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achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

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criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

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criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

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achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

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achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

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achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Initial ability (scale 0-10) =       Competence now (scale 0-10) =

Justification:

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achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Justification:

I have developed professional courage as I have acquired the skills needed to present my case when it comes to addressing unethical issues among the senior leaders in the company. This has progressed well by addressing fewer complex aspects such as signing in and out at the office for purposes of accountability. This started after I raised the matter in a meeting and indicated that the company brand is only as good as its leaders. From this premise ethical practice at the workplace begins and ends with the management as employees are likely to follow what the leaders are doing. Since my spirited presentation on the company ethics there has been intentionality from among the senior leaders to abide to the company rules which has also improved the behaviours of the employees.

I have also learnt to base my argument on data as opposed to emotions and anecdotes as this enhances your proposition. In addition, linking it to the business case gets the attention of the senior managers as at the end of the day the common goal is to maximise on the available resources and raise the company brand. In addition, professional courage has enabled me to speak my mind and defend my arguments professionally without getting emotional or holding a grudge. Cipd (2022) underscores that professional is critical for people professionals especially in a world where justice, the truth and the concept of being right is distorted and in some instances weaponised.

Nonetheless, there is still so much to learn in this regard particularly when it comes to training fellow colleagues on ethics

Ø  To enrol for a short course on training as a consultant for business ethics and thus acquire the main themes and aspects to concentrate on with reference to business management (By December, 2023).

Ø  Develop flash cards for the Human Resource Department Staff on summaries on ethical perspectives at the workplace in respect to fairness, safety, privacy and honest based processes with a view to bolster departmental decisions by September 2023)

criterion

Promotion of fairness and transparency

Wellbeing

Employee voice

Learning

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Justification

I have gained considerable knowledge and skills on the ways of embedding fairness and transparency at the workplace including having the managers treating their juniors as their peer groups with similar skill set. This has been entrenched in my organisation through serving similar tea and snacks, having access to the same furniture as well as having breakout sessions where all staff irrespective of position meet and share their experiences at the company.   This promotes feelings of equality among the employees. This has also been embedded in remuneration as the company has adopted a policy of equal work for equal pay irrespective of gender

Subsequently, I was able to conduct an audit on the company gender pay gap and subsequently convinced the board of management to implement equal pay for similar work done irrespective of gender. Reducing the pay gaps has heightened motivation and engagement from both women and men in the organisation.

In respect to transparency company policies have been reviewed to ensure that all employees know what is required from them in a bid to advance in their career at the company. This has in turn led to healthy competition at the workplace which in turn enhances on the organisational performance. This has proceeded by providing regular feedback on employee performance.  Other methods drawn from literature that can be used in promoting transparency at the workplace include pairing mentors with trainees, working with employees in development of regular goals that track on performance and development of a structured promotion path (Indeed Editorial Team, 2021)

Organise for an internal training for company employees on the principle of fairness and transparency at the workplace (March 2023)

Develop a company policy on employee Wellbeing with cost effective programs such as having all staff meet with fitness coach at least once a week (By August 2023).

Attend a seminar on championing of employee voice (By September 2023).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have learnt that as a people professional one has to learn to balance between compassion, fairness, consideration and supporting others to do the same. I have come to appreciate that compassion at the workplace is not an emotion rather it is an action as perceived in psychology. Chowdhury (2019) cites a 2014 study by Dutton, Workman and Hardin that recognised compassion as an essential component in the creation of a productive work environment. Compassion at the workplace is exhibited to superiors, subordinates and colleagues and is vital in sustaining work-related motivation as well as job satisfaction. It is demonstrated in acts such as recognising colleagues who are going through pain and trying to make them feel comfortable and secure at the workplace. Actively listening devoid of judgements, being sensitive when dealing with issues of underperformance as well as accepting criticisms positively (Chowdhury, 2019). This has helped in handling professional issues as such and thus never getting personal since when you actively listen you get to understand the view point of the other person and thus base your arguments on evidence as opposed to personal attacks. I have also practised to take criticism positively and this has helped in building firm relationships with people as I take it as an opportunity to learn from others and improve on my craft.

