Personal development concerns the
acquisition of knowledge, skills, and experience, for the purpose of enhancing
individual performance, and self-perception. It is also known as self-development. The personal development process is usually led by the individual, in contrast
to employee development, which is initiated by an employing organisation.
Personal development is an important aspect of continuing professional
development. It should be a continuous lifelong process of nurturing, shaping
and improving skills and knowledge to ensure maximum effectiveness and ongoing
To be effective, personal development should follow a clear cycle:
- Establish
the purpose, or the reason for development.
- Identify
the skills, or knowledge area, that need developing.
- Look at
development opportunities.
- Formulate
an action plan.
- Undertake
the development.
- Record the
outcomes of the development activity.
- Review and
evaluate the outputs and benefits.
.Personal development does not necessarily
imply upward movement; rather, it is about enabling individuals to improve
their performance and reach their full potential at each stage of their career.
Adopting a constructive approach to personal development planning will help to:
- Consider
where you are now, where you want to go and how you might get there
- Revitalize
technical skills that date very quickly
- Build up
transferable skills (such as self-awareness, ability to learn,
adaptability to change, empathy and good time management)
- Develop
the positive attitudes and approaches associated with successful
professional life
- Monitor
and evaluate achievements.
If you have a personal development plan,
it’s much more likely that you’ll be able to achieve your goals The process of
personal development planning also provides a schedule to work to and can lay
the basis for:
- Continuous
learning
- A sense of
achievement
- Helping to
keep yourself motivated.
- Ensuring
employability and survival in an age where very few jobs can be guaranteed
to stay the same
- Making the
most of opportunities which may arise.
.