The business environment has increasingly faced numerous changes over the past years, an aspect that has compelled the adoption of certain proficiency skills in the current work place environment. While employees have often adopted various skills and competencies to improve their productivity, certain skills have demonstrated to be effective and capable of igniting the required changes within the organizational structure. These skills eventually equip employees with the ability to help the organization achieve its goals and objectives. This reflective essay hence gives an interpretation of my self‐assessment results, lessons learnt from the results and the importance of the insights in improving my professional practice.
An interpretation of my self‐assessment results
The LPA professional assessment reveals my scores in the various proficiency areas listed. From the assessment, my primary strengths are being able to adapt to changes, analysing and solving problems, learning and achieving self -development. On the other hand my weaknesses were identified as the inability to work well with others and not fully achieving my set objectives.
The assessment results from the test largely describe and define the person I am in relation to my key and strong competences. I am a person who is dynamic and can comfortably fit in and adapt well to any kind of changes since I believe change is inevitable and for one to survive and remain relevant, they must quickly embrace change. For example, during my internship period, I was able to quickly adapt when I was moved from the procurement department to the customer care department that involved a physical and one on one interaction with the clients. I was able to understand that to deal with clients one needs to be patient, empathic and flexible as one needs to quickly adapt to changing situations and frequent customer needs. This made me understand that in a work place setting, there will be
inevitably new procedures, systems and processes that will be constantly introduced and that one is required to adhere to the changes so as to encourage and foster a positive working environment.
I also have a constant urge and a relentless need for acquiring knowledge, learning and achieving self-development. Personal development is a lifelong long process that helps an individual know more about themselves and the purpose one wishes to pursue (Aboalshamat and Hou). With personal development comes clarity and as a result, the objectives that one wishes to pursue eventually become clearer. Again, during my internship period, I found myself at the forefront organizing the numerous training and development seminars that the organization offered to its employees. I am also good at analysing and solving problems, a compliment that I received frequently from my colleagues as at one time I was able to calm down a distressed client who stormed the organization and complained of purchasing a faulty item. I gently explained to the client and made her understand the situation at hand, calmly apologized and the issue was resolved. In this light, I perceive problems as challenges and life experiences and try to stand above them, objectively.
However, I have been having challenges trying to work well with other people and I believe this can be attributed to my introverted and reserved nature. Sadly, achieving my objectives has also been one of my greatest challenges.
Aspects learnt from the assessment results
The above analysis reflects on my key strengths and weakness and the assessment test has significantly helped me realize that I need to work on my interpersonal skills so as to augment my working relations with others. For numerous reasons, interpersonal skills are very essential in a work place environment. In many occasions, individuals lose their jobs because they demonstrate poor working and interpersonal skills as they eventually fail to peacefully coexist with others. Jackson and Xi (2013) assert that interpersonal skills are necessary for the creation and sustenance of a positive work environment and in enhancing stable relationships among employees and organizational clients. On the other hand, I have learnt that I need to set goals and objectives that are easily achievable. Setting goals definitely gives an individual something to strive towards and boosts his or her self-confidence each time the objectives are realized (Burrus). Most importantly, setting and achieving ones goals and objectives gives a person both short and long term motivation (Litchfield and Cooper).
Insights gained from the self -assessment that will help improve my professional practice
The above analysis gives a reflection and mirrors on my strong attributes as well as on my weak points which I believe requires constant reinforcement to ensure their development and that positive progress is made. The insights gained from the assessment will help identify my weak areas and will help me enhance the development of the skills and help me become a better professional who is more competent in the workplace.
The assessment has helped me realize that I need to set and eventually work towards achieving my objectives. Setting goals and objectives gives one both short and long term motivation and the drive to work harder so as to achieve the goals. Wrench (2013) clearly explains that setting your own goals and objectives helps one to focus on planning and organizing their time and resources and to maximally work towards them. I believe that by setting sharp, clear and SMART goals I will be to realize significant progress in my work to what might have previously looked like a long pointless grind. Achieving one’s goals also helps in boosting and heightening ones self-confidence as one realizes that they have the ability to achieve greater things.
On the other hand I have learnt that good interpersonal skills and working well with others helps in building and sustaining relations and connections with the people around you. For example, in the work place, a person’s colleagues will constantly require the assertion that you value their competencies and abilities and this can only be achieved through great interpersonal skills. The article, Role of Interpersonal Communication in Organizational Effectiveness by Sing (2014) explains that great interpersonal skills enable one to retain their jobs and advance in their careers without the fear of being dismissed for the inability to peacefully coexist with others.
Works citied
Aboalshamat, Khalid and Xiang-Yu Hou. “Towards Understanding Self-Development Coaching Programs.” International Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (2014): 136-145.
Burrus, Jeremy. Building Better Students: Preparation for the Workforce. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Jackson, Teresa and Nuo Xi. Identifying the Most Important 21st Century Workforce Competencies: An Analysis of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Research Report. Princeton: Educational Testing Service ETS, 2013.
Litchfield, Paul and Cary Cooper. “Work and Wellbeing in the 21st Century.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2016): 1-11.
Singh, Amit Kumar. “Role of Interpersonal Communication in Organizational Effectiveness.” International Journal of Research in Management " Business Studies (2014): 36-39.
Wrench, Jason S. Workplace Communication for the 21st Century: Tools and Strategies That Impact the Bottom Line. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013.
