Introduction
"Realising your potential and helping to realise that of others demands highly sensitive and well developed personal management skills" (Mulligan, 1988).
Effective personal management is therefore critical if people are to make the most of their life and potential.
My main goals in undertaking the Diploma in Management Studies are to develop my managerial effectiveness with a view to enhancing my career prospects and to learn new managerial techniques both from researched text and more directly from the influence of other persons attending the course.
Throughout this assignment, I have sought to explore various theories and methodologies in order to understand why I have become the person, the manager and the leader - that I am today. They have helped me understand the past, the present and what I need to do to get to where I want to be. These have in turn allowed me to draw up a suitable action plan that will help me move towards achieving both my personal and professional goals.
Self-Development
"Self development is a recognition that individuals can learn but are unlikely to be taught, and that the initiative for development often rests with the individual" (Mumford, 1989)
Whilst enrolling to undertake the DMS course was a recognised step towards developing myself, I needed confirmation that I would embrace the “Self Development” concept. Thankfully, the results of the “Self Development Beliefs Check” indicate that I hold many beliefs which will make it relatively easy for me to adopt the self-development 'philosophy' – an encouraging start as far as my future development is concerned (Appendix I).
One of the statements within the beliefs checks, “I believe no-one can make me develop myself ...