I have also learnt that among the core businesses of the HR is to value people and thus support them to fully offer their knowledge and skills to the organisation. To this end, valuing people can be demonstrated by demonstrating compassion, fairness and humanity in your approach. Practising this at my workplace has really improved my approach of handling difficult situations for example when warning an employee due to gross misconduct I clearly communicate the issue and then given them a chance to respond. I do this while actively listening and taking soft notes and I always put myself in one’s shoes in a bid to avoid being robotic and add humanity to addressing the issue. This has proved to work as such employees demonstrate change in behaviour and often consult me on other matters. I have also practised to respect the privacy of such employees and as such do not discuss any of their cases with their colleagues.

In addition, having initiated a coaching and mentoring program at the organisation this has created opportunities for personal development of employees as well as served as preparation for succession development. At a personal level I have been coaching new employees on the company policies and the results have been astounding as they have become more confident in executing their mandate. They have also expressed gratitude for helping them to learn the ropes and adapting to the company culture. Existing literature indicate that coaching and mentoring by pairing experienced professionals with new employees helps them to adapt to the workplace culture, develops and creates a sense of connection and commitment, provides avenues for career progression and enhances team efficiency (Chron, 2011).

Ø  Duly fill my journal on the experiences of coaching and mentoring of junior employees at the organisation with a view to capture the positive outcomes as well as the unsuccessful one with a view to bolster the programme activities.

Ø  In addition, I will also organise for a meet out of all the senior professionals who have taken up mentees with a view to report on their experiences as well as brainstorm on how to improve the program and identify the benefits thus far to the organisation as well as to individuals.

Ø  I will also organise a meet up for all the mentees with a view to identify their views about the program and whether it is been useful to them besides brainstorm on how it can be improved.

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have gained immense knowledge on the concept of trust in organisations for example it is a continuous process over a prolonged period of attraction. Zak (2017) noted that existing research on trust in organisations reveal that employees working in high trust organisations are more productive, energised and collaborative with their colleagues.  The contrast is also true as employees working in low trust organisations suffer from chronic stress, are less happy with their lives and exhibit under performance (Zak, 2017). At the HR department in my organisation, we treat trust as an asset to the company. This is premised on a 2016 PwC global study that reported that 55% of CEOs thought that the lack of trust in organisation is a threat to progress in the company as it increases the chances for hefty lawsuits and damages the company brand. Subsequently, a study published un the Harvard Business Review on the Neuroscience of Trust indicate that high trust organisations report 74% less stress, 13% fewer sick days and 40% less burnout when compared to low trust companies. In addition, high trust organisations report 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 76% more engagement and 29% more satisfaction with their lives (Zak, 2017).

I have also learnt of some of measures that organisations can adopt in a bid to create trust for example being intentional about building relationships. This can proceed by showing concern for team members success as well as sponsoring lunch meet ups with a view to promote social interaction among the employees. it can also proceed by sharing information broadly given that the antidote for trust at the workplace us openness. A 2015 study involving 2.5 million managers in 195 countries found that workforce engagement improved when supervisors spent some time on a daily basis communicating about the project being executed.

Ø  Organise a company branch where senior managers would intentionally demonstrate vulnerability by asking the employees to help them solve some of the issues that the company is grappling with be it decline in revenue targets, high turnover rate or increase in lawsuits against the company By June, 2023.

