forward work
plans, this may mean working a half day or changing shifts. If it is going to be an ongoing thing

(1 day a month) look at possible RDO arrangements.

3. Accommodation issues. From time to time we move. Try and plan your moves for weekends, if

not book leave for the days required.

4. Transport. Transport can be a problem short term, IE if you do not have a car and rely on

public transport, and there is a strike or an accident, plan to leave early, catch the bus at 6;30

instead of 7.

5. Breaks/leave. Where possible, plan and book your leave 6 months in advance.

6. Other staff leave. As a manager, you need to ensure there is always sufficient staff on hand

to carry out the task as required. If this does not occur for some reason you would need to

look at other contingencies like what work can be put off for a day .

7. Staff numbers. If there is a sudden downturn in staff numbers (through illness or resignation)

you would need to re-prioritize the workload until new staff where found. If you have a new

workforce starting you may need to re-prioritize the types of work current staff are doing to

enable the new staff to get up to speed..

8. Computer problems. If you experience IT type problems in the work place you need to ensure

you have sufficient alternative work methods to enable normal running of the organization, this

is usually a short term issue.

9. Power issues. If the power goes out there is not a lot you can do, if manual work tasks can

still be carried out in safety then do so.

3 Make a list of five KPIs that might be used to measure personal performance.

an example of five KPIs for a team member working in a distribution centre

1. How long it takes to respond to communications from team members in stores.

2. The number of orders recorded accurately.

3. The percentage of shipments arriving in stores on time, in full and containing the right
products.

4. The percentage of time products required by stores are in stock in the warehouse at the

time an order is placed.

5. The number of shipments that go out each day?

An example for a call centre workplace

1. Service Level. such as answering 75% of calls with 20 seconds

2. Average Handle Time. All centres usually have a minimum and maximum time frame IE calls to

be address with 3:30 mins excellent, 3:31 to 5 min good.

3. Active and Waiting Calls

4. Adherence. To roster

5. Inquiry to sale target. IE 1 inquiry per day converted to a sale

Activity 4

1 What do you do to take initiative to prioritise and facilitate competing demands? These competing
demands might relate to your personal or work life.

I keep a diary/ Daily planner of what I need to do each day, I check this several times

throughout the day and mark off each task as it is achieved. At the end of the day/shift I look

at my diary for the next day and work out a time plan of what is needed to be done.

I continually re-prioritise my day as work is completed or new work is added.

I use my outlook calendar as well as this can be shared with others ( managers) so that that

can see what my workload is at any given time.

2 Procrastination is one of the biggest hurdles to achieving personal, team and organisational

goals and objectives. Discuss the types of tasks that you have a tendency to procrastinate over,

explain why this is and then develop and record a strategy for ensuring that you do not procrastinate
in the future. These tasks might relate to your personal or work life.
Tasks that I tend to procrastinate over are:

1) In my personal life: going to the Gym and doing the dishes.

2) In my work life: taking breaks and signing off/submitting work

1)a I procrastinate over going to the gym because I can become addicted to the gym life and

tend to overwork myself, i therefore keep putting it off.

What i need to do is investigate what gyms are near where i live/work, make an appointment

and go and talk to them about Personal trainers and the like.

1)b doing the dishes. I usually rinse and leave them in the sink until i have run out of clean

ones then do the dishes, what I need to do is get rid of most of my dishes and just keep the

minimum, and get a dishwasher.

2)a In my work life breaks have always been something you are meant to take at set times, but

i just sit and think, 1 more call before i go, I’ll just see this other client first, and all of a sudden

its knock off time. I know that i plan my breaks but i just keep putting them off. I need to set

pop-up reminders on my computer to remind me

2)b I always second guess myself on my work, ask myself could it be better/briefer/longer. What i

need to do is trust myself more, set a deadline and commit to it. Do an original draft, 1 read

through/change and maybe get someone to read it as well

Activity 5

1 What technology do you currently use to efficiently and effectively to manage your priorities and

commitments? These might be work or personal priorities and equipment?

Computer: Both work based data systems and personal PC at home

Email: calendar for appointments, staff notices.

Facebook: to keep up to date with family and friends and what’s going on in the local area

Internet: – Banking, paying bills, research.

Mobile Phone: – keep in contact, gps, calendar and internet on the go.

Laptop: – access internet and work systems whilst out and about

GPS:- locational tool whilst travelling for work and personal reasons.

2 Write a short report discussing the pros and cons of using technology managing work priorities

and commitments.

There are several pro’s and con’s with using technology in the workplace in general, and these

apply to managing your work priorities and commitments just the same.

Firstly the Con’s

1. Over reliance on technologies, this can lead to people not thinking/planning for themselves.

When people get so used to being told when to do thinks by the system they forget to do it

for themselves.

2. If something happens to the equipment, are we still able to work, take a call centre, if the

phone lines go down what do you do?

3. Ongoing changes/updates to systems. This means that people may have to learn a

completely new way of doing the same job.

4. The over use of technology can also lead to a demise in interpersonal skills, We hear stories

of people texting the person they are sitting next to, instead of talking to them.

5. With modern technologies you are always contactable.

Now the Pro’s.

Modern technology has enable a much faster, streamlined and cost effective way to do

business. Some of the main advantages are.

1. Everyone has access to the same information at the same time without the need for multiple

copies of printed materials.

2. There is a wide range of information available at anytime.

3. There is a much smaller, physical storage space needed compared to paperbased systems.

4. There is a much great flexibility in workplace locations. IE work from home, in the car, in

another building.

5. The reliability of modern equipment has meant less downtime for repair.

6. Speed, this is one of the major factors in modern technologies. The speed at which

information can be obtained, disseminated, and stored. IE if i enter something here in Melbourne

now, someone else and view it in Perth now as well

Activity 6

Work/ life balancing

1 In a Pie chart provided, list all of the tasks that you have to perform in a given day—include

personal as well as work-related tasks. Write each task in the quadrant that it best relates to. Getting
children breakfast is family, running a staff meeting is work and going for a run is self.

Upload your answer for assessment.

Work:Travel to work,Log in/do my jobStudyCalls/emailsMeetingsTraining (mine and staffs) |

Family:ShoppingPaybillsMoviesCallsComputer (facebook | Friends:Dining
outMoviesCallsComputer(facebook) |
Self:BathingShaveBreakfastBreaksLunchDinnerStudyPaybillsMoviesComputer
(facebook/study/research /games) |

2 Redraw the segments of the chart developed in the previous question to reflect their relative size
as you perceive your life/ work balance. Alternatively you could produce a pie chart using the chart
tool. Upload your answer for assessment.

tasks | Work | Family | Friends | Self | |

| Travel | shopping | dining out | bathing | |

| log in | pay bills | movies | shve | |

| work duties | movies | calls | breakfast | |

| study | calls | facebook | breaks | |

 | calls | facebook | | dinner | |

| meetings | | | lunch | |

| training | | | study | |

| | | | paybills | |

| | | | movies | |

| | | | facebook | |

|7 |5 |4 | 10 | |

3 Is your life/ work balance how you would like it to be? Why? Why not?

At the moment yes it is. I am currently working on improving my relationship with my family so

the worklife balance will change again in the near future

4 Redraw the chart developed previously to show the work/ life balance that you would like to have.
Alternatively you could produce a pie chart using the chart tool. What changes do you need to make
to achieve this balance? Upload your answer for assessment.

