The key element of self development is that individuals take responsibility of their
own learning. The learner identifies learning needs, determines the learning goal,
selects the method on how to achieve it and initiates it. The role of the development
specialist becomes that of a facilitator, counsellor or supporter rather than the
provider or initiator of development opportunities (Pedler, 1988; Pedler et al., 2007).
Self development takes into consideration that approximately 80 per cent of learning
is through experience and integrates learning in the context where it happens. Self
development is not only about enhancing professional skills and performance; it is
also about personal growth (Boydell and Pedler, 1981; Megginson and Pedler, 1992).
For self development to be beneficial to the individual as well as the organisation,
supplementary activities, such as development centres, personal development plans
or competency dictionaries can offer guidelines to the individual (Antonacopoulou,
2000). Self development should not be regarded as separate to organisational
development, but rather as an integral component (Smith, 1990). Self development
ought to be “[…] a developmental strategy which is beneficial both to the individual
and the organisation. […] many of the perceived benefits from self-development are
highlighting the integration of individual development and organisational
development.” (Antonacopoulou, 2000:492)
In the following the benefits of self development for the manager and the organisation
are analysed separately and ultimately summarised in the conclusion.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Self Development
Value of Self-Development for the Manager
Tailoring Development
Taking Ownership of Development
Driving Employability
Value of Self-Development for the Organisation
Adapting to Environmental Changes
Enhancing Organisational Performance
Attracting and Retaining Employees
Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This work evaluates the strategic significance of self-development, examining how individual learning initiatives contribute to both personal career management for managers and overall organizational success in a dynamic business environment.
- The integration of personal growth with professional performance.
- Tailoring learning strategies to individual managerial styles.
- The shift from passive participation to active ownership of the development process.
- Driving individual employability within a changing global labor market.
- The organizational impact of self-development on performance and talent retention.
Excerpt from the Book
Taking Ownership of Development
Conventional development programmes handle managers as a passive recipient of pre-designed and pre-determined learning activities. Self development on the contrary expects the manager to be actively involved in the development process. The manager chooses his / her development objectives, determines how to achieve them, initiates the learning activity and evaluates the outcome (Antonacopoulou, 2000). Learning is not done to the manager; learning is something that managers do for themselves. “[…] the most effective ways of learning involve conscious mental activities such as checking, self testing and questioning (Reid and Barrington, 1994:79).”
Self development considers this vital aspect of the learning process and puts the manager in control of his learning, allowing him / her to experience the previously mentioned mental activities. If a manager identifies a learning need through self testing for instance, self development enables him / her to address it by selecting an appropriate learning activity. This is in contrast to a management development programme where the design is based on what a development specialist perceives to be a learning need of an entire management population and / or organisation.
The value for managers in directing their development is the autonomy to address their individual learning need. Moreover, Temporal (1984) claims that being in control of their own development has additional positive side effects for manager: they become increasingly more self-assured in selecting learning opportunities, are more motivated to improve themselves and are more confident to voice their opinion.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction to Self Development: Outlines the core premise that individuals must take responsibility for their own learning, moving the role of the specialist toward that of a facilitator.
Value of Self-Development for the Manager: Investigates how personalized learning, individual ownership, and self-directed growth enhance career prospects and professional performance.
Value of Self-Development for the Organisation: Discusses the systemic benefits of self-directed learning, focusing on organizational agility, performance enhancement, and the attraction of high-potential talent.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the arguments by framing self-development as an essential survival strategy in a rapidly changing corporate landscape.
Keywords
Self-development, Management development, Organisational performance, Experiential learning, Career prospects, Employability, Learning styles, Professional growth, Employee retention, Talent strategy, Skill acquisition, Psychological contract, Self-managed learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this publication?
The text explores the dual value of self-development, examining how it serves both the individual manager's career and the broader strategic needs of the organization.
What are the primary thematic pillars?
Key themes include the personalization of learning, the transition to active learner autonomy, the maintenance of employability, and the role of self-development in organizational change.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The objective is to assess how self-development functions as a beneficial strategy for managers to advance their careers and for organizations to foster innovation and talent retention.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a literature-based conceptual analysis, synthesizing theories from various authors such as Kolb, Pedler, and Antonacopoulou to evaluate self-development practices.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body is divided into two major parts: the manager's viewpoint—covering learning styles, ownership, and employability—and the organization's viewpoint—covering environmental adaptation, performance, and retention.
Which keywords define the work?
Essential keywords include self-development, management development, employability, organizational performance, and learner autonomy.
How does self-development improve managerial performance?
By allowing managers to tailor development to their specific learning styles and needs, it makes the learning process more stimulating and directly relevant to their professional environment.
Why is self-development considered vital for retention?
It addresses the "employee value proposition" by offering personal growth, which is a major factor in keeping talent committed to an organization that may no longer offer lifetime job security.
What is the "positive influencing loop" mentioned in the text?
It describes the cycle where the development of managers leads to broader organizational changes and improvements, which subsequently creates a better environment for further managerial growth.
- Quote paper
- Helen Metz (Author), 2007, Assessing the Value of Self Development from the Viewpoint of the Manager and the Organisation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/130861