Ø  Distribute a trust-based questionnaire to the employees on the levels of trust of the company and seek for their recommendations on areas of improvement (By March, 2023).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Truly having a plan and having the ability to control how much time you spend on defined activities is the epitome of self-management. It is often said that all human beings have 24 hours in the day but the difference between the exceptional people and average people is the way they manage their time.  At a personal level, managing time between rest, work and self-development activities has always been a challenge for me. To this end I read the book Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. Thus far, prioritising one activity per day for self-development has improved on my progress in the Cipd course as well as in meeting the deadlines at the workplace. Given that I have had some experience in my current job it is note hard to prioritise tasks given that I know what is most urgent and what takes a little bit of time in accordance to the Pareto Principle that states that 20% of your efforts tend to produce 80% of your results and hence the 80/20 rule (MacKay, 2020). As such, I am able to identify the tasks that will bring me real results at the workplace and hence put them on top of my priority list. For example, in reference to human resource management it is often true that 80% of the company’s profits are generated by 20% of the staff and hence to ensure that such staff are well remunerated, have access to development opportunities and are listened to when it comes to championing the employee voice (Brock, 2019).

More importantly, sleeping well has helped me stay re-energized. This is in line with a health line article that states that adequate sleep can improve your productivity and concentration. This has been researched in the medical filed and found that physicians who has very high sleep related impairment were 97% and were more likely to make clinically significant medical errors (Leech, 2022). Data from the National Institutes of health also provide that good sleep among children and adults enhance problem solving skills and boosts memory performance be it work-related or academics (Leech, 2022).

Ø  Enrol for a short-term online course on Time Management with a view to further enhance my knowledge and skills by December, 2023.

Ø  Develop an annual master plan of work-related activities and plans I endeavour to complete after completing my course and subsequently prioritise them according to months, weekly and eventually on a daily basis (January, 2023 and continuously).

Ø  Develop a calendar activity focusing on my personal life and ensuring that each month has a social activity that I will endeavour to complete and depending on costs with a view to balance both my work and personal life (By February, 2023).

Ø  Volunteer in one of the local high schools to give a talk on time management and provide tips on how students can better manage their time in order to attain academic excellence which prepares them for modern day world where so much needs to be done and so many distractions exists (April, 2023).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

We are living in a world where change in business environment is as certain as day and night. The only uncertainty is which sought of change you will be dealing with in the next week, month or year and it can also be multiple in nature. To this end, I have come to appreciate that people professionals need to stay up to date with the changes that are affecting the business operations of the company they are working for be they internal or external. To this end, I am now aware of some of the business models that one can use to evaluate both internal and external factors causing change such as SWOT and PESTEL Analysis. This has helped in internalising aspects such as Covid 19 pandemic and Brexit have disrupted organisations and the need for management to effectively respond to them with a view to remain competitive or risk being forced out of the industry. For example, Covid 19 disrupted the way organisations conceptualised work as organisations that quickly adapted to working from home concept remained relevant while other organisations such as restaurants were forces to rethink their business models, products and services in a bid to survive for example having online delivery in a bid to survive during the pandemic period (George, 2020). To this end, the HR had to learn how to effectively manage a remote team which has enhanced the calls for performance-based remuneration.

This notwithstanding I also acknowledge that failure rates for effectively managing change are as high as 70% and hence the need to close the gap between theoretical knowledge and practice (George, 2020). To this end, Cipd provides some recommendations on making change more effective for example ensuring that the leaders and designers of change read and identify the context of change, aligning the change strategy to organisational culture and embedding techniques for building understanding. This can proceed by communicating using narratives, storytelling and conversations as well as using physical representations, metaphors and play in a bid to demonstrate how change will be translated in the company (George, 2020).

Ø  I will also review literature on companies that have undergone successful change management and make summaries of the same for example Coca-Cola, Netflix and British airways (By September, 2023).

Ø  I will undertake a project of Changing /refurbishing our family home and include all the family members in the project in a bid to review how theoretical knowledge is applied in a real-life situation (By July 2024).

Ø  Organise an internal training where I will facilitate a presentation on change management and how business should strive to thrive in the midst of changing contexts.

