Reflection on Learning Skills Development

Reflection on Learning Skills Development Learning Preferences Learning is a life long process and can be had in various shapes and forms. It can be based on education, experience, formal training etc. Every individual has his preferred way of learning which can change during the course of his lifetime. Eg. Individuals can prefer class-room learning when they are young and formal training when they grow old. Usually learning based on experience is considered one of the best ways to learn, but George Bernard Shaw (cited in Moyer, 2007) believes that experience doesn’t guarantee learning. He points out that men are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their capacity for experience and one needs to pay attention to find the lessons. Formal training is another way to learn and has been greatly successful within organizations over the years. But, Peter Drucker in his article â€Å"Managing Oneself† (HBR March–April 1999; pg 148) doubts the effectives of formal training by stating that training can be an impediment to learning because it is based on the assumption that there is only one right way to learn. Education and class-room based learning have traditionally been a preferred mode of learning. Rapid rise in technology and its applications has meant ready and continuous access to training and business communications which has meant that learning can now be more timely, specific and synchronous (Sullivan, 2003). Today’s generation want to be connected to instant messaging and short, highly-focused training that can be quickly downloaded and accessed via mobile phones, PDAs, or MP3 players(Ware, 2007; pg 58). Every learning technique has its advantages and limitations and the most preferred learning technique depends on variables like age, life-style, receptiveness and responsiveness of the brain, patience etc. Preferred Team Roles Teams have become a key component in organizations; properly working teams are now central to the organizations health. (Fisher at el., 1998) Because of the growing emphasis on team-working, a lot of research has gone into the structure, dynamics and the operations of the team. This has led to segregating team member by their functionality and the roles and responsibilities they entail as a part of the team. Belbin (1981) identified eight different roles within the team with each member complementing the others strengths and compensating for the weaknesses. Belbin classified and named his team roles as: The plant – Is a problem solver and has innovative, creative and unorthodox way of dealing with situations. Has a strong ownership of ideas. The resource investigator – Is the networking member the team that explores opportunities through new and pre-existing contacts. Is an extrovert, enthusiastic individual having good communication skills. The coordinator – Coordinates different activities of the team and acts as a chairperson. Is responsible for most of the decision making and is normally more experienced than other members. The Shaper – Overcomes obstacles with his drive and courage. Thrives on pressure. Monitor-Evaluator – Has good judgment and the ability to look at the bigger picture. Has more strategic focus. TeamWorker – Responsible for avoiding conflicts and making sure the team gels together and coordinates well. Implementer – Responsible for turning ideas into actions. Completer – Is a perfectionist responsible for finishing the project on time. (Belbin, 1993) Attitudes to Decisions making No matter what sector or industry people work in, they have to make decisions. Decision making involves risk because, most often than not, the outcome cannot be guaranteed. By definition, a decision involves choice and therein lie the difficulty- making the right choice. (McGuire, 2002) The degree of risk involved is greater if the decision is made at the strategic level as compared to the tactical and operational level. Normal attitudes to decision making include: Indecisiveness – People try to evade decision making because it involves risk. Faced with choices and being unclear about which one to make leads to indecisiveness and inaction. Over Analysis – Another attitude to decision making can be over-analyzing options to make sure the correct decision is made. Langdon (2001) calls it ‘paralysis by analysis’ syndrome which means inaction caused by too much thinking. Decisions made on past experiences (historical evidence)– Decisions, at times, are also made by on past experiences without considering the current situation. Eg. If faced with a similar problem as in the past, there is likelihood that the decision similar to the one made in the past will be made. Other attitudes to decision making include decisions made in haste and decisions made without proper consultation with others. Leadership and management skills Leadership is the ability to obtain results from others through personal direction and influence and requires management of self and management of others. Leadership and management differ in the way that management is concerned with ensuring things remain as they are and is often done by standard practice and regulation; leadership involves possessing vision, and the ability to communicate that vision. Leaders should possess the following skills Problem Solving – Problem solving involves identification and definition of the problem, generation of a number of solutions that could be accepted, evaluation of alternatives and their outcomes. An important attribute within problem solving is, communication, in particular, listening skills, as various opinions and possible solutions are being generated. The leader has to see the big picture and choose the best possible solution (decision-making). Decision making – Decision making goes hand in hand with problem solving (as cited in the last paragraph). Every aspect of leadership requires decision making. Delegation, for example, requires the manager to decide which individual is suited for specific tasks and how to distribute work in an optimal and best possible way. Communication – It is very important that the leader has regular and open communication with both the customer and the team members. Change-management – Managing change is also vital to effective leadership because changes might be requested by the stakeholders, caused by unexpected events. Therefore, it is important that the leader has the skills to manage and control change and make sure that the impact of change on accomplishing objectives is kept to a minimum. Management skills Independent of the leadership ability, managers has been studied to have different styles. The style chosen by a manager depends on the assumptions that they make about subordinates, what they think they want and what they consider their attitude towards work to be. Managers have to provide direction to the team, the drive and motivation to work as a part of the team, represent the purpose of team working and working as a group. All the components mentioned below are essential traits of a leader. There has been a widespread acceptance that leadership is an essential management component but it has proved to be difficult to identify the elements of effective leadership and how effective leadership relates to good management practices. (James Walke, 2004) It is worth pointing out that there is no one best style of leadership that is equally effective for all circumstances. The best leadership style is the one that fulfills the need of the group the most, while at the same time satisfy the needs of the external stakeholders. Personal Development plan Areas of development Author’s weaknesses lie in the following areas: Delegation skills – The author is not very good at delegating tasks and has an inherent weakness to doubt others capabilities. He is more comfortable