tasks | Work | Family | Friends | Self | |

| Travel | shopping | dining out | bathing | |

| log in | pay bills | movies | shve | |

| work duties | movies | calls | breakfast | |

| study | calls | facebook | breaks | |

| calls | facebook | | dinner | |

| meetings | | | lunch | |

| training | | | study | |

| | | | paybills | |

| | | | movies | |

| | | | facebook | |

|7 |5 |4 | 10 | |
what changes do you need to make to achieve this balance? | | | | |
| | | | | |

To make these changes i need to make a concerted effort to send more time on my family. |
| | | | | | |

Simple things like ringing them, emailing them or even facebooking them. | | |
| | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |

Spending more time with my friends when I can will enable me to increase this component of my
work/life balance. | | | | | |

For too long now my sole drive in life has been my work. I ostracized myself from my family to
achieve a good work career and I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do |

| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |

Having realised this I have started to take steps to change this, one of those was moving from
Darwin to Melbourne. | | | | | |

5 Personal stress management quiz. A list of coping skills, habits and personal resources that are
effective for combating and preventing stress have been provided here. Using the rating scale,
indicate your ability to apply each skill to reduce your stress in the table. Upload your answer for
assessment.

Rating scale:

1. = Strongly agree.

2. = Somewhat agree.

3. = Somewhat disagree.

4. = Strongly disagree.

Statements | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. |

I have good nutritional habits that include eating a balanced diet, taking appropriate nutritional
supplements and limiting caffeine, sugar and fat intake. | | | | |

I am aware when stress builds up in my body and use relaxation techniques to reduce body tension.
| | | | |
I am physically fit and use regular exercise to combat and prevent stress. | | |
| |

I am able to ask for and receive support from friends, family members or professionals as a buffer
against stress. | | | | |

I am able to effectively listen to others and comfortably express my own thoughts, feelings and
opinions. | | | | |

In conflict situations, I am able to speak up on my own behalf, honestly express my opinions,

feelings, and wishes, give constructive criticism, and refuse unrealistic requests. | | |
| |

I am good at managing money, do not needlessly worry about financial matters, and have enough
money to meet most of my needs and use in the service of reducing stress. | | |
| |

I am able to efficiently manage my time. | | | | |

I am able to establish priorities, take action on my plans, goals and set limits, schedule effectively,
avoid procrastination and pace my efforts. | | | | |

I am skilled at defining problems, approaching them in a timely and logical way, obtaining
information, finding workable solutions, considering alternatives, seeing potential consequences and
evaluating the results of my actions. | | | | |

I am able to reduce stress by consciously monitoring, challenging and changing negative thought
patterns, placing problems into proper perspective, practicing relaxation techniques, mentally
rehearsing coping behaviours and using positive self-talk and visual images. | | |
| |

I am able to change rigid and absolute stress inducing beliefs into more functional beliefs, such as ‘I
can be happy even if others disapprove of me’, ‘The world doesn’t have to meet my wishes all the
time’, and ‘I don’t have to be perfect to be worthwhile.’ | | | | |

I do not take myself too seriously and use humour to balance life’s frustrations. | | |
| |

Sub total | | | | |

Scoring:

0 – 13 Excellent

14 – 26 Good

27 – 40 Fair

6 Stress report.
Undertake some research into the impact that too much stress can have on workers. Discuss why

each person reacts differently to stressors. What can you, in a management role, do to minimise

negative stress in the workplace and ensure stress is effectively managed and health is attended to?

STRESS

Everybody has stress in their day to day lives, stress varies from situation to situation and sometimes
its a good thing, however, The reactions of individuals will vary according to the pressures and the
extent to which the person is directly or indirectly involved.

What may be seen as a challenge by one person may be an impossible task or boring, repetitious or
to easy to someone else.

A person's background, motivation, experience, skills and knowledge on the one hand and the
support and encouragement from managers, supervisors and colleagues on the other, all play an
important role.

While it may be beyond the individual employer's or supervisor's skills and responsibility to
overcome, it is necessary to take into consideration that people will come to work with various
character traits and in various moods.

Problems outside of work can also contribute to stress, eg. relationship problems and financial
pressures. Non-work problems can make it difficult for people to cope with the pressures of work,
and their performance at work may suffer.

A death or sickness in the family, a temporary setback or other personal problems may exacerbate
the situation and influence the way people cope with work pressures.

The causes of workplace stress (often called stressors) can be many and varied, and can occur as a
result of combinations of more than one stressor. Most stressors can be grouped into one of three
main areas.

1. Stress from doing the job

Stress from doing the job can be caused by:

* boring or repetitive work, or too little to do;

* too much to do, too little time;

* to little/too much training or support for the job;

* confusion over, or too much, responsibility for managing others;

* confusion over priorities, timeframes and standards; or

* sub-standard performance resulting in disciplinary action such as dismissal, retrenchment,

demotion, discipline, transfer or redeployment; a worker not being promoted, reclassified,
transferred or granted leave of absence or any other benefit in relation to employment or a workers'
expectations of any of these matters or of the employer's decision in relation to these matters;

. . . and what I can do about it:

* change the way jobs are done, consult with individuals before moving them to comparable work,
give individuals more responsibility, increase job scope, vary job tasks, give workers responsibility for
group performance;

* try to give warning of urgent or important tasks, prioritise tasks, remove unnecessary work;

* match individuals to jobs, increase the scope of jobs for the over-trained;

* ensure everyone has clearly defined and achievable objectives and responsibilities linked to
organisational objectives;

* provide supervisor training and support;

* ensure disciplinary procedures are developed and are a transparent process. These procedures
should be applied by trained and authorised officers able to communicate effectively with
employees;

* give staff the knowledge and skills to enable them to manage their own stress response;

* ensure staff and supervisors receive the skills, training and resources they need to work
purposefully, confidently and are appreciated; and

* ensure that policies and procedures are clearly stated and uniformly applied.

2. Stress from work relationships

Stress from work relationships can be caused by:

* poor relationships with colleagues;

* bullying or harassment;

* discrimination;

* lack of communication or consultation between manager and employee;

* negative culture based on blame for and denial of problems; or

* misguided practical jokes or initiation ceremonies;

. . . and what I can do about it:

* provide training in interpersonal skills;

 * establish and review policies, grievance procedures and investigation of complaints;

* provide opportunities for employees to contribute ideas and to be consulted;

* management should encourage feedback from employees and act on it;

* encourage management lead by example with honesty, respect and support;

* ensure people are treated fairly and consistently with an intolerance of harassment and bullying;
and

* provide opportunities for social interaction among workers to help build a sense of community in
the workplace.