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

Impactful behaviour in organisations demonstrates the significance of people in organisations given that they are the drivers towards attainment of organisational goals and strategies.  Shoobridge (2019) argued that how employee behave has an impact on how business objectives are achieved. Thus, the need to ensure that people are aligned to the company mission, vision and strategic gaols. This can be achieved by providing consistent behavioural guidelines for people such that the organisation avoids heft lawsuits and instead builds a reputable brand. For example, honesty and transparency as an organisational value should be cascaded down to tangible employee behaviours such as signing in the correct time one arrives at the office and when one exits or informing the employees of company plans without leaving pout crucial details that affects their lives.

Further, Positive employee behaviour should be embedded to the organisational culture with a view to contribute to the unique psychological and social environment of the company. Shoobridge (2019) denotes that the way employees behave as they go about their work is a reflection of the actual workplace environment in reference to organisational values, attitudes, beliefs, philosophies and practices. For example, casual dressing on Friday can be used to denote an organisational culture that encourages employees to engage in play after a weeklong engagement in serious business as a way of decompressing.

In light of this, to achieve better business performance results now and in the future necessitates that organisations create a high-performance culture. As such, every employee should understand what is expected from them and thus work towards attainment. There several models that people professionals can use to align impactful behaviours to organisational values and strategic plans for example the 1987 Organisational Alignment Model by Tosti and Jackson (as cited by Shoobridge, 2019). The following is a diagram depicting the model

Source: (Shoobridge, 2019)

Ø  Review more literature expounding on the linkage between Employee behaviour and attainment of strategic business goals and employee behaviour to organisational values with a view to bolster my knowledge on the same. (Target Date August 2023)

Ø  Attempt to develop a guideline linking employee behaviour to organisational values or business strategies to rewards (Target date January 2024)

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have learnt that working experiences builds on employees learning and development. I have also learnt organisations need to develop a learning culture given that they operate in volatile environments. In today’s working environments earning a certificate diploma or degree is not a guarantee of enhanced performance rather there is continued need for upskilling even when working due to some jobs becoming obsolete while others require utilisation of new pieces of technology. Marom (2022) cited a report by Havard business indicating that 54% of the workforce will at some point require a certain level of upskilling or reskilling by 2025. The same report indicated that 85% of employees admitted to having skills gaps while 41% insisted that their managers knew that they had some skills gaps. Another study by Gartner indicated that only 20% of employees had the necessary skills required for the future (Moram, 2022). This clearly denotes the need for organisations to develop a culture of learning and inspire passion for learning among its individuals

This can proceed by personalising the learning experience  as well as providing a wide array of learning experiences including use of digital media, development of face-to-face training programs as well as access to insightful learning materials which they can study at their own time.

The role of people professionals in learning and development is demonstrated by a Cipd study that found that 98% of practitioners in learning and development had a desire to develop a positive learning culture but only 36% had succeeded in doing so in their respective organisations (Greany, 2021). Inculcating a positive culture can proceed by encouraging active learning, promoting continuous learning by enabling people to be curious, filling the skills gaps, making it fun and special as well as experimenting, measuring and adapting (Greany, 2021)

Ø  I will also pursue courses of interest on Linked in learning with a view to build on knowledge and skills as well stay informed with new knowledge and trends with reference to people professionals (Target date May 2023)

Ø  To develop an organisational policy that reward self-directed learning and has a positive impact on organisational performance and competitive advantage in the industry (Target Date December, 2023).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

CPD is a form of learning that is essential at the workplace and directly affects job role, continuity and professional status. At the professional level, I started to fully concentrate on CPD upon enrolling for CIPD courses. One of the key benefits of CPD is to promote learning and development of employees among people professionals. From a theoretical perspective, CPD is open to interpretation given that it is more often than not subjective. However, it helps professional bodies, students, clients and managers to adapt to changing contexts of work amid globalisation, longer working hours and rising retirement ages (Mackay, 2015). The Subjectivity also has a silver lining as it promotes employee autonomy and is essential when it comes to safeguarding innovative work techniques for competitive advantage among employees. CPD development is dynamic and is essential in work contexts where there is no distinct separation between practice and learning. For example for HR, you deal with employee problems which are dynamic as they come and sometimes the cases are so unique that they way you deal with them is a form of social experiment that serves as a foundation on how to deal with similar workplaces given that there is no existing manual on it.