when most of the crucial responsibilities and decision making rests in his own hands and where he just tells the team what to do. Communication – Communication in one of the author’s other weaknesses. This takes off from his delegation style, because he believes in centralized decision making and the need to communicate with subordinates or other team members is seldom realized. Negotiation – The author also finds himself lacking in negotiation skills at times. He is good at understanding and knowing the background to the problem but it’s the bargaining phase of negotiation that the author is not very good at (especially in project management environment). Strengths (Key Skills) Author’s strengths lie in: Organization and Planning – The author excels at organization and planning and makes good use of planning tools. He takes time out to decide on the critical activities and the slack and apportion responsibilities accordingly. He has a clear understanding of the tasks ahead and prioritizes tasks according to their order of importance. Motivation – The author is a highly motivated individual who could turn on creative juices, fight against odds and walk the extra mile to reach set goal and attain objectives. Change Management – Embracing change is another one of the author’s positive traits. He has always identified the need to change and how change can be effectively implemented with least resistance. Background Preferred team role The author’s preferred team role based on his capabilities is that of the ‘plant’ (going by Belbin’s classifications). Armed with strong theoretical basics and practical training, he has a strong ownership of ideas. The author also possesses an unorthodox way (out of the box thinking) of dealing things and is always looking for new and better ways to tackle issues and solve problems. He is skeptical to an all-logical approach to problem solving and does not always adhere to norms and proven ways of doing things. Author’s weakness lies in his ability to work under pressure and to consequently avoid situations that may entail pressure. Decision making style The author does make decisions after a proper analysis of the situation and how the decision affects individuals and the organization. His decision making style involves a process of elimination where a final decision is taken after eliminating alternatives. The author’s weaknesses lie in giving minimal consideration to external factors. What is required for decision making is the use of appropriate decision making tools. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) is one such tool which helps to assess the internal and external decision making environment. Edward de Bono’s ‘six thinking hats’ is another tool for making team decisions. Before making a decision, the author has to make sure that the impact on external stakeholders is also considered. One of the other weaknesses of the author is the tendency to rush with decisions (haste). To overcome this, the author has to make sure that the issue is defined properly, all the information and alte rnatives are carefully considered and all the options weighed and evaluated before the decision is made. Preferred learning style The author’s preferred mode of learning is through hands-on training after having a firm theoretical knowledge of the basic concepts. A good way to learn for the author would be to start with a theoretical learning exercise through a tutor based class-room course and then having to execute the learning with hands-on training under some supervision. This would be an ideal scenario as it blends theory and practice. It might take some extra time to carry out the training, but at the end of it, the author would have added sufficient skills and is likely to be more efficient while working. This will also make sure sufficient time is allocated to train individuals; training is not rushed with and does not cover just one aspect (theoretical or practical). Goals The author sets goals based on his strengths. He makes sure that the goal is specific. A specific goal like improving profitability by 3% in the next financial year gives direction to the efforts. Also the author makes sure that the set goals can be measured (in relative or absolute terms) and are attainable. If goals are far too optimistic (unrealistic) and beyond reach, then it tend to have an adverse effect on motivation. The author only sets goals which he believes can be accomplished. It is made sure that the goal is attained within a specific time frame. Goal setting is a variable process for the author where the goal can be varied depending on external and unforeseen circumstances. Goals are set based on authors past performances and it is made sure that the goals are neither too easy nor too difficult to attain. Planning A plan is devised by the author to attain goals. Firstly, the author lists key skills required to attain the goal along with other requirements and constraints. Then a structure is given to the planning process to bring all aspects of planning together into a coherent, unified process. The planning structure includes analysis of opportunities, identification of aims, exploring of options, selection of the best option, evaluation of the plan followed by implementation and closure of the plan. Opportunities Setting up a goals and giving direction to the career to achieve that goals opens up several opportunities. The first opportunity is to realize the shortcomings and working on improving them. When we list our goals, we build our self-image and we see ourselves worthy of these goals which acts as a motivating agent. (Hosking Bass, 2001) As a result, we try our best to develop the traits and personality that allows us to possess those goals. Improving on weaknesses and learning through experience are the two best opportunities to be gained from the self development process. Progress The author makes use of indicators like Gantt Charts (See Appendix 1) and Network diagrams (See Appendix 2) to track progress. Gantt charts help in setting a time frame that allows carrying out all the necessary steps. The author makes sure that the critical activities are paid sufficient attention and sufficient time is allocated as ‘slack’. Authors skill set also includes soft skills such as impulse to lead and attain objectives, anticipatory skills to adjust the goals according to the changing environment and empowerment skills. Successful plans make optimal use of skills, experience and specialist knowledge. References Belbin, R.M (1981) Management Teams –Why they succeed or fail, London, Butterworth-Heinemann Belbin, R.M (1993) Team roles at Work, Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann Drucker, P (1999) People and Performance: Managing Oneself ,Harvard Business School Press Books, p1, pg 148 Fisher et al., (1998) The distribution of Belbin team roles among UK managers, Personnel review, volume 29, 2, pg 1-14 Janice, W (2007) TRAINING Tomorrows WORKFORCE., Rosemary; Kerschenbaum, Steve. T+D, Vol. 61 Issue 4, p58-60, Hall, B (2007) Five Ways to Use Social Networking for Learning.,. Chief Learning Officer, Vol. 6 Issue 5, p17-17 Hosking, D. M., Bass, A. (2001). Constructing changes in relational processes:Introducing a social constructionist approach to change work. Career Development International, 6/7, 348-360. McGuire, R (2002) Decision Making, The Pharmaceutical Journal, Vol 269, pg 647-649 Moyer, D. (2007) The Stages of Learning,. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 85 Issue 5, p148-148 Mumford, A (2002) Horses for Courses, Learning Centre, Accessed from http://peoplemanagement.co.uk Date accessed 21/05/2007 Sullivan, A. K., Strang, H. R. (2002-2003). Bibliotherapy in the classroom: Using literature to promote the development of emotional intelligence. Childhood Education,79, 74-80.

