Self-Development

& Teamwork
Author: Hananiah Jules
 About Me
We stand together or fall apart…..
Hardworking and independent though I may

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be, I believe that teamwork is vital to the
survival of any business or organization. This is

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why I value my co-workers to the highest
degree. Without them, every mole hill would be a
mountain to overcome. Additionally, I value my
personal development and for this, I am always
seeking opportunities to advance my career and
excel. Through handwork and perseverance, my
humble beginning as one of the lowest paid
employees at my company has helped me climb
the ladder to become one of the highest paid.
But this in no way hinders me from excelling
further. The sky is my limit.
2
Why should I continuously
improve competencies in the
workplace
Continuous learning is the process by which
new skills and knowledge on an on-going basis.

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It involves self-initiative and taking on
challenges in order to obtain new knowledge,

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ideas, and skills. I engage in continuous
learning. It keeps me engaged in my work
and grants me a greater sense of belonging
and more opportunities to excel. I have
become a knowledgeable, skilled and well-
trained asset to my workforce. I contribute
now more than I ever did before, and I’m
also able to remain adaptable and
competitive, ultimately contributing to
increased productivity. I can help achieve
goals which will enable me to pursue other
careers and advance in my current career 3

through promotions.
The Importance of Feedback
Feedback refers to the response from the receiver which
gives the communicator an idea of how the message is being
received and whether it needs to be modified. I strongly
believe that without feedback from the receiver,

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communication is incomplete. Feedback is very important
because it gives the sender vital intelligence such as;whether

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the message was received successfully or not, the receiver’s
emotional reaction and whether the medium used was
appropriate. In my years of working, I have observed that
frequent and effective feedback increases productivity and
team harmony. As a sender, depending on the type of
feedback I receive, I can clarify or make changes to the
medium, message or my tone. As a receiver, I have learnt to
develop filters and take the important information whilst
discarding whatever is not relevant. I appreciate feedback as
it facilitates good team work. I’ve also found that it helps to
give recommendations and focus on the positive when giving
feedback. 4
 Learning Plans for Self Development
Student learning plan
• Student learning plans are monitoring tools that
provide opportunities to identify postsecondary

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goals, explore college and career options and
develop the skills necessary to be autonomous,

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self-regulated learners. These plans are allied to
a variety of developmental outcomes, including
improved academic motivation, engagement,
decision-making and personal accountability. I
am of the opinion that they assist in long-term
career development and paves a way for success.
I view them as navigating tools which provide
clarity and builds confidence by allowing one to
align themselves with their goals by meeting
requirements . In secondary school, I along with
my classmates developed student learning plans
and I admit that it was a very beneficial time 5

investment.
 Learning Plans for Self Development
Professional development plan
• A professional development plan is a list of
actionable steps for achieving career goals. It

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helps you gain insight into how to attain to
your aspirations.

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• I have found methods of self- development
through professional development. They
include earning new certification. In 2018, I
obtained a certification and am now a licensed
first-aid responder. This is an invaluable asset
to my work. In 2019, I obtained my driver’s
license and this allowed me to receive a
promotion at my job. I further believe that a
professional development plan is particularly
useful during job hunting. It provides guidance
in navigating through the options presented to 6
landing at what you truly desire.
 3 activities to encourage
yourself to keep learning
Job Shadowing
• Job shadowing involves one individual working
alongside or following another individual to

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gain experience and knowledge. It is a sort of
on-the-job learning, career development, and

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leadership development program. In 2019,
I was blessed with an opportunity of job
shadowing. It improved my efficiency and
effectiveness at work, shed additional light
on the importance of dress code at the
workplace and how it affects employees,
clients and the entire businesses alike, and
how to approach and deal with difficult
clients. This experience proved to me that
job shadowing is an effective way to advance
in my career.
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3 activities to encourage
yourself to keep learning
Research
• I believe that conducting research is a tool for

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building knowledge. I have found that doing
research encourages me to explore possibilities

Jens Martensson
of enhancing myself at work. It enlightens me
to understand issues that exist in the
workplace and how to deal with them.
Through my research, I have learnt bout
bullying at the workplace- an issue which is
overlooked but very real and present. I am
now able to be an advocate for victims of
bullying and be their voice, whilst
simultaneously influencing the perpetrators to
find other appropriate means and avenues of
dealing with their issues. Through research,
I have also improved my knowledge on 8
workplace safety and preventing injury.
3 activities to encourage
yourself to keep learning
Voluntary Training

• Voluntary training is working without

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pay in order to improve competencies and
I know that work without pay is the

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last thing any hardworking individual
wants to hear. But its worth noting
that all that is to be learnt can never
be learnt within working hours.
Additional time has to be dedicated to
facilitate more learning. Training can
take the form of seminars, e-learning
programs, or manuals. Speaking from
experience, I have found the advantage
in such a time investment: it provides
opportunities to advance a career
through promotions. 9
Thank
You