1. Personal Effectiveness
Objectives for today’s lesson
Look at a method for identifying learning and development needs
Identify your own learning and development needs by carrying out a personal/professional skills audit using the above method
Produce your own personal/professional development plan

2. Looking at methods for identifying learning and development needs
A technique that could assist you with identifying your learning and development needs is a:
GAP analysis
This technique is only as good as the time, effort, information, and thought you put into applying it

3. Looking at methods for identifying learning and development needs
To start applying GAP analysis techniques you need to consider your:
current skills profile
skill areas you possibly need to improve
Communication
Influencing
etc
Realistic time scales for said improvements

4. GAP analysis could help you go from A to B

5. GAP analysis Where am I now Where would I like to get to
How am I going to “Bridge the GAP”

6. GAP analysis steps
Examine and describe where you would like to get to:
the levels of knowledge and skills required
the attitude required of the person undertaking this role
Do not base this too closely on a specific job in a specific company, or an individual doing said job

7. GAP analysis steps
Examine and describe where you are now in relation to where you want to get:
the levels of knowledge and skills you already have
your current work attitude

8. GAP analysis steps Is there a training or development GAP between:
the levels of knowledge and skills you already have
your current work attitude
AND THE
levels of knowledge and skills required for
where you would like to get to
the attitude required of the person undertaking the role you would like to move to

9. Bridging the GAP List what needs to be done
From minor matters that need only a small amount of effort to possibly acquiring a range of additional skills
Rate the list in terms of priorities
You will not be able to do all the list instantly so some clear thinking is needed on priorities

10. Bridging the GAP Put some timing to it
Having established priorities you need to consider when thing are to be done
What is urgent
What can be postponed without causing problems
What can be addressed in parts
(Perhaps something can be done early on, but “follow up” actions also need to be undertaken at a later date )

11. Bridging the GAP Consider the most suitable methods
This needs to relate quite closely to timing
What training is required
What new “hands on” experience is required
Do I know a suitable “Mentor”
Can I get a suitable “Sponsor”
Should/can I join a professional body
etc

12. Bridging the GAP Calculate the cost
Not only in terms of money but also in terms of:
How will it affect you doing your current job
The effect on your social life
The effect on your private/family life
The ability to do non-employer related “jobs” such as DIY and Gardening
etc

13. Bridging the GAP Link it to an action plan
The net result of these deliberations needs to be documented and turned into a plan:
A weekly action plan
Tasks to be undertaken on a given week
Desired outcome from completing a task
Actual outcome of completed task
Date for starting task
Date for completing task

14. Bridging the GAP Link it to an action plan (cont.)
The net result of these deliberations needs to be documented and turned into a plan:
Follow on task(s) from completed task
Comments on an individual task
Weekly achievement summary
Reasons for a task not being completed on target date
Feedback from course review sessions

15. Bridging the GAP
Do a survey of the job postings from at least two or three major job sites
Print out all the job postings for positions you might want to have at some point in the future.
Take it all the way up the line to CEO and President, if that is your mission
List all of the job responsibilities, duties, tasks and functions
List all of the experience, skills and knowledge required
List all the keywords or industry buzzwords.
Note where you are now in relation to where you want to be in the future.
Take note of any and all gaps, both present and future. Then checkmark all the gaps that you can change

16. Milestone decisions
As you make progress with the actions on your plan you will have to make decisions
Decision making techniques will be covered in
detail in a later lesson, though a brief look at one of these methods ...
SWOT analysis ...
will start the ball rolling and get you used to combining together techniques to assist you with your personal effectiveness development

17. SWOT analysis
S Strengths
W Weaknesses
O Opportunities
T Threats

18. Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career Planning

19. Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career Planning
To construct your own SWOT analysis to set a course for your career planning, examine your current situation.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How can you capitalize on your strengths and overcome your weaknesses?
What are the external opportunities and threats in your chosen career field

20. Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career Planning
Strengths- Internal positive aspects that are under control and upon which you may capitalize in planning
·Work Experience
·Education, including value-added features
·Strong technical knowledge within your field (e.g. hardware, software, programming languages)
·Specific transferable skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, leadership skills
·Personal characteristics (e.g., strong work ethic, self-discipline, ability to work under pressure, creativity, optimism, or a high level of energy
·Good contacts/successful networking
·Interaction with professional organizations
Weaknesses- Internal negative aspects that are under your control and that you may plan to improve
·Lack of Work Experience
·Low GPA, wrong major
·Lack of goals, lack of self-knowledge, lack of specific job knowledge
·Weak technical knowledge
·Weak skills (leadership, interpersonal, communication, teamwork)
·Weak job-hunting skills
·Negative personal characteristics (e.g., poor work ethic, lack of discipline, lack of motivation, indecisiveness, shyness, too emotional

21. Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career PlanningX T R N A L
Opportunities
Positive external conditions that you do not control but of which you can plan to take advantage
·Positive trends in your field that will create more jobs (e.g., growth, globalization, technological advances)
·Opportunities you could have in the field by enhancing your education
·Opportunities you could have through greater self-knowledge, more specific job goals
·Opportunities for advancement in your field
·Opportunities for professional development in your field
·Geography
Threats
Negative external conditions that you do not control but the effect of which you may be able to lessen
·Negative trends in your field that diminish jobs (downsizing, obsolescence)
·Competitors with superior skills, experience, knowledge
·Competitors with better job-hunting skills than you
·Competitors who went to schools with better reputations.
·Limited professional development in your field, so it’s hard to stay marketable
·  Companies are not hiring people with your major/degree

22. Always Remember What lies behind us and what lies before
are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us
Oliver Wendell Holmes