Strengths
The process of career development implies considering one’s advantages and the benefits that they may bring to potential employers. Strengths are associated with the internal capabilities of an individual that would contribute to the increased productivity (Osita, Onyebuchi and Nzekwe, 2014). These are usually the skills, abilities, and qualifications, as well as work and educational experiences or additional training.
One of the major strengths in the personal area is the ability to build connections with people because of extroversion. Since a very young age, I was always interested in being around people, making friends, and interacting with them. Extraversion allows me as an individual to foster good relationships with others and develop lasting friendships. I have often been described as an enthusiastic and assertive person, which are the qualities of an extrovert.
Being goal-oriented is another strength supporting the future intentions of pursuing a management career. Before taking up any task, clear and specific goals are set in order to establish a background of available knowledge and determine the ways in which such goals should be achieved (Houston, 2019). Being goal-oriented, my personality development has been based on openness to new experiences that would allow me to reach the established goals. I see myself as an explorative and imaginative person, who is never afraid of getting out of the comfort zone.
A leadership and management training course was recently completed for gaining expert knowledge on how to be a successful manager. The program provided information on real-life examples of different management and leadership styles through engaging experts in the field. It also allowed reflecting on the personal management style, which is democratic or participative. Such a style of management implies making decisions by a majority of a team (Cherry, 2020). Every team member has an opportunity to contribute with their perspectives, which is a positive approach toward management.
Weaknesses
The weaknesses represent internal limitations that could prevent an individual from being productive at work. Considering these limitations is important because they would allow a person to understand the areas for improvement. One of the most prominent weaknesses is concerned with being impatient. This personal issue usually arises in areas that need improvement but cannot be changed within a short period of time. In my opinion, this may cause some disruptions in the process of management. To overcome this personal weakness, it is imperative to understand that some processes will take more time, and that patience will be rewarded in the end.
The lack of confidence is another internal limitation that could act as a barrier to successful management efforts. This weakness is reflected in difficulties with promoting an image of reliability and knowledge. Despite being extraverted, I can find myself second-guessing decisions, failing to act on some of them, or wavering on management commitment. Such a treat can limit the progress of an organisation (O’Hara, 2015). A collaborative team approach can help in improving the problem. However, the most appropriate solution is personal development through management courses, coaching, and other educational methods. It is imperative to develop a sense of confidence in order to guide the decisions of other people within an organisation.
Opportunities
External factors that could positively influence one’s career development are also essential to take into consideration. They could be indicators of environments within which a person works and act as a framework for the overall advancement in a given sphere (Nagy, Froidevaux and Hirschi, 2018). One of the most significant opportunities is associated with ethical management, which represents corporate management that does not only meet the legal and economic goals but also meets the ethical expectations imposed by social norms (The four principles of ethical management, 2019).
As a successful manager, it is imperative to integrate ethics into relationships between employees as well as connections between a given organisation and communities (Paiva and Carvalho, 2020). For example, it can be a good idea to work on corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an indicator of ethical management in general (Dunn, 2018). Such an effort would develop a business model that would allow the workers, managers, and a company overall to be socially accountable to themselves, stakeholders, and the public.
In association with the personal strength of excellent communication and extraversion, an opportunity for team development can be of great benefit. This opportunity is an important part of any management team; however, it is also imperative to have for building relationships. I can facilitate training for personnel to gain support throughout their careers, both as individuals and teams.
For example, there may be a need to improve a system of feedback and rewards that would encourage employees to be more productive when completing their everyday tasks. This opportunity may also combine with employee satisfaction surveys, which would be easy to implement because of my interest for engaging with as many people as possible. Overall, within the focus on management, team building and ethics represent the most extensive opportunities for individual and professional improvement.
Threats
Threats represent external factors that can influence an individual from the outside. From the perspective of career development, threats can include the lack of resources for training and education, issues locating a new job due to limited offerings, financial issues, or high competition (Darling-Hammond, Flook, Cook-Harvey, Barron and Osher, 2019). In the given context, competition is the main threat that can present numerous barriers to career development. At this time, many skilled management professionals are looking for prospective openings at different organisations. The high saturation of employable individuals sets higher expectations among employers (Clarke, 2017). As a result, there are limited opportunities for those looking for management jobs.
Poor economic conditions mean that there are fewer companies looking for new managers, thus lowering the chances for professionals getting the desired positions. This can cause some struggles for me as a person because of being impatient, and waiting for a job position to open can be tedious. Also, in times of financial strain, some companies may limit their investments into employee training, which is also detrimental to the improvement of performance among personnel. In general, it is imperative to consider the economic environment within which career development efforts take place.
Reference List
Cherry, K. (2020) The democratic style of leadership. Web.
Clarke, M. (2017) ‘Rethinking graduate employability: the role of capital, individual attributes and context’, Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), pp. 1923-1937.
Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B. and Osher, D. (2019) ‘Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development’, Applied Developmental Science. Web.
Dunn, W. (2018). Nine CSR skills – what you need and why. Web.
Houston, E. (2019). What is goal setting and how to do it well. Web.
Nagy, N., Froidevaux A., and Hirschi, A. (2018). ‘Lifespan perspectives on careers and career development’, in Baltes, B., Rudolph, C. and Zacher, H. (eds.) Work Across the Lifespan. London: Elsevier, pp. 235-259.
O’Hara, C. (2015). ‘Stop second-guessing your decisions at work’, Harvard Business Review. Web.
Osita, I., Onyebuchi, A. and Nzekwe, J. (2014). ‘Organisation’s stability and productivity: The role of SWOT analysis an acronym for strength, weakness, opportunities and threat’, International Journal of Innovative and Applied Research, 2(9), pp. 23-32.
Paiva, I. S., and Carvalho, L. C. (2020). Conceptual and theoretical approaches to corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurial orientation, and financial performance. Lisboa: IGI Global.
The four principles of ethical management. (2019). Web.