The learning contract aim
By the end of the Week 9, I will be able to know my motivations, preferences and personality. This will be essential as it influences my judgement, decisions and the way I interact with other people. This is through the determination of my strengths and understanding how they can guide me in my personal and professional choices. Additionally, this helps me in figuring out what motivates me in order to find personal and professional success.
Developing self-awareness is essential in assessing my limitations in order to develop a plan for improving those areas. It is the self-awareness that will assist me in gaining an understanding and insight into my personality, attitudes and behaviors. Lastly, the self-awareness is vital in identifying the biases I have that prelude my understanding and appreciating other people (Juszczak, 2006).
The rationale
I chose developing self-awareness as my skill as it will have a host of benefits to me. The self-awareness will help me in understanding myself in relation to other people. This is vital especially if am working in an organization with many people. In addition, the self-awareness will help me in developing and implementing a sound self-improvement program. With the development of self-awareness, I can be able to set appropriate life and career goals. Moreover, the self-awareness is essential in helping me develop relationships with other people that I interact with on a daily basis (Christian, 2008).
Developing self-awareness is vital in assisting me understand the value of diversity. Further more, self-awareness is necessary as it helps me know how to manage other people in an effective manner. In an organizational setting, self-awareness is essential in increasing productivity. This is because people can use the self-awareness to understand one another clearly in their daily tasks. It is the self-awareness that is crucial in increasing my ability to contribute to organizations, my community and family. This is by utilizing all other benefits brought about by developing this essential skill (Ragg, 2011).
As a manager, self-awareness is vital in a number of ways. If I am self-aware as a manager, then I can be a superior performer in my organization. It is also essential to be self-aware as a manager in order to have a greater understanding of others. Self-awareness is critical to me as a manager to help me relate and empathize with my co-workers in the organization. More so, self-awareness will ensure that I am more trusted as a manager especially by my subordinates. Self-awareness makes me as a manager to be perceived as being competent in whatever task I undertake (Rochat, 2003).
Management requires people who have developed the skill of self-awareness. To me, self-awareness is essential in helping me reduce the potential for conflict especially in an organizational set up. Organizations have a tendency to have many conflicts due to the numerous interests of the people. Consequently, being self-aware as a manager is necessary in assisting me reduce any potential for a conflict in an organization. It is easy to work with a manager who is self-aware as they are likely to be open to any feedback that comes up. Self-awareness is vital in helping me as a manager create trusting and productive work environments (Soin, 2011).
Pre-test and post-test measures
The measures for developing self-awareness are concern for others, self-disclosure, diverse experiences and self-analysis. The self-analysis is essential for a number of issues. For instance, the self-analysis is critical in helping me examine myself as an object in any given experience or event. Additionally, it enables me step back and observe the positive or negative impact of some action. However, doing a self-analysis is not always easy.
Consequently, it has to begin with a reflection on and exploration of thoughts and feelings. These are those thoughts and feelings associated with affective events. Self-analysis is critical as it helps one become more effective through implementation of behavioral and cognitive changes (Mtsu. edu, n.d.).
Action plan
In Week 1, I plan to work out what my current level of self-awareness is. I will do this by assessing how well I relate with other people that I interact with on a daily basis. I will measure this by analyzing their perceptions, as well as feedbacks. The expected outcomes here will include an improvement in the way they perceive me both as their co-worker and manager. Analysis of the received feedbacks is vital in helping me improve my areas of weakness. This helps me to relate well with others (Juszczak, 2006).
In Week 2, I plan to do a self-disclosure. I will do this by doing an assessment of how I share my thoughts, feelings and ideas with other people. I will measure this by clarifying my perceptions. The expected outcomes here will include verification of my beliefs, affirming my self-concept, as well as validation of data received from an objective source (Juszczak, 2006).
In Week 3-9, I plan to do a work-out on my self-analysis. I will do this by assessing my behavior, personality, attitudes and perceptions. I will measure this by looking at my motivation in the way of thinking, acting and interacting. The expected outcomes will be a change in my perceptions in terms of the stereotypes, projections, expectations, interests and attributions. This self-analysis is necessary in helping me improve my behavior, personality, attitudes and perceptions (Juszczak, 2006).
References
Christian, J. L. (2008). Philosophy: an introduction to the art of wondering. California: Cengage Learning.
Juszczak, C. (2006). Interpersonal skills in organizations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Mtsu. edu. (n.d.). Choices: developing your self-awareness. Web.
Ragg, M. D. (2011). Developing practice competencies: a foundation for generalist practice. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Rochat, P. (2003). Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life. Consciousness and Cognition, 12, 717–731.
Soin, R. (2011). Self-awareness and personal development. Web.