Individual Analysis of Personal Competencies - Research Paper Example

Managing People Name: Course: Institution: Date: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Executive summary 3 1.0 Introduction 4 1.1 Objectives of the report 4 1.2 Methodology 5 1.2.1 Literature review 5 1.2.3 Survey of personal competencies 5 1.2.3 Background of self-reflection and personal experience 5 2.0 Theoretical framework and assessment results 6 2.1 Competing value framework 6 2.3 Communication styles 10 3.0 Competencies for managing people that require further development 12 3.1 Delegating skills 12 3.2 Directing skills 14 3.3 Driving skills 15 4.0 My competency development action plan 16 4.1 Effective communication skills 16 4.2 Effective leadership skills 17 5.0 Conclusion 17 References 19 Executive summary It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that he creates a compelling vision about the future, communicate the vision, and help those under his management to understand and develop a sense of commitments to the said future. A manager must also be able to provide a high impact performance feedback while focusing on needs of the organization and that of the employees in terms of career development. Maximization of his leadership strength requires a manager to develop work plans in accordance with the work his strength and that of his employees. My competencies as a manager of people are founded on my 5 years’ experience as a manager in an NGO. My major roles were to oversee the development and implementation of strategies on behalf of the organizations, human resource administration, overseeing the operations of finance, budgeting and meeting donors. Self-assessment findings from competing value framework indicate that that I have similar level of create and compete. My strength is with collaborating while my competency for improvement is control. Results from my leadership style assessment indicate that my strength is facilitating followed by coaching and delegating respectively while my weakness is directing. I need to improve on my communication, and leadership styles for the benefits of the future. My personal development action plan that runs from 1 October 2015 to 31 October 2016 is aimed at ensuring I score high marks at the end of the courses that I am currently taking. By mid-2017, my goal is to be employed as the human resource manager in an international nongovernmental organization. 1.0 Introduction An effective manager is an individual who has the ability and skills of doing things right. As a leader, it is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that he creates a compelling vision about the future, communicate the vision, and help those under his management to understand and develop a sense of commitments to the said future (Cameron et al 2006, p. 12). This means that it is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that the vision is implemented in an effective and successful manner. According to Armstrong (2012, p. 112), a good manager must embrace proficient communication skills, which requires him to be a good listener to the concerns of other employees and make informed decisions. Furthermore, he must also be able to provide a high impact performance feedback while focusing on needs of the organization and that of the employees in terms of career development. Maximization of his leadership strength requires a manager to develop work plans in accordance with the work his strength and that of his employees. This will enhance his abilities to use his competencies in the advocacy for change, which is necessary for the development of the organization. 1.1 Objectives of the report The main aim of this report is to engage in an assessment of my personal competencies in managing people. This assessment is undertaken based on the competing value framework and other approaches to understanding competency. Through this report, my current managerial competencies in terms of my ability to supervise people and the areas in which I need improvement will be assessed. . Competencies, knowledge, and people supervision skills that I need to develop will be assessed coupled with the creation of a personal development plan that will include short, mid and long-term goals that are crucial in developing my competencies in managing people. 1.2 Methodology 1.2.1 Literature review A series of journals, publications, and textbook, which derive their authority from reputable scholars, will be used in the examination of significant findings acquired during the assessments of my competencies in managing people 1.2.3 Survey of personal competencies Surveys on my personal competencies as a manager of people will be conducted. These will include a survey questionnaire on leadership and management practices in in the competing value framework (Quinn et al 2015, p. 16). Furthermore leadership style and communication style approaches will be completed and analysed. 1.2.3 Background of self-reflection and personal experience My competencies as a manager of people are founded on my 5 years’ experience at different managerial positions in Nongovernmental organizations. While in these positions my major roles were to oversee the development and implementation of strategies on behalf of the organizations, human resource administration, overseeing the operations of finance, budgeting and meeting donors. I also had the responsibility of managing the activities of volunteers and staff and ensure that the organizations realized their intended objectives. Being the manager I also performed additional roes such as training, guiding and coaching new employees and interns by proving them with an orientation and the expectations of the organizations. This was to ensure that they were informed of their right and duties while at the organization. 