3. Stress from working conditions

Stress from working conditions can be caused by:

* physical danger, or the threat of it;

* in contact with human suffering and people's reactions to it;

* single incident such as armed robbery or a workplace fatality;

* poor physical working conditions;

* inflexible work schedules or unpredictable hours; or

* organisational change, such as restructuring;

. . . and what I can do about it:

* provide adequate control measures against physical pressures, in particular, clear support and
training for those faced with violent situations;

* consultation with staff over restructuring plans;

* encourage managers to have an open and understanding attitude towards those who admit to
being under too much pressure, especially if employees are fearful of losing their jobs;

* establish open and non-judgemental communication free from the fear of retribution between
management and employees;

* provide scope for flexible and variable working conditions over which people have some control,
to increase interest and ownership of the job, and assist people to meet their family responsibilities;

* encourage consultation and cooperation between employers, employees and their

representatives, especially during periods of organisational change; or
 * evaluate the effectiveness of changes put in place and review the situation from time to time.

There are some great general strategies relevant to organisations that may help:

* encourage employers to take stress seriously and make themselves aware of the warning signs of
people under too much pressure;

* consider and assess possible stressors in the workplace through consultation with employees on
what they think will reduce the stressors in the workplace;

* encourage staff to talk about the pressures they perceive in their jobs;

* be understanding of stressors outside the workplace, but only seek information you need to
know;

* propose and prioritise intervention strategies and inform employees;

* encourage employers to provide a consistent management approach; and

* encourage a non-judgemental attitude in the workplace whereby employees feel comfortable to

seek professional help to aid in resolving problems.

Larger employers may have the resources to provide stress management training, a confidential
employee assistance program or use risk management consultants as tools to assist with stress
problems in their organisation. These tools may be useful as part of a wider plan to tackle
organisational issues but they are not always effective in identifying the source of a stress problem.
Smaller employers may need to consider more affordable options.

Activity 7

Think about a job you hold now or one you would like to hold in the future. Identify the personal

knowledge and skills required in this job. What competencies would you require? Which of these
skills, knowledge and competencies do you currently have? What could you do to develop these
skills, knowledge and competencies?

I would like to return to the VET training field. Below is listed the personal skills and knowledge that
would be required to successfully fulfil the needs of this role.
Personal knowledge and skills required:

* Communication skills. As a VET trainer you need to be able to communicate with a wide range of
people, from Non-English speaking people to those with advanced language skills, people that are
starting out in the work force to those who are leaving the work force. You there need to be able to
adapt your style and communication mannerism to suit the situation you are in at the time.

* Computer skills, to a high level. You need to be able to use a Varity of computer based learning
tools, these include windows based programs (Note/Word/Power Point), Private company based
systems. You need to be able to deliver training materials

* Able to learn quickly. As a VET trainer there market place is constantly changing, you need to be
able to keep up. You need to be able to quickly acquire the new skills/information/changes and
incorporate that into your existing training or re-write/Create new training materials to suit.

* Adapt to new environments, VET Training is not always conducted in the same
environment/classroom, you therefore need to be able to adapt to the situation you find yourself in.

* Able to be organised, As a VET trainer you need to be well organised, you need to be organiser
into the future, you cannot operate effectively on a weekly bases if you do not have the materials
needed..

For example; in my last role in the VET systems I was training Certificate II and III Business
Administration to NT Government Trainees, I was training 2 groups of 12 students per group, with 6
classroom days each group per month.

Each group started 1 month after the next. Therefore each month I was starting a new group on 3
different modules, This meant be organised enough to maintain progress records for each of the 36
students.

During this time we had several severe weather situations in Darwin, this caused localised
flooding/power loss, high winds ETC. I had to adapt and modify my training around these where
possible, IE when you are in class, doing computer based learning modules and the power goes out
you need to adapt quickly to maintain control of the class. I was able to do this by changing the
workflow from computer based to hands on. (we did filing for an hour).

I had to develop and maintain training resources for this course, including paper based printout,
power point slideshows, video libraries. And then the Federal WH&S Legislation was released, this
meant that I had to re-write part of my OH&S training package as well as re-deliver the changes to
the Students that had already gone through this work module.

The Competencies I would require:

A current TAE Certificate IV

A sound knowledge of, or qualification in, the subject being delivered.

As I currently hold Certificate IV qualifications in Business, Frontline Management, Customer
Contact, Training and Assessment, Basic and Advanced First aid, I have the formal qualifications
required for the role as a business services training to the Cert IV level. I personal believe Ii have high
levels of computer skills, My Communications & Organisational skills have been developed over
many years of training and working in Federal/State Government departments, as well as my time in
the Emergency Services fields . I therefore feel that I currently have all the required skills needed to
succeed in the role of VET Based trainer. However I would like to do some work in the places that I
was going to be training, IE work at Telstra call centre for a week going through their training
material, This would enable me to provide a much higher level of training for the customer.

Activity 8

Seek feedback from people that you know about a task that you regularly carry out. This might be a
task that you carry out at work. If so, you should seek feedback from employees, clients and

colleagues. Alternately, this might be a task you carry out in your day-to-day life, such as driving a
car or making dinner. If so you should seek feedback from friends and family members. How would
you ensure that the feedback you receive is useful? How would you use this feedback to identify and
develop ways to improve competence in the task you have selected?

I have asked my Friends & Family for feedback on my Driving firstly.

I asked for feedback in 4 main areas.

1. Speed

2. Direction (did I get where I was going easily)

3. Driving manner

4. Road courtesy

5.

The questions I would then ask for each of the 4 sections would be as follows.

1} Speed.

Did I;

i. Drive too slowly (10K under speed limit}

ii. Drive at recommended speed (5k’s under speed limit

iii. Drive at posted speed limits

iv. Drive at more than 10k over the posted speed limit
 v. Drive at excessive speeds.

2} Direction

Did I;

i. Get completely lost

ii. Need to use GPS/Maps for all turns

iii. Drive in general direction until finding where I needed to go

iv. Drive using general directions from GPS

v. Drive directly to destination with no assistance/aids

3} Driving manner.

Did I;

i. Drive in a dangerous manner (speeding/running lights)

ii. Drive in a aggressive manner (speeding}

iii. Neutral

iv. Matched other road users

v. Drive in a calm collected manner

4} Road Courtesy.

Did I;

i. Display Road Rage {yell, swear, gesture}

ii. Become aggressive with other drivers/road users (cut people off, not allow merging}

iii. Neutral

iv. Drive calmly, allow merging

v. Be a courteous driver, {allow merging, indicate for others to go first}

As feedback from family and friends, in most occasions, could be skewed in the positive, I would
therefore tell them that I needed honest feedback, that I would Not take it personally or as an insult.

I would tell them why I asked for the feedback and that they could make it anonymous if they
wanted to. I would develop a written template that they could fill in and give/email leave for me.

Once the information had been received I would coordinate the feedback into a list of items ranging
from the bad to the good, and give each one a score.
Once this was done I would be able to establish a personal development plan for myself

Activity 9

1 Learning style quiz

Complete the learning styles questionnaire provided here to identify and evaluate your personal

learning style/s to develop competence. Read each statement. If you agree more than you disagree,
place a tick in the box next to the statement.

Answer honestly, but do not spend too much time considering your answers. Your most immediate
response is usually the correct one for you.

There is no time limit, but it should take 10–15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

There are no right or wrong answers—your answers merely indicate preferences, which are neither
good nor bad.