Mackay (2015) notes that when CPD is utilised for performance accountability there are tensions between theory and practice as evidenced based on learning reflections is not necessarily equivalent to having accumulated experience on a matter. Therefore, some scholars have argued that the growing use of CPD records as a benchmark for employee performance is human resource development specialists struggling to remain relevant and struggling to remain professional respect (Roessger, 2013). To counter this argument and criticism HR specialists that CPD for people professionals seek to enhance knowledge currency that flows from practice and development (Mackay, 2015). As such, CPD asserts professional value in business disciplines and hence accentuates on the call for professional standards or behaviour which resonates with the increasing quest for organisations clamouring for public trust. In view of this, CPD recording is only likely to increase as professionalism in modern organisations is central to occupational identity.

Ø  I will also use the review to asses where I stand as a HR professional from recording the CPD whether it has improved my decision making or made me a better personal in reference to adhering to the professional standards. To attain this, I will compare the times I have recorded successful breakthroughs versus the number of times I have recorded failure or disappointment (By January 2023).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have understood that HR generate a substantial amount of data on a daily basis however, the data is rarely used or evaluated to enhance decision making because most people professionals lack data literacy or are too afraid of statistics and hide behind the façade that too much data will remove the human from the HR functions. However, with the integration of machine learning and increase for evidenced based practice people professionals have no option but to rise up to the occasion. Michigan State University (2020) noted that human resource departments are increasingly using data analytics to inform on major people decisions owing to the increased integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence in organisations. For example, a study by Deloitte in 2017 found that 71% of the companies surveyed indicated that people analytics was a high priority for them while another 30% noted it was very important.

People analytics is being applied in several respects including measuring performance of employees and using the findings to coach existing or new employees on the qualities needed to excel in their jobs, Deloitte uses human performance data, billing hours data and travel data to boost employee professional performance, energy and wellbeing. It is also used in making promotion and salary decisions, understanding attrition and retention levels, examining employee engagement and measuring the efficacy of employee development and learning outcomes (Michigan State University, 2020).

In line with current trends in the HR world, people analytics can be used to inform on decisions such as diversity and inclusion where studies have shown that diverse workforce has 35% are more likely to outdo competitors and 70% chance of capturing the market and 87% more likely to make better decisions as it is considerate of a wide variety of outcomes (Pattyrn, 2022). With such kind of data being presented at the decision-making table it becomes easier to capture the attention of managers and convince them of the need for development of a diversity and inclusion policy in the organisation. In addition, it will also command respect from the other professionals in the company as they can also look for similar studies when in doubt of the data sets provided. This creates a platform for conversations based on data sets as opposed to personal inclinations.

Ø  Conduct an employee survey in my company on their levels of engagement and job satisfaction in the company (By March 2023).

Ø  Use the exiting employee data to evaluate the company’s readiness for succession.

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have gained insightful information about the impacts of knowledge sharing at the organisational level. In one of the studies reviewed by Ahamad and Karim (2019) I learnt that impact of knowledge sharing in the last seven years since the study had been published had attracted 76% interest in the published papers. This is a demonstration that knowledge sharing in the organisational context is essential. Out of all the studies reviewed in the research paper 50% of the papers had been published in reference to organisational management followed by knowledge management and psychology respectively. Subsequently, the findings indicated that there was a scarcity of qualitative studies on impacts of knowledge sharing as 99% of the studies were quantitative in nature (Ahmad & Karim, 2019).

The impacts of knowledge sharing in an organisation can be classified into individual performance, team performance and organisational impact. At the individual level, it enhances individual performance in reference to problem solving, accomplishment and decision-making. It also promotes individual learning and creativity through adoption of innovative work behaviour such as generation of original ideas and exhibiting willingness to share. It also has individual psychological effects such as job satisfaction (Ahmad &Karim, 2019).