2.0 Theoretical framework and assessment results 2.1 Competing value framework The role of competing value framework is to disclose the fundamental relationships in an organization. These relations must be understood from the perspective of leadership, cultures, learning, decision-making, creativity, and cognitive processing (Cameron et al. 2006, p. 106) Figure 1: Action Imperatives and Action Competencies Figure 2: Action Imperatives and Action Competencies Figure 3: Action Imperatives and Action Competencies The findings from self-assessment indicate that I have similar level of create and compete. My strength is with collaborating while my competency for improvement is control. These results were due to the nature of my managerial experience at an NGO where it was important to ensure high-level collaboration between different departments and other organizations to form a consortium for the purposes of effective project management. Furthermore, the relatively high results in compete and create can be attributed to the desire by the NGOs to ensure that they were relevant in every endeavor hence the need to develop projects that were relevant to their mandate. Successful funding was only possible when highly competitive development proposals were developed. This was done by embracing teamwork, high levels of expertise in proposal development and the ability to ensure that the resulting work was of high quality and with relevant and information focusing on the concerns of the target population. Being the manager, I had the responsibility of ensuring that the employees were executing their responsibilities according to the desires of the company. In some cases there was limited control considering that most of the funds provided by the donors had strings attached limiting exclusive control of the manager over all the decisions within the organization. 2.2. Leadership style approach There are four styles of leadership that can be used in effective management of people. These include leadership by directing, coaching, facilitating, and delegating (Flexible Training Partners 2015, p.12). The table below is an assessment of my leadership style. Facilitating Total= 27 Coaching Total= 25 Delegating Total= 22 Directing Total= 16 Figure 4: Leadership style The results from my leadership style assessment indicate that my strength is facilitating followed by coaching and delegating respectively. My weakness is directing, as a manager in an NGO my work revolves around providing information and education to the staff, interns, and the volunteers in these organizations. Facilitation was the main tool that I was using in delivering the objectives of the organization and in the dissemination of information concerning the programs by these organizations. Delegation was a less common practice since in limited situation would assign responsibilities to different members of the organization. However, in most cases I was in charge of making decisions on behalf of the organization. 2.3 Communication styles According to Hartman and McCambridge (2011, p. 25), managers can use four communication styles in proving leadership to their subjects. These include analytical, driver, amicable and expressive. An analytical person is an expert in technical ammeters while a driver is experienced in control. An amicable leader is an expert in providing support while an expressive manager is a social expert. Figure 5: Communication style The table below shows the results of my assessment on communication style Amicable Total= 12 Expressive Total= 11 Analytical Total= 10 Driver Total= 8 Figure 6: Communication styles In terms of communication styles, my strengths are amicable, expressive, and analytical respectively while my weakness, which is an area that needs improvement, is driver. The findings are in line with my managerial experience in NGOs where concentration is on how best I can present my arguments and win the favor of the donors. 3.0 Competencies for managing people that require further development 3.1 Delegating skills My delegating skills are above average. However, my ability to realize success in managing people is highly dependent on the level by which I delegate responsibilities. Delegation is one of the most essential skills in management (Chaudhuri & Ghosh 2012, p. 55). This is because it provides the management with a technique of saving time, motivating employees and grooming successors. One way by which it would be easier to develop delegating skill sis by ensuring that delegation happens properly since it is considered as a demonstration of the level of trust that the management has on the senior and junior employees (Colquitt et al 2011, p. 15). Effective delegation by the management that could use in enhancing my delegation skills is by identifying the specific person to assign responsibilities. This will help such employees in developing a sense of ownership of the delegated position (Decoske & White 2010, p. 1226). It will also be important to develop measures against which to assess the ability of the employee to work on the delegated tasks. The employee must agree to perform the delegated task to ensure that there is goodwill in executing the responsibilities (Schoemaker 2008, p. 120). In addition, the process of delegation will require a specific time frame, must be done according to the ethical codes of professional practices and the terms and conditions must be recovered to ensure that there is evidence for future reference (Colquitt et al 2011, p. 17). In terms of improving on my delegation skills, the most important component of the skill is in choosing the right delegate. This will be best implemented by assessing the employees available such as subordinates in terms of their ability to execute the task and the cost that is to be incurred (Desloges 2013, p. 60). Upon choosing the best candidates for the responsibility, they should take through an orientation process, which will provide them with information on the expectation (Stevens 2005, p. 5). Additional skills in the ability of the manager to find a win-win deal in delegating the task. The win-win deal is one that ensures that the organization saves on time, provides a subordinate with a learning experience, and trains future leaders for the organization at limited or at no extra cost (Friga et al 2003, p. 235). For delegations skills to be practical it will be important for the manager to realize that the still has the responsibility of monitoring the process of executing task until it is completed. This is an indication that even with delegation the manger is still responsible for the task that is to be executed (Gibson 2011, p. 1). It is therefore important for the manger to understand that it is inappropriate to delegate responsibilities when he does not have the capacity to monitor for progress (Parkinson & McBain 2014, p. 6). Upon completion of the delegated responsibility, it is the role of the manager to recognize appreciates the delegate for the task completed (Friga et al 2003, p. 237). 