Questionnaire provided:

| ✔ |

1. I have strong beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad. |
|

2. I often act without considering the possible consequences. |

|

3. I tend to solve problems using the step-by-step approach. |

|

4. I believe that formal procedures and policies restrict people. |

|

5. I have a reputation for saying what I think, simply and directly. |

|

6. I often find that actions based on feelings are as sound as those based on careful thought and
analysis. | |

7. I like the sort of work where I have time for thorough preparation and implementation. |
|

8. I regularly question people about their basic assumptions. |

|
 9. What matters most is whether something works in practice. |
|

10. I actively seek out new experiences. | |

11. When I hear about a new idea or approach I immediately start working out how to apply it in
practice. | |

12. I am keen on self-discipline such as diet, regular exercise, sticking to routines etc. |
|

13. I take pride in doing a thorough job. | |

14. I get on best with logical, analytical people, and less well with spontaneous, irrational people.
| |

15. I take care over the interpretation of data presented to me and avoid jumping to conclusions.
| |

16. I like to reach a decision carefully after weighing up many alternatives. |

|

17.

I am attracted more to novel, unusual ideas than to practical ones. |

|

18. I do not like disorganised things and prefer to fit things into a coherent pattern. |
|

19. I accept and stick to laid down procedures and policies as long as I regard them as an efficient
way of getting the job done. | |

20. I like to relate my actions to a general principle. | |

21. In discussions, I like to get straight to the point. | |

22. I tend to have distant, rather formal relationships with people at work. |
|

23. I thrive on the challenge of tackling something new and different. |

|

24. I enjoy fun-loving spontaneous people. | |

25. I pay meticulous attention to detail before coming to a conclusion. |

|

26. I find it difficult to produce ideas on impulse. |

|
 27. I believe in coming to the point immediately. |
|

28. I am careful not to jump to conclusions too quickly. |

|

29. I prefer to have as many sources of information as possible—the more data to think over, the
better. | |

30. Flippant people that do not take things seriously enough irritate me. |
|

31. I listen to other people’s points of view before putting my own forward. |
|

32. I tend to be open about how I’m feeling. | |

33. In discussions, I enjoy watching the manoeuvrings of the other participants. |

|

34. I prefer to respond to events in a spontaneous, flexible basis rather than plan things out in
advance. | |

35. I tend to be attracted to techniques such as network analysis, flow charts, branching programs,
contingency planning etc. | |

36. It worries me if I have to rush out a piece of work to meet a tight deadline. |
|

37. I tend to judge people’s ideas on their practical merits. |

|

38. Quiet thoughtful people tend to make me uneasy. | |

39. I often get irritated by people who want to rush things. |

|

40. It is more important to enjoy the present than to think about the past or the future. |
|

41. I think that decisions based on a thorough analysis of all the information are sounder than
those based on intuition. | |

42.

I tend to be a perfectionist. | |

43. In discussions, I tend to produce lots of spontaneous ideas. |

|

44. In meetings, I put forward practical, realistic ideas.| |

 45. More often than not, rules are there to be broken.| |

46. I prefer to stand back from the situation and consider all the perspectives. |
|

47. I can often see weaknesses and inconsistencies in other people’s arguments. |
|

48. On balance, I talk more than I listen. | |

49. I can often see better, more practical ways of getting things done. |
|

50. I think written reports should be short and to the point. |

|

51. I believe that rational, logical thinking should win the day. |
|

52. I tend to discuss specific things with people rather than engaging in social discussion. |
|

53. I like people who approach things realistically rather than theoretically. |
|

54. In discussions, I get impatient with irrelevancies and digressions. |

|

55. If I have a report to write, I tend to produce lots of drafts before settling on the final version.
| |

56. I am keen to try things out to see if they work in practice. |

|

57. I am keen to reach answers through a logical approach. |

|

58. I enjoy being the one that talks a lot. | |

59. In discussions, I often find that I am the realist, keeping people to the point and avoiding wild
speculations. | |

60. I like to ponder many alternatives before making up my mind. |

|

61. In discussions with people, I often find that I am the most dispassionate and objective. |
|

62. In discussions, I am most likely to take a low profile than to take the lead and do most of the
talking. | |
 63. I like to be able to relate current actions to a longer-term, bigger picture. |
|

64. When things go wrong, I am happy to shrug it off and put it down to experience. |
|

65. I tend to reject wild, spontaneous ideas as being impractical. |

|

66. It is best to think carefully before taking action. | |

67.

On balance, I do the listening rather than the talking. | |

68. I tend to be tough on people who find it difficult to adopt a logical approach. |
|

69. Most times I believe the end justifies the means. | |

70. I do not mind hurting people’s feelings as long as the job gets done. |
|

71. I find the formality of having specific objectives and plans stifling. |
|

72. I am usually one of the people that put life into a party. |
|

73. I do whatever is expedient to get the job done. | |

74. I quickly get bored with methodical, detailed work. |

|

75. I am keen on exploring the basic assumptions, principles and theories underpinning things and
events. | |

76. I’m always interested to find out what people think. |

|

77. I like meetings to be run on methodical lines, following laid-down agenda etc. |
|

78. I steer clear of subjective or ambiguous topics. | |

79. I enjoy the drama and excitement of a crisis situation. |

|

80. People find me insensitive to their feelings. | |

Scoring:

Score one point for each tick. Indicate on the lists below, the items you ticked.

|2 | |7 | |1 |
|5 | |

|4 | | 13 | |3 |
|9 | |

|6 | | 15 | |8 |
| 11 | |

| 10 | | 16 | | 12 |
| 19 | |

| 17 | | 25 | | 14 |
| 21 | |

| 23 | | 28 | | 18 |
| 27 | |

| 24 | | 29 | | 20 |
| 35 | |

| 32 | | 31 | | 22 |
| 37 | |

| 34 | | 33 | | 26 |
| 44 | |

| 38 | | 36 | | 30 |
| 49 | |

| 40 | | 39 | | 42 |
| 50 | |

| 43 | | 41 | | 47 |
| 53 | |

| 45 | | 46 | | 51 |
| 54 | |

| 48 | | 52 | | 57 |
| 56 | |

| 58 | | 55 | | 61 |
| 59 | |
 | 64 | | 60 | | 63 |
| 65 | |

| 71 | | 62 | | 68 |
| 69 | |

| 72 | | 66 | | 75 |
| 70 | |

| 74 | | 67 | | 77 |
| 73 | |

| 79 | | 76 | | 78 |
| 80 | |

Totals: | Activist | | Reflector | | Theorist | | Pragmatist |

|

Total your raw scores in each column.

Circle your scores on the chart on the following page, which adjusts the scores according to
statistical norms to eliminate bias and give rigour to the scoring process.

Activist | Reflector | Theorist | Pragmatist |

2019181716151413 | 201918 | 2019181716 | 20191817 | Very Strong Preference5

|

1211 | 171615 | 1514 | 1615 | Strong Preference4 |

10987 | 141312 | 131211 | 141312 | Moderate Preference3 |

654 | 11109 | 1098 | 11109 | Low Preference2 |

3210 | 876543210 | 76543210 | 876543210 | Very Low Preference1 |

2 Explain how understanding your personal learning

style can assist you when identifying,

evaluating and selecting development opportunities.

