Project Management And Professional Development

Construction of one year and five year goal plan

Project management doesn't indicate the working more, it reflects working smarter. By completing a project on deadline with optimum utilisation of limited resource, managers can increase efficiencies of the same. In this regard, to become an effective project manager, planning is considered as important part of project where as a student I have to make a proper plan (Harrison and Lock, 2017). This plan classified activities on the basis of short-term and long-term goals that I need to recognise while developing my skills.

Short-term one year plan:

• Maximum Attendance: In order to gain academic skills, it is necessary to take classes on regular basis in college. Therefore, I need at least 70 to 80 percent attendance so that prior knowledge related to management can be gained by me.
• Finish Assignments on time: It is considered as core value of project where I need to complete every college assignment on pre-determined time. It will enhance time managerial skills of mine through which I can become able to finish business projects in future on time. Therefore, wrapping up myself to complete every assignment on time is my major goal.
• Technological knowledge: Today with development of technology, it is essential for people to grab knowledge of latest versions of the same. In this regard, to be an effective project manager, I have to be gained technological classes.

Long term five -year plan:

• Understanding the concept of budgetary control and formulate financial plan: Through management classes, I can understand the importance of budgetary control in a project. It makes able to formulate effective financial plan which helps in increasing efficiencies of project within limited resources.
• Be a good communicator: In order to complete a project, it is necessary for managers to be a good speaker and listener too. Through this process, they can give clear instruction to team-members about scope and objectives of particular project. Proper communication also helps me in building an effective team.
• Developing Leadership skills: To build strong team and work in collaboration with others, a project manager should have possessed effective leadership skills. It is considered long term goal for a person who needs to become an effective project manager. Therefore, I need to increase leadership skills.

A Professional Development Plan (PDP) is given below, to achieve long-term and short-term goals. It entails time-scale and resource required for development of skills.

Personal Analysis

Managing and completing a project in desired manner is considered as most difficult task for a project-manager. In order to execute a project successfully, managers are needed to take care of resources, budget, deadlines, potential issues as well as ensure proper communication. According to opinion of Nicholas and Steyn (2017), it has evaluated that to manage and execute a project successfully, it is essential to develop professional skills by each team-member. By taking learning and training classes, individuals can improve their abilities and develop effective knowledge in a certain field. This would aid project makers to gain support of high skilled members in achievement of goals and objectives. In order to manage project and complete successfully, apart from training, managers are also required to emphasise on other factors also. It includes arrange proper amount of funds and resource need to execute each activity, define roles and responsibilities to each member, optimise available resources and more. Any discrepancy in the same such as conflicts among team-members, mismanagement, improper skills, will put an adverse affect on completion of project.

In this regard, for accomplishment of one year and five year goals as mentioned in above PDP plan, I have conducted personal skill auditing to analyse own strengths and weaknesses. For this assistance, I have taken feedback from teachers about my abilities that they have noticed during lectures. In college or any working field, only teachers or seniors can give right feedback about learners' abilities and their knowledge background (Heldman, 2018). For this purpose, educational providers observe how a person behave during lecture sessions, in what manner they interact with teachers, make discussion about certain topic etc. Along with this, they also take formal assessments in order to judge abilities and knowledge of learners. Therefore, through result based on formal assessments and teacher's feedback, I have evaluated following weak and strong points of mine:-

Strengths: As per other evidences, it has observed that there are various area which reflects that I have good learning skills. In this regard, I am the only student who have attended 90% lectures at college among other colleagues. During these sessions, I have gained knowledge about concept of operational management, what type of responsibilities a project managers perform, how they formulate an effective team etc. This would enhance my managerial skills and through formal assessment outcomes, it has also proved that I am a sharp learner. As far as my personal judgement go and views of my seniors, I have possessed qualities like team-builder, time managerial, ethical behaviour and more. Thus, all these evidences have shown that I can become an effective or good manager in future. This would give me a chance to hold a better position in a big technological company.  