Characteristics and behaviors of an effective counselor Essay -- Psych

Characteristics and Behaviors of Effective Counseling The purpose of this paper is to analyze counselor behaviors and characteristics utilizing a case study from the COUN 6100 learning resources (n.d.). The first section will include aspects of the counselor’s responses I find to be effective. The next will examine areas where I see the counselor’s interactions as ineffective. The final section will feature an overview of how the factors in the preceding sections might impact the case study session. Effective Characteristics and Behaviors Levitt (2001) stresses active listening as a key element of successful counseling interactions. This listening style includes a number of verbal and nonverbal skills that give the client a sense of being heard and understood (Cooper, 2010). I was only able to analyze the verbal aspects of the counselor’s interactions due to the nature of the case study. The counselor in this scenario does a good job of asking several open questions and paraphrasing the client’s thoughts. An example of an open question is when he says, â€Å"Tell me about what anger issues look like for you.† This gave more control to the client and elicited specific information to deepen the conversation (Cooper, 2010). There is a time in the scenario when the counselor suggests that the client’s wife come to the session, despite the client’s earlier comments about his wish to focus on himself. The counselor realizes his mistake and apologizes to the client immediately. He then reflects on how that exchange might have felt, which is validated by the client. This could be effective in strengthening their relationship. The summary is another important way for the counselor to help the client organize key thoughts, feelings and... ...tentiveness, I think that the therapeutic relationship started in this scenario can be productive. References Cooper, J.B. (2010). Counseling microskills. In B.T. Erford (Ed.), Orientations to the Counseling Profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (pp.148-162). New Jersey: Pearson. Levitt, D. (2001). Active Listening and Counselor Self-Efficacy: Emphasis on One Microskill in Beginning Counselor Training. Clinical Supervisor, 20(2), 101. Tape Transcript. (n.d.). [Learning resource]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/76294/CRS-WUPSYC6205-6211712/6100_Wk_5_Tape_Transcript_1.26.10.doc Sheperis, D.S. and Ellis, C.M., (2010). The counseling process. In B.T. Erford (Ed.), Orientations to the Counseling Profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (pp.124-147). New Jersey: Pearson.