By having an understanding of your Personal Learning Style (P.L.S), you are able to better select

training that works to your strengths and avoids your weaknesses.

For example . a person who is a Kinesthetic learner is someone who learns by feel and
therefore would b\do better at pottery and a auditory learner, who learns by listening. they

could both become great potters but the kinesthetic learning would pick up the skills quicker

Activity 10

Identify a network that you are involved in or a network that you might become involved in. How
does/would your participation in this network enhance personal knowledge, skills and work
relationships? What learning opportunities does it provide? What can you learn from the network?

The most common network that people belong to is their families, but that aside lets look at

facebook. Facebook is a far reaching network that I belong to, it enables me to keep in contact

with family and friends all over the world. It enables me to keep up with the local area

happenings an that means I can relate to my work environ better.

The Facebook network enables me to learn about other areas of interest.

the other network I am a member of is the Justice of the Peace (through department of Justice)

group in Queensland, this network keeps me up to date on all the legal requirements of being

a JP, it lets me know when there are conferrences and changes coming up, when new stores

have come in and when me membership is due for renewal. It also lets me know what other JP's

are in my area, therefore enabling me to creat a sub network of local people.

Activity 11

1 How would you go about developing the new skills needed to achieve and maintain a competitive
edge? Be specific and do not limit your ideas to those provided in the text.

Firstly I would research the field I was in, find out what the competition was doing that we were

not, or what we were doing that they weren't. I would look at our goals and strategic plan to

determine if they where realistic and achievable or if they needed to be re-visited.

I would conduct customer feedback surveys, asking what they liked/ did not like, and what they

though we could do differently, once this information had been received I would collate it all

together to make a report/recommendations for:

A) Training/Upskilling of staff

B) Possible team building

C) Possible structural changes to store/office layout.

This would then enable me to establish what I needed to do to increase my personal knowledge

and obtain any new skills that where needed. By knowing what was going on the in the

business I would be able to work out where I needed upskilling.

I would acknowledge both the strengths and weaknesses (staff and organizational wide) that

have been identified and work with them to improve performances

2 Explain how you think developing new skills can contribute to the development of a competitive

edge for an organisation.

New skills enable you to develop a new way of doing something, it encourages enthusiasm and

excitement in the work place.

One of the most recent new skills that has come about is home shopping, by encouraging

people to develop the skills needed to manage this it has reduced costs for business, by

reducing rental overheads, wages ETC, therefore meaning lower costs for the customer.

WRITTEN ASSESSMENT

1 Identify and describe three strategies you can use to manage your time.

Prioritise- Writing a list of tasks needed to be completed in order of importance and then

working through it. Crossing off items as you go shows you what you have already achieved and

is a good motivation to continue pushing forward. You must remember it is not always more

important to cross off the most things from the list but the higher ranked items.

Delegate- assigning a task to someone else helps by freeing up some of your time for tasks
that require your skills. Delegation begins with identifying tasks that others can do and then

selecting the right person to do them. You need to select someone with the right skills,

experience, and authority to complete the task

Planning Tool- these include electronic planners, diaries, calendars, computer programs, wall

charts and notebooks. Writing down your tasks and schedules can free your mind to focus on

your priorities. Find one planning tool that works for you and use that tool all the time.

2 Identify and describe five traits of effective leaders.

Motivation-This is the most important trait of a leader. Being able to motivate your employees to

do their job and do it well is the most important and helpful trait a leader can posses.

Communication- is another very important trait to have. If you are unable to communicate with

your employees then you will not be able to instruct them with what needs to be completed and

how you wish it to be done.

Hard Work- This involves working harder then any one else, being the first in and the last out,

but also you must be able to complete any task you want to ask of some one else. If you are

not willing to do it then why should one of your employees be willing to?

Integrity and trust – These two go hand in hand and they build upon each other. You must trust

your employees and they should be able to trust you. If you do the right thing and stand by

your word in all situations this will show them you have great integrity and that they can trust

you and your judgment. If you do not have integrity then you cannot expect others to follow

you.

Make decisions- it is important to be able to make the decision and stick with it. You do not
want to get weighed down with what-ifs and maybes. Avoid getting stuck at analysis and make a

decision. Forward movement is always better than being stuck in one place.

3 Describe the importance of continually developing professional competence.

Continually developing professional competence ensures you keep up with current standards of

others in the same field. It helps ensures that you maintain and enhance the knowledge and

skills you need to continue to deliver a high level service to your customers and clients. It gives

you the knowledge to stay relevant and up to date. You are more aware of the changing trends

and directions in your profession. If you stand still you will get left behind, as your knowledge

and skills becomes outdated.

4 Explain what action learning sets are and how they allow people to develop new skills.

Action learning is an educational process whereby people work and learn together by tackling

real issues and reflecting on their actions. Learners acquire knowledge through actual actions

and practice rather than through traditional instruction.

Action learning is done in conjunction with others, in small groups called action learning sets. It

is proposed as particularly suitable for adults, as it enables each person to reflect on and

review the action they have taken and the learning points arising. This should then guide future

action and improve performance.

5 Explain KPIs in detail. Upload your answer for assessment.

A performance indicator or key performance indicator (KPI) is a type of performance measurement

An organization may use KPIs to evaluate its success, or to evaluate the success of a particular
activity in which it is engaged. Sometimes success is defined in terms of making progress toward
strategic goals, but often success is simply the repeated, periodic achievement of some level of
operational goal (e.g. zero defects, 10/10 customer satisfaction, etc.). Accordingly, choosing the right
KPIs relies upon a good understanding of what is important to the organization. 'What is important'
often depends on the department measuring the performance - e.g. the KPIs useful to finance will
be quite different from the KPIs assigned to sales. Since there is a need to understand well what is
important (to an organization), various techniques to assess the present state of the business, and
its key activities, are associated with the selection of performance indicators. These assessments
often lead to the identification of potential improvements, so performance indicators are routinely
associated with 'performance improvement' initiatives. A very common way to choose KPIs is to
apply a management framework such as the balanced scorecard.

6 What are preferred learning styles? Describe some preferred learning styles.

Preferred learning styles are the way that you best take information in. The three main styles

are; Visual- Which is when you learn best through seeing pictures, reading and imagining,

watching facial features and like to make diagrams. Kinaesthetic- Is when you like to do things

more hands on, you watch body language, remember activates, meeting people and like direct

involvement. Auditory- these people learn best through talking and discussion, they understand

things in their own words. They prefer conversation and listen for emphasis and voice tone.

7 What is the individual encouraged to do in the balanced scorecard model?

In a balanced scorecard model you are encouraged to examine and adjust your perception of

external circumstances so that they fit to your personal goals. This helps in developing yourself

and to reach your goals in life and work. It also assists in building motivation, self-discipline and

tolerance.

