Personal Development Reflection

The following post will address and reflect on what I believe were some key developmental objectives that I had targeted prior to the commencement of this module.  

One objective I had set was developing an acute knack for effective delegation. This objective was a manifestation of one of the leadership styles outlined by Lewin (1939). Lewin establishes that in addition to the authoritative and democratic leadership styles, there exists another which is a hands off laissez faire manner of leadership. While I certainly do not ascribe myself completely to one style, I had always believed that I was too far toward the authoritative hands on region of the leadership spectrum. However, with active reflection and development I have learnt to prioritize my tasks effectively, especially as a leader, meaning that I could more easily delegate less pressing issues and tasks to other members of my team. Given my aspirations to become a leader in my field, I believe that this development will allow me to further hone my leadership style and abilities in order to create an effective team dynamic.

Another area that I targeted in my personal development plan was communication, an area vital to team members on any level of the organizational hierarchy. While I believe that I still need to continue to enhance my communication skills, I have made giant strides in improving my body language while communicating. This follows from Albert Mehrabian’s theory that emphasizes that the key to effective communication is not what is said, but how it is said. I think that now that I am able to convey positive body language through my facial expressions and hand gestures for example, I will be more effective in making my message heard. In an investment field that requires many pitches and presentations, this skill will be invaluable.

One final area that I would like to reflect on is my time management skills. Trueman and Hartley emphasize the importance of effective time management. I have tried to implement this through the creation of daily to-do lists and prioritizing my tasks. This way I was able to increase the quality and quantity of work I produced in any given time period. As I look to enter the field of finance that is known for its long and busy workload, I believe this will be an invaluable skill for me as a potentially effective team member.

All in all, while my developmental process in this course has been an exercise in professional, academic and personal growth, it by no means ends here. I plan to continue reflecting and developing to make myself as appealing a professional as possible.

My Career Plan

While a university degree is the first step toward kick starting your professional career, it will not realise its full value unless it is complemented with specific and effective personal and professional development. For this, I believe that it is imperative that one creates an effective developmental plan to progress professionally.

As I aspire to be a financial advisor (FA), I have identified certain hard and soft skills that I believe are vital for me to improve in order to become a successful candidate. The first of these skills is my communication proficiencies. Through networking, attending as many ‘coffee chats’ as possible, even engaging in conversations with practicing bankers, investors, or anyone who is familiar with the industry, I will be able to both test and improve my communication skills and establish relationships with clients, another essential factor of becoming a successful FA. In terms of hard skills, one key developmental area for me is research and analytics. To address this, I should go to different workshops and take online courses, which I believe would have benefits that even extend to improving my IT skills and also make me capable of conveying complex information simply/clearly in a short time.

However, it is vital for me to realise that there will always be barriers that will complicate my path toward realising the career I crave in the financial industry. On the social side, and as a woman living in the modern world, it saddens me to say that one of the biggest and most important barriers that I may face is the gender discrimination that still persists today, whether in hiring processes or in salaries. Another challenge would be the competitiveness of the financial industry in which many people intensely seek a limited number of positions – I would have to be prepared for the possibility of rejection and do my best to stand out in the midst of the competition.

It is important, to in order to overcome such challenges, that I exhibit a significant degree of both professional and personal resilience. My professional resilience will manifest in my identification of my developmental areas and to ensure that I keep up to date with industry-relevant developments, network heavily to make new relationships that I will be able to leverage and actively seek professional advice. As for personal development, I plan to stay focused on what I do, continue to motivate myself and overcome all challenges and difficulties that might arise throughout the course of my career and continue to do what I love and enjoy. It is with such mind-sets that one ultimately rises above the crowd.