3.2 Directing skills Form the self-assessment my directing skills were ranked lowest. This in an area that requires improvement to ensure that I am active and highly participatory in providing leadership in my future managerial responsibilities (Gioia & Corley 2002, p. 108). The process of developing directing skills requires consideration in term of the ability of the employees to act as directed by the manager. Poor directing skills are often developed in situations where the manger assumes absolute leadership while neglecting the insights of other members in relation to the decision making process (McShane & Glinow 2013, p. 123). One-way by which I can improve on my directing skills I to ensure that employees recognize and respect my position as the manager (Parkinson & Grossman 2010, p. 32). This will make me a legitimate leader and it will be easier to give instruction that can be easily embraced by the employees (Stowe et al 2010, p. 21). Legitimate authority in terms of leadership will also require some orientation in the form of training that outlines the hierarchical order of the organizational structure. This will make it easier for the employees and the mangers to understand the chain of command (Meyers & Sadaghiani 2010, p. 226). Improved directing skills requires strict adherence to the chain of command while limiting the possibility of duplicating responsibilities (Peter et al 2012, p. 202). When understood from this perspective, it is possible to argue that the process of directing requires an employer to have the ability of underrating the prevailing situation in an organizations setting and making logical decisions that are in agreement with the objectives of the organization (McShane & Glinow 2013, p. 125). This approach to directing the activities of the organization will ensure that the management is respected in terms of its ability to listen, support, and give constructive criticism while at the same time providing alternative solutions to any problems facing the organization (Meyers & Sadaghiani 2010, p. 227). 3.3 Driving skills In terms of communication style, my skills were relatively poor in my ability to communicate in such a way that I can drive and make my points clear to my listeners. Being a manager this is important skills since it provides an opportunity of gaining control over the ideas that are communicated and ensuring that most of the employees in the organization understand what is expected of them (Owen 2006, p. 88). Being an essential driver in relation to communication skills in the management of people will require the manager to embrace high level of understanding of the content of that which he is to communicate (Schreiber et al, p. 207). This will provide a platform upon which different aspects related to the organization can be communicated with some level of authority (Pfeffer & Fong 2004, p. 1502). Such authority is a demonstration of high-level understanding and it makes it easier for the employees to embrace the information as communicated by the manger. Communication also requires high listening skills (Whetten & Cameron 2011, p. 34). Before deciding on the points to communicate to the employees, the manager has the responsibility of listening to their insights and incorporating them as part of the decision making process. Tolerance is therefore a necessity for the management (Owen 2006, p. 89). When I embrace this approach to communication, it will be easier to convince and motivate the employees into accepting the content of the information that is communicated. Embracing driving as a communication style will also require that I embrace effort rather than result as an essential element in development (Tanyel et al 1999, p. 36). This means that I must appreciate the effort already in place and that which is expected of the employees in future. 4.0 My competency development action plan My personal development action plan that runs from 1 October 2015 to 31 October 2016 is aimed at ensuring I score high marks at the end of the courses that I am currently taking. By mid-2017, my goal is to be employed as the human resource manager in an international nongovernmental organization. To achieve these goals I will have to acquire addition competencies as described below 4.1 Effective communication skills Areas of improvement Actions Timeframe Building interpersonal relationships Engaging in more social forums Joining professional development trainings 1st October 2015 Every two weeks from 1st November Developing high self esteem Interacting with more individuals in leadership positions 1st October 2015 on a weekly basis in leadership forums Improving on listening and fluency in speech Practicing speaking to ensure fluency Attending poetry and discussion forums From 1st October 2015 every day for 30 minutes per day Monthly from 1st January 2016 Improving on presentation skills Mastering topics Conducting research Organizing mock presentations an inviting feedback from friends Case by case Case by case One every month from 1st December 2015 4.2 Effective leadership skills Leading on the best delegation practices Reading publication on delegation Joining clubs and organizations on volunteer basis 1st January to 31st march 2016 on a weekly basis From 1st January 2016 Learning on how to direct organizations as manager Reading publications on directing Joining clubs and organizations on volunteer basis From 1st April to 30th June 2016 on a weekly basis From 1st January 2016 5.0 Conclusion One of the benefits of using competing value framework, leadership, and communication style approaches is that it helped in revealing my strengths and weaknesses. This has been essential in proving me with an understanding of my current competencies in managing people and the identification of competency areas that still require some level of improvement. Through the personal development action plan that runs from 1 October 2015 to 31 October 2016, I have developed a strategy that I will use to ensure that by mid-2017, I am employed as a manager in an international NGO. My current competencies are facilitating, coaching, and an amicable communicator. My competency areas of improvement are delegation, directing, and the need to be a driver in terms of communication. References Armstrong, M, 2012, Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice, 12th edn, KoganPage, London Cameron, K, S., Quinn, R. E., Degraff, J & Thakor, A.V, 2006, Competing values leadership: creating value in organisations, Edward Elgar Publishing, UK. Chaudhuri, S., & Ghosh, R. 2012. 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