8 Describe how you would develop your own set of competencies.

To develop your own set of competencies it is wise to build on your hobbies. By building on

things you already have an interest in it will help them grow and develop quicker and a lot

easier. You should have a constant effort to build on your skills and competencies and a drive

to stay up with current trends. This will help you get ahead of your competition. Speaking of
competition it is always good to see what they are doing especial in areas that they are better

then you and see what you can adopt and build on. Finally you should have disciplined efforts in

building competencies. You do not want to start projects you can’t finish or have to many on

the go so that none end up being achieve

BSBWOR501B: Manage personal work priorities

Assessment Tool 2 (AT2)

1. Identify and describe three strategies you can use to manage your time.

a. I am using to do lists to ensure I use my time effectively. I am also allocating a time frame to
the tasks I put on my to do lists. I now have 2 to do lists, one is for that day which is generally just a
post it note which I keep in my pocket and refer to regularly throughout the day, and a medium term
to do list for the week which is a piece of paper I keep under my keyboard to reflect upon first thing
in the morning, mid-morning and finally before I leave for the day. I like to be able to scratch out a
line on the weekly to do list every day I leave the office, I am also working on tomorrows plan as I
drive home after viewing my weekly list. I don’t have a to do list with longer time frames as such, as
those goals are generally set in an action plan, monthly management meetings and even my annual
review.

b. Another area I am working on and need to continue to work on but am genuinely improving is
delegating effectively. By that I am delegating tasks to people using the method referred in this
course by asking people who can do the job as 80% as well as I can and what I am finding is these
people are enjoying the added responsibility and not viewing it as extra work as I explain the
benefits to me, the company and themselves by learning and becoming and adapt at these extra
tasks. I also pick people based on their speed and ensure they are able to complete the task by
informing other staff of this persons job and to assist where possible and not to interrupt them
where possible. I generally get too many interruptions to complete some tasks in a timely manner, I
delegate nearly all tasks I that I used to try and do myself realizing I am hurting our performance by
trying to do all. I rush and make errors creating doubt in the staff about my ability. I no longer put
myself in this position ensuring better quality for customers and less cost, better efficiencies for the
company as well.

c. I am also working on contingency plans. I always have but place more priority on this goal after
learning the value of effective and constant contingency plans. I am giving staff extra experience and
exposure to other roles and responsibilities in the company, mainly through delegating but also to
ensure I am multi skilling staff. For example, I have 2 people trained and employed full time in our
pharmaceutical division, I have exposed 2 other (wine) staff to the systems in place in that
department. They showed genuine enthusiasm whilst completing these tasks, I got the extra duties
completed in a timely manner and just achieved a greater buy in by those 2 guys. They were also
talking about it to other employees during breaks and the enthusiasm grew as well as competition
for completing those tasks. This coupled with other changes has drastically slowed down my staff
turnover, reducing stress on the 2 full timers in pharmaceuticals as they now know they have back
up, I just need them to learn when they need to ask for that help and not battle away themselves as
there is back up now but the contingency plan is now in place. I also targeted a storeman with a
truck license during last employment exercise. I found one on a casual basis which suits well for both
and I have a back up driver for any unforeseen shortages, also coverage for annual leave by drivers.
This guy is keen to learn all runs and has been thrown into 4 out of 7 delivery areas. The contingency
grows.

d. I also re-worked the filing order for our server. The State Manager for Victoria was here and
we both sat down and re-did our filing systems to ensure we had the same templates. This ensures
that staff from both states understand the systems in place and can find documents quickly and
effectively. Another bonus, staff can now move interstate and pick up right where they left in other
state. Another morale booster we can use if we want to reward staff as well as developing our staff
through a free working holiday.

2. Identify and describe the 5 traits of effective leaders

e. Effective leaders are able to manage their stress levels by doing several things. Most important
is finding a happy work-life balance which can be found by using the stress management chart and
using the information effectively. Other methods include laughing, taking time out, exercising,
decrease caffeine and get effective sleep. I have been monitoring and trying to effect some changes
to my life measuring against these things.

f. Continual learning and competency assessments are essential to be an effective leader. I was
keen to undertake this course as I am well aware of the importance of continually learning, whether
it be in management styles and techniques, the use and development of technology or product
knowledge. Competency assessments are essential for myself personally to ensure my learning is
effective but also to ensure staff are learning from courses attended or just simply absorbing what is
being instructed and discussed during tool box meetings for example.

g. Time management is also essential and probably rule number one as if you are not managing
your time and tasks you will not achieve any results expected by either other stakeholders or staff,
they will lose faith and you have lost the leadership. I went into this is in more detail in previous
question but rate time management very highly in an effective leader.

h. Goal setting is a similar requirement to time management but if you cannot set the goal you
cannot manage the time to achieve the goal. Goals need to set by ensuring they are specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant, in a time frame. Goals must also be in a positive manner, ie 90%
success, not 10% failure rate. They must be precise using dates, times and measurements to know
the goal is achieved and therefore recognition for achievement. Goals must be put in order of
priority to avoid becoming overwhelmed and bogged down, they should also be kept small to ensure
achievability, more smaller goals in priority will be more achievable and rewarding both personally
and for the company.

i. An effective leader knows how to lead by example and be a positive role model. This is
achieved by doing as you say, therefore setting the standards required and expected. Staff will also
view a manager as a positive role model if the manager performs a superior result and/ or effort, is
consistent, and displays the values and desired behaviour of the company. An effective leader will
also be a positive role model by being visible to staff and part of the communication loop, empower
employees and encourage new ideas. They will also know their employees names, positions and
responsibilities, and talk to them and observe their skills and abilities perhaps using a competency
assessment but most importantly able to rate, give feedback and effectively delegate to that person.
Manages who display these traits encourage employees to replicate their behaviour, support each
other and support company goals.

3. Describe the importance of continually developing professional competence.

It is very important to continually develop professional competence as it is a tool one should use to
measure personal performance and plans for the future. Using competency tools for both personal
and career objectives will ensure you are ready and open for opportunities as they arise.

Nearly every task we undertake has a set of objectives which are always measurable in some
description. Any set of measures can be used to understand where a person stands in their ability to
undertake these tasks. If only a mediocre performance is revealed then of course more work needs
to be done in this area, i.e. more on the job training by shadowing someone with higher competence
or sitting and learning away from the task is more effective. Either way the individual still gets an
understanding of their performance and how and where to improve. Using competency tools keeps
a person on track for personal and work goals that have been set. These goals should be SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and to a time frame) goals which enable those goals to
be measured and therefore giving an understanding of progress. If someone is using this method
frequently they will certainly be successful in any task undertaken. They will remain interested in
work, be provided with the drive to progress their career and ultimately makes them employable.
Keeping up to date with technology is essential for most careers and makes life easier on a personal
level. It is a good way to start measuring a personal task and identifying short comings in use of
technology relevant to our lives and careers. We can use a personal measurement of technology as a
tool to understand where more training is required. Most training can be done on the job and at
home on personal computers but more in depth training is generally required off site which requires
certain motivation by individuals to achieve this level of competency, however it really does depend
on the SMART goal you set in this area as to what level is required. In a nutshell, constant
assessment of personal and work goals and constantly measuring that progress is essential if one
wishes to progress in both life and career.