Weaknesses: According to assessment sheet and view point of teachers, it has evaluated that there are various areas where I need to improve my skills. It includes time management and technological skills which are considered as main aspects of a project. During academic research, I have faced various issues for completing assignments on time. Due to this reason, I have got less marks as compared to all. Apart from this, under internship process, I have got in trouble to make collaboration with other team-members. This is another reason due to which I have failed to complete assigned tasks on time.

Threats: The major threat I have analysed in achievement of my long term and short term goal is ineffective communication. When I work in team where all members are belong to different educational background then some I lost to control on my patience level. Due to this reason, I have behaved sometime unethically also. Apart from this, less command on technological knowledge is another weakness of mine. I have also failed to take major decisions on time which impact on outcomes of overall project.

Strategies or approaches

In order to reduce weaknesses and overcome from threats, I have made a plan to take some learning classes. By attending such sessions, I can improve my skills and develop capabilities as well. According to opinion of Larson and et. al. (2014), it has analysed that to become a good project manager, it is essential to evaluate effectiveness of own skills and abilities on regular manner. This would help in determining in which areas an individual can do best and where development is necessary. The more a person know about itself going into project management process, the better position they can gain within an organisation. They can give their efforts and high contribution in giving better service to customers and business clients. There are various opportunities available within a workplace where an individual can develop own skills and improve weaknesses. It includes working with high-skilled colleagues, observing seniors how they handle a project and develop strategies to complete the same on time. Along with this,  they can take professional development classes also to upgrade own skills and knowledge.

According to above mention plan, I have examined that in order to gain a high position within a company, I need to develop own abilities related to project management. As per skill auditing, I have evaluated that in terms of time management and planning the activities, I have proved myself as an effective manner. But rise in management styles, unexpected or unrealistic expectation of business clients etc. indicates that in such areas I need to develop own managerial skills. Along with this, I need to be strategic also by focusing on particular goals of project and give right direction to workers so that it will be completed on time.

Opportunities

There are various opportunities available in front of me through which I can improve my project-management skills. For this purpose, firstly I need to take regular classes in college where I can gain academic skills. It will help in accomplishing one year goal as set by me. Further, for attaining long terms goals and objectives, I have to plan activities by which I can learn necessary management skills. It includes working with delegated and professional leaders, by which I can observe how they can influence team-members towards achievement of a common goal. This would help me in determining which style of leadership like autocratic, democratic or other, should be adopted to bring collaboration among team-members (Nicholas and Steyn, 2017). Along with this, by taking some professional classes, I can develop my skills related to project management like strong communications, team-building, engagement and more. Through these abilities, I can handle conflicts among team members which may occur due to different culture and background more appropriately. In addition to this, it gives me opportunity to take complex projects in future and complete the same with full efficiencies also.

Conclusion

From this mentioned report, it has examined that in order to complete a project in given span of time, managers are required to develop own managerial skills. By professional development classes like attending lectures, conferences, working with seniors etc. they can improve and enhance skills and abilities required to manage a project. Along with this, by developing effective strategies, project-makers can overcome from those situations which create difficulties in completion of a project. It includes improper communication, undefined project goals and objectives, insufficient time and more.

Reference

• Dixon, F. A. and et. al., 2014. Differentiated instruction, professional development, and teacher efficacy. Journal for the Education of the Gifted. 37(2). pp.111-127.
• Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach. Routledge.
• Heldman, K., 2018. PMP: project management professional exam study guide. John Wiley & Sons.
• Larson, E.W. and et. al., 2014. Project management: The managerial process (Vol. 6). Grandview Heights, OH: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Nicholas, J. M. and Steyn, H., 2017. Project management for engineering, business and technology. Routledge.
• Ramazani, J. and Jergeas, G., 2015. Project managers and the journey from good to great: The benefits of investment in project management training and education. International Journal of Project Management. 33(1). pp.41-52.
• Svejvig, P. and Andersen, P., 2015. Rethinking project management: A structured literature review with a critical look at the brave new world. International Journal of Project Management. 33(2). pp.278-290.

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