Philosophy, Theory, and Ideology : Comparison and Contrasts Essay

I. Definition of Philosophy, Ideology and Theory The words Philosophy, Theology and Ideology are linked with each other. In order to discuss and compare each, definitions of the words are important. Philosophy is a greek word that came from the words â€Å"philo† and â€Å"sophia†. â€Å"Philo† means love and sophia means wisdom. Taking these two words literally, the word philosophy can be defined as the â€Å"love of wisdom† (theophil-bcantens.barry.edu, 2007). An article from theophil-bcantens.barry.edu (2007) had further explained that philosophy is a study of the ultimate. This definition was taken from what the philosophers had said about philosophy and the concepts that have been studied in philosophy. Ideology as defined in the dictionary, according to Rolf Schwarz, â€Å"is a belief or a set of beliefs, especially the political beliefs on which people, parties, or countries base their actions.† On the other hand, Theory is defined by Curran and Takata (2007) as a systematic way of thought about a subject. II. Comparison of Philosophy, Ideology and Theory Based on the three meanings, differences can now be seen from the three words. Philosophy is seen as a discipline like a branch of science or a branch of education. It is a subject that has theories and ideologies on its own. On the other hand, Ideology is a belief, meaning a person or a group of person could belief on that particular idea or not. Ideology pertains to any belief, as long as there is a person that believe in an idea then that can be pertained as the ideology of that particular idea. A theory is a way of thinking that explains something logically. A theory is usually a way to help clarify the things that are happening around us. As the author had stated, Philosophy is a study of the ultimate. Ideologies are sometimes formed based on Philosophy. Most of the topic in Philosophy is quite complicated and almost all issues are still under debate. According to Aristotle in Metaphysics, â€Å"All men naturally have an impulse to get knowledge.†, because there are many things in the world that are yet to be clarified people tend to study why this is so. Philosophers tried to explain things and made some theories in philosophy. An example of which is Mentalism. This is considered as a philosophical theory wherein â€Å"the mind is the true reality and objects exists only as aspects of the mind’s awareness† (the freedictionary.com, 2007). However, others based their beliefs on Philosophy. Example is the Aetheist. The ideology of the Aetheist is that â€Å"God does not exist†. That is what they believe, however it is not yet proven still. III. Conclusion As a conclusion, theory, ideology and philosophy differ in form. Philosophy is a discipline, Ideology is a belief and Theory is a way of thinking. These words are concerned with how the people think based on their everyday lives. People are curious about what is happening in their environment and because of this, people formulated several questions about the existence of something or about the meaning of something. The questioning is then perceived as a philosophy if people start to study and try to discover the answer to the questions that are still yet to be found. Philosophical theories can become ideologies depending on the one who perceives it. On the other hand, an Ideology cannot be accounted as a theory because it is based on the belief of people. The belief could either be logical or not.

Essay Breast Cancer - 961 Words

Breast cancer is everywhere. The pink ribbons, the â€Å"I heart boobies† bracelets, and the thousands of breast cancer walks all over the United States. These all contribute to breast cancer organizations. Over one hundred million dollars has been raised to support breast cancer. This may not seem serious by the promotions and jokes that these organizations pull support from, but don’t forget the millions of people who have breast cancer. Breast cancer affects, approximately, an eighth of all American women in their lifetime. What is cancer? Cancer is a disease where cells become abnormal and lose the ability to control division. These cells divide infinitely and begin to invade other cells (kids info bits, 1). This creates masses of cells†¦show more content†¦What are the types of breast cancer? The most common forms of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma in situ, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, infiltrating lobular carcinoma, tubular carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and inflammatory breast cancer (National Breast Cancer Foundation). Carcinoma is the term describing a cancer that develops in the epithelial cell, lining layer, of organs (American Cancer Society). Carcinomas account for most breast cancers. All of these types of breast cancers have some similar symptoms. These symptoms are usually discreet. They can be thickened skin or lumps near the breast, a change in the shape or size of your breast, or nipple tenderness or inversion (National Cancer Institute). Any change in your breast or nipple should be checked out in case it may be the beginnings of breast cancer. Early detection is always important and could even save you from cancer. 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