4. Explain what action learning sets are and how they allow people to develop new skills.

Action learning sets are generally a group of 4 to 8 people who meet regularly to help each other by
learning from each other’s experiences. There is generally a facilitator there as well to ensure the
experience is relevant and purposeful. The concept is that there is no learning with out action. It
gives individuals an opportunity to express concern or trouble over certain situations and enable
that person to get different ideas on what is the best way to tackle a certain issue. That individual is
then armed with some knowledge to be able to deal with the issue and can then report on the
circumstances that arose so all the group can then feed from that experience should any of those
people need that advice during their own personal or work dilemma. It really enables individuals to
learn away from a lecture or class room environment where you only sit and listen and not interact.
The interaction with the group in a learning set is an invaluable way to learn and practice and be
able to tackle certain tasks with much more confidence and conviction.
 5. Explain, in detail, what KPIs are.

Key Performance indicators are used in everyday life. They can be used to measure sales,
production, delivery times, order picking times, phone calls per hour and the list just does not stop.
The first thing required when establishing a KPI is what in fact needs measuring and what is the
result hoping to achieve. For example if measuring how many people are required for a particular
task would require measuring the work load involved by how many hours are available or required
to complete the tasks to a certain level. A KPI must have exact results, ie where the task being
measured has a specific result in mind. The result has to be specific for example, raise increase
efficiency by 15% not just reduce efficiencies, or, reduce overtime by 10% not just reduce overtime.

6. What are preferred learning styles? Describe some preferred learning styles,

There are many learning styles available to suit all individuals, however most people can relate to
one of three main styles of learning. It is an advantage to know yourself and others style to ensure
you are getting the benefit when conducting training analysis. The three main styles of learning are
Visual, Auditory or kina esthetic. The visual method of learning from seeing things like pictures,
diagrams and films are generally good spellers, good with faces, often make lists, like charts and
diagrams and also have vivid imaginations. The Auditory style refers to people who do learn from
hearing instructions. Those kind of people are generally good with names, work well in groups, may
be sophisticated speaker, talk while they write a good clue, and can also find it difficult to be quiet
for long periods of time. The third category or style of learning is the kina esthetic style which
involves learning from physical experiences or actions. They are well coordinated and sporty people,
good with their hands, benefit from writing things down and also read out loud. By understanding
your own and others learning style it will be of benefit to all as the message can be sold through the
three styles of learning and ensure that message sticks.

7. What is the individual encouraged to do in the balanced scorecard model?

-An individual is encouraged to come up with KPIs that they think is a direct measure of what they
do that helps the company. They must understand their role in the company and must understand
the end result or company strategy. This empowers the people to recognize and achieve set goals
and also having an input to the companies end result. This should apply to all levels of the business
to ensure that all goals directly relate to the company strategy. The goals need to be revisited atleast
twice a year to ensure progress is being made to both the individual’s goals and its relevance to the
company strategy.

8. Describe how you would develop your own set of competencies?

I believe my job description and the goals I set for work directly relate to personal goals so I use
work KPIs and audits to ensure I am achieving my own set of goals at the required pace and
completion. I have an annual review which is quite details and recorded. This review covers the last
years goals and achievements and also set new targets. As the state manager this is when we set the
companies clear strategic goal for the year and my review and it KPIs or targets are produced from
that. As this covers budgets, profitability, continuous improvement and high service levels I manage
to use these results to asses my own performance towards personal goals and achievements.
What makes a good role model and how do I ensure that I acted as a role model for employees I
supervise?

A role model is a person whom people look up to and admire. They display certain qualities and
behaviors to learn from. Qualities of a good role model in the workplace is respect of others,
dedication to their job; shown by their hard work and success, listening to people without judgment,
giving credit where credit is due, provides a positive and encouraging work environment, uses
realistic and rational thought in decision making and allows others to provide their point of view. To
be a good role model in the workplace to employees I manage I can firstly take on the attitude of
leading by example; by doing this I will gain respect I require from my employees. Secondly, I need to
be aware of my behavior and its effect on others. I also need to give off positive energy to the work
environment and constantly encourage staff. To be a good role model means I have to treat
everyone the same; there can be no prejudices or preferences for people. It is important for me to
respect people and their opinions, always listen to people and make them feel valued and lastly
always act professional.

What are the traits of an effective leader? Do I have these traits? How would I develop these traits?

To be an effective leader requires traits that are either inherent to a person or can be learnt. The
traits that make an effective leader first begins with respect; a leader will treat all people with
respect regardless of their position within the organisation. Secondly, a leader will empower their
team by encouraging people to push their boundaries further and further for success. Effective
leaders will also take accountability for their actions; they never make excuses when something goes
wrong. When something does go wrong a leader will take immediate action to solve the problem.
Next, a leader will always listen to ideas and be respectful no matter if the idea is good or bad. A
leader should also be sincere, not just when dealing with work matters but also on a personal level.
Rewarding team members with words or deeds is also a trait of an effective leader as this shows
recognition and appreciation of hard work. An effective leader will enforce appropriate discipline.
Finally, leaders will show integrity; integrity to do what is the right thing no matter what. I believe
the traits that make an effective leader are ones people inherent, however, these traits can still be
learnt. I believe I have some of the traits of a leader such as accountability of actions, respect for all
people, rewarding people, not claiming credit for myself and integrity. I could also improve my
listening skills by allowing people to provide their view and not judging. Also, disciplining people is
always a hard trait to follow through and is also something I can work on improving by not allowing
people to get away with breaking rules no matter who they are.

How would I ensure that my work goals and plans reflect the organisation’s goals and plans?

It is important for a manager to set goals and plan work efficiently and effectively. To ensure work
goals and plans are created accordingly I must have a good insight into the organisations long-term
vision as well as my own role and responsibilities. Organisations also set plans therefore as a
manager I would need to analyse and keep up to date to ensure my goals and plans are in line with
the organisations. Referring to the organisations long term vision, plus their plans when goal setting,
will ensure I create effective goals, plan work effectively and show results when carrying out tasks.

How would I ensure that I meet my job responsibilities?

Working within a team environment means working in a team, therefore, my ability to get my job
done is also dependent on others and others depend on me to get their work done; as each
independent role contributes to the overall function of the organisation. So, working effectively in a
team environment to meet deadlines requires communication and flexibility. To ensure I meet my
job responsibilities I can regularly review my job description to identify whether my goals are still in
line with my job responsibilities; these can change over the period of employment. Other actions
and techniques to ensure I meet my job responsibilities are effective communication, organisation,
create a to do list for each day or week and include time frames to complete each task, when faced
with multiple tasks write up a plan and tackle these tasks with small steps, check off tasks once
completed, check the calendar each day to recognise when deadlines are approaching and manage
my time effectively. All of these skills and techniques will improve my likelihood of meeting my job
responsibilities.

How would I measure and maintain my personal performance?

The best way to measure and maintain personal performance is by creating a personal Balanced
Scorecard which is a performance management tool. Key Performance Indicators are also a very
useful tool I can utilise to measure personal performance and therefore maintain effectiveness or
see problem areas that are in need of improvement. If there is an area of my performance that
needs improvement I need to rethink my goals, the organisations goals and create ways to improve
my performance.

How would I prioritize work?

