Reflective Essay on Learning and development

REFLECTIVE ESSAY ON LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Learning and development plays a crucial role in enhancing the career of individuals to a great extent as main focus of these activities to maximize the skills and knowledge of human resources at the workplace (Beevers, K. and Rea, A., 2013). Along with this, it helps individuals to get success in this competitive world by enhancing the level of their personal and professional growth. In the present era, learning and development works as an innovative strategy in every organization which helps in managing and improving the abilities as well as skills of workforce. With the help of these practices, management of the companies will be able to gain competitive advancement as enhancement in the efficiency of human resources leads to maximize the level of product and service effectiveness. However, learning and development focuses on rendering more opportunities to the employees by increasing their knowledge so this in turn enhances the satisfaction level of them to a great extent.

Furthermore, main role played by the learning and development is related to improve the performance level of human resources and by this, it leads to maximize the profitability as well as sales revenue of company. Learning and development is the process of ensuring the growth of individuals at the workplace. Therefore, it works as an opportunity for business entity by which good relationship between management and employees can be made effectively. Due to availability of better relationship, human resources focus on giving their best while performing business practices so that objectives of company can be fulfilled in an effectual manner. Further, workplace includes different types of individuals based on different culture, nationality and language so with the availability of proper leaning as well as development, they can deal effectively with each other and thus, chances of conflicts can be eliminated.

By considering the above aspects, it is my major duty to focus on the learning and development of my team in Pathology and Clinical Laboratory Pte Ltd (Pathlab). As a marketing sales manager of company, I emphasize on enhancing the skills and knowledge of marketing team which includes 6 sales executive. As per my designation, there are several responsibilities of me. Among the all, one of the major responsibilities of me is to understand development needs of my team members and also to identify various issues that are associated with the sales of company. Other than this, I also focus on gaining knowledge regarding various factors that are related to internal as well as external environment of business entity and impact the sales to a great extent. As a marketing sales manager of Pathlab, I have faced various issues that impact the sales performance of company to a higher level. Among the all, lack of knowledge in my team members regarding the theoretical and practical application of marketing was the one. With this, lack of leadership skills in me was also an issue due to which I was not able to deal effectively. My sales executives also had limited information regarding how to sell the new medical diagnostics test in marketing and that's why, sales performance of company was decreasing to a great extent.

In order to overcome all these issues, I focused on organizing learning and development sessions for me as well as my team members. This proved to be very beneficial for enhancing my leadership skills along with maximizing the knowledge of my team members regarding theoretical as well as practical application. While organizing these sessions, I followed Honey and Mumford theory that focuses on defining various learning styles by which knowledge and learning can be provided effectively to different types of individuals (Honey, P. and Mumford, A., 1982). Along with this, it also helped me to make learning sessions more effective. I also focused on training to each team member as this theory defines that four types of learners including activists, theorists, pragmatists and reflectors.

By following this theory, I divided all my team members on the basis of these four learners. As activists focus on leaning things by doing any activity himself or herself, so I focused on using methods. Example brainstorming, puzzles, problem solving and group discussion. In the case of theorists, I considered methods such as stories, models, statistics and applying theories as such type of persons prefer to learn something by understanding theories behind every action. Pragmatists focus on enhancing knowledge by putting learning into practice in reality and therefore, case studies, discussion and problem solving techniques were used. Lastly, reflectors prefer to learn with the help of observing things. I adopted methods such as self-analysis questionnaires, observing activities, interviews, coaching and paired discussions.

Instead of Honey and Mumford theory, adult learning theories were also considered by me at the time of enhancing the learning and development of me and my team members. According to the theory of Andragogy, I influenced team members to focus on self-directing so that they could perform their responsibilities in an effectual manner to achieve the sales targets. I also considered to adopt methods such as role play, self -evaluation, simulations and case studies at the workplace of Pathlab. To motivate my team members, six assumptions were followed by considering the adult learning theory. These assumptions are related to understanding needs, foundation, self-concept, readiness, orientation and motivation (Adult learning theory, N/A).

First one was to influence my team members and understand their own development needs. Second was to consider their past experience so further activities related to learning and development could be considered. Third assumption is self-concept, I influenced them to take decisions by their own so that instructions related to learning could be evaluated and planning could be done effectively. However, by considering the fourth assumption like readiness, I advised staff members to put more interest in the selection of learning methods. I also influenced them to share their issues to me so that better actions can be applied. Lastly, internal motivation would be provided by me according to six assumption and this in turn led to enhance the effectiveness of learning and development.

REFERENCES

• Adult learning theory.
• Beevers, K. and Rea, A., 2013. Learning and Development Practice. 2nd Edn. London: Chartered institute of personnel & development.
• Honey, P. and Mumford, A., 1982. Manual of Learning Styles London: P Honey.

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