Prioritising work is very important because a managers work is usually messy. Messy as in they have
a lot of responsibilities and are easily distracted by other factors. Therefore, prioritising work
effectively will ensure tasks are carried out successfully. As a manager I would need to set time to
regularly look at my goals and that of my staff and ensure that personal, team and organisational
goals stay relevant and realistic, and that they are changed in regards to the circumstance. It is
important to create a to do list of tasks that are required to be completed. I can create a list of
questions to ask myself when deciding appropriate times for each task. It is essential to ask myself
what is the most important task to complete right now?, what deadlines do I have?, what is most
urgent?. Once tasks are placed in order I can create a system that lists the tasks and their priority in
different categories that are colour coded. Lastly, and importantly when prioritising tasks is to
ensure the tasks are my responsibility. If it falls outside my responsibility as a manager then I will
delegate and filter these down.

How would I use technology to organise and manage my work?

There are many uses of technology that can assist in organising and managing priorities. Technology
can be a big help to managers as they juggle demands. Firstly, the computer offers many functions
to organise and manage work. I find the computer very useful to set up electronic to do lists as well
as using an electronic calendar with an alert system to record and notify me of deadlines. The
emailing system available on computers is also helpful in assisting me in managing my work.

Using the telephone is a useful tool to manage work as the use of mobile phones makes contacting
people much more convenient than needing to phone an office number; as many executives spend a
lot of time out of the office or in meetings. My apple iPhone is also very useful in assisting me with
managing my priorities due to its wonderful applications, which allow me to create a reminder so I
can set an alarm as a notification. The computer is a resource that can be used to record and store
data and information minimising the time and paper required to record and file any documentation.

How would I ensure that I maintained a work/ life balance?

Maintaining work/life balance is difficult in any job but there are things that can be done to assist a
balance that is right for me. Firstly, knowing what I want in my work and life is important to
establish, as this will pave a path for me to take. Secondly, I need a clear line between professional
and personal. Also, I can set personal goals that I can refer to ensure I keep my work/life according
to these. Lastly, I need to prioritise my daily tasks, be consistent with leave and have an outlet for
stressors. It is important to set aside time with family, friends and myself to keep a work/life
balance. I can plan to spend a couple of hours at the end of each week doing something that I enjoy
whether that is reading a book, watching a movie, drinking a few glasses of wine or cooking some
amazing pasta; it is important to have down time and to have quality time with loved ones. This
could be getting together with friends for a dinner or having date night with my partner which helps
me to let off some steam and be relaxed for the following working week. By setting realistic goals
and prioritising work effectively I can essentially leave work behind at the end of the day or week
and enjoy time away from the job.

How would I ensure that my personal knowledge and skills meet required competency standards?
If an industry I was in had specific competency standards I was required to uphold then I would need
to keep up to date with these through a membership or continuing my education. I would create a
development plan to help me in finding and carrying out development in order that my skills grow
and develop. In creating a development plan I would start with my strengths and weaknesses, and
the requirements of my job both current and for the next level of responsibility and organisation and
identify any gaps between these two areas. These gaps represent training and developmental
opportunities.

It is important that the developmental opportunities meet the competency standards for the
position, industry and organisation as well as meeting my needs. I need to first set short term goals,
prioritise my goals, set objectives and put these in writing. There are some questions I can ask myself
in order to determine the correct choice of development for me; questions such as What are the
learning outcome(s) for this section of the training?, What training modules would work best with
this course?, What assessments have been decided?, What timeframes are available?, What
resources are available? And what opportunities will learners have to practice what they have learnt
in a workplace environment.

How would I determine my developmental needs?

To determine developmental needs I first need to review my duties as well as analyse whether the
job has changed from the original position description. I would then need to analyse my current
skills and knowledge in relation to my job description and responsibilities. I can create a document
to combine information gathered on my current and future skill requirements and identify any gaps
in my skill set. I can set developmental goals and create a plan to ensure I have a balance of goals
that cover technological skills as well as specific competencies for my role. Keeping a balance within
my development will allow me to become a well rounded individual and increase future
opportunities taking me to a higher level of employment. I need to review my goals and plans often
to ensure they are up to date and appropriate for my position and job responsibilities. I would mark
off the goals and plans I have achieved allowing me to have a clear view on those that are
outstanding, as well as adding new targets ensuring all of these reflect any changes. When creating
my developmental goals and plans I need to analyse where I am and where I want to go in relation
to my career. I need to plan short, medium and long-term goals and stay flexible with these as my
situation could change at any time.

What is my personal learning style and how would I ensure that I took advantage of learning
opportunities?

My personal learning style is very much reflector with a pragmatist component. I do notice that
auditory learning for me is very much a downfall so, if ever I am faced with a situation that isn’t
directed to my personal learning style I try to adapt the way I take in the information to suit my
learning style. To learn effectively it is important for me to know my personal learning style and to
recognise situations that do or don’t appeal to my learning style; only then can I start to learn. When
assessing a developmental opportunity I need to have a clear understanding of what is involved and
have an understanding of the best ways I can obtain the skills and knowledge required, this will
maximise chances of effective learning. As mentioned, If a learning environment isn‘t delivered in a
style that suits my learning, I will attempt to adapt the information I receive to suit my reflector and
pragmatist learning style. This can be difficult and I may not be successful, but at least it provides me
with an opportunity of effective learning.

How would I gather feedback from others about my personal performance and how would I use this
feedback to improve my competence?

Obtaining feedback is important to improve standards and competencies in the workplace. Feedback
received from employees, colleagues and clients is useful when looking for opportunities for
improvement. There are a few ways to obtain feedback from employees in the workplace such as:
formal or informal performance reviews, feedback from supervisors and colleagues, feedback from
internal and external clients/customers via surveys or questionnaires and self assessment. Feedback
shows the areas which I am performing well so I can carry on performing in these areas. Feedback
also shows areas that are lacking; which should not be viewed as a negative. Feedback can be seen
as positive to future development as it shows areas I can improve my competence and improving my
work performance and results. When I have obtained my feedback I need to create a plan how I can
improve. I can review my developmental goals and plans and make changes to include areas of
improvement my feedback has shown what I require to improve my competencies.

How would I use networks to increase my knowledge, establishing relationships with other business
people, potential clients or customers. There are advantages in belonging to a professional network
and these include opportunities to gain knowledge and skills but also provide opportunity for career
improvement. Essentially, when apart of a network, I would be advertising my skills and knowledge
and this is advantageous to career development as it can open up doors for jobs or the ability to
work with an industry with new skills, knowledge and experience. By being apart of an industry
network or association it can provide me with insight into any experiences by others in the industry
as well as providing insight into competitor. Events set up by networking groups provides a friendly
environment where I can get together with peers and meet industry competition that can be
beneficial to me.

How would I ensure that I acquired new skills to maintain my competitive edge?

It is imperative that I continually grow and develop in todays business world to stay up to date and
competitive. To stay competitive means I need to have an advantage over the competition which
could be people I work with or people from other organisations in the same industry. Building
professional and personal goals and plans will help in ensuring I obtain the skills needed to keep my
competitive edge. To gain an advantage I need to have stratergies built from information about the
industry, making note of any changes and what is required of me to stay competitive. By assessing
my competitors it will provide me with the right information to develop a competitive edge. I also
need to be aware any changes that could be coming up and see how this will impact my work. If I
have become aware of a change that will negatively impact my work then I need to be creative in
taking a new way of thinking or doing something. I need to regularly analyse whether any change to
my situation will impact my competitive edge.