In reference to team performance, the impacts can also be categorised into three performance as it enhances work efficiency, problem solving and sales performance. It also promotes creativity through generation of novel ideas and development of absorptive capacity. It also helps in the development of a climate of trust, positive attitude towards diversity and socialization among the team members.

In reference to organisational performance, it promotes development of new products and enhances the financial aspect as there return on investments. It also promotes a culture of learning and innovation due to creation of an environment that facilitates ideation capability, organisational absorptive capacity and corporate entrepreneurship. Further, it enhances business processes efficiency as helps in organisational effectiveness, process improvement through standardisation and documentation, strategic alignment to business as well as project management capability (Ahmad &Karim, 2019).

Ø  I will also write a newspaper article that will highlight on the significance of knowledge sharing the 21^st century organisations.

Ø   I will create a group with my colleagues with the sole aim being to share new knowledge and skills acquired from different quarters and is deemed relevant to the delivery of our mandate as the HR department.

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

My knowledge on decision making models that are available to professionals when making complex decisions has expanded. As a HR professional, majority of the complex decisions that are placed at my desk have to do with a junior officer wanting me to overturn a decision made by the supervisor. Whilst I listen to their concerns, I am also very cautious to upset the order in the organisation and I feel that with this new knowledge the process of making decisions will be easier and definitely more logical.

Dalal and Bolunmez (2016) cited that major decisions made in companies have a failure rate of 50%. subsequently, an evaluation of the reasons why such decisions fail was found to include short-sighted acquisitions and poor decision-making strategies. This then serves as the foundation of why we need evidence-based strategies for making complex decisions. Essentially effective decision-making strategies prevail when multiple alternatives are considered in making strategic business decisions.

Dalal and Bolunmez (2016) recommend three strategies that HR professionals can adopt making complex decisions including “Considering the Opposite” view where professionals are advised to evaluate and generate several reasons why their current decision may be wrong. As such, it prompts professionals to consider information outside their purview and hence consider a broad range of scenarios. The approach comprises of several variants including the premortem where the decisionmaker is advised to imagine that the decision has already been actualised and failed and hence prompting the individual to generate reasons why it failed. The other variant is the devil advocate that generally involves critiquing the preferred option. Dalal and Bolunmez (2016) cite that for every reason generated on why a decision may fail then the estimated accuracy of a decision is improved by 6%.

The second approach is “Taking an Outside View” where the decision maker is advised to take asset of 6 already exiting decision that are equivalent to the current and subsequently using those decisions to inform the suggested one. Nonetheless, it is possible that class constructed by the said decision maker will be biased. This approach reduces delusions of success, A study by Lovallo et al. (2012) found that when respondent to a study compared their rate of return to the reference class 82% revised their approximations downwards and by a whopping 50% or more.

The third approach is the Construct a Linear Decision Model that recommends determination of the available options, judging the significance of each of the factors, rating each of the options, calculation of the overall score as the sum of the score for each factor and finally choosing the option with the highest overall score (Dalal &Bolunmez, 2016). Though this strategy is expensive and time consuming it has been found to have the highest accuracy level.

Ø  Attend a leadership conference focusing on evidence-based decision making (Target date September 2023)

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

According to the Cipd professional map, one of the core behaviours for people professionals is professional courage and influence. As a HR professional one has to seek to influence others when conducting their day to day tasks. Influencing others can only happen when one espouses professional courage and has the ability to challenge any form od resistance from colleagues or Ability to speak up when policies that don’t align to the company values or are not ethical are proposed. In light of this, I have come to understand that some of the issues that a HR professional should stand for in their internal and external communication are ethics, fairness and morality. This is in a bid to influence positive behaviour among employees such as good and virtuous outcomes (Cipd, 2019). This can proceed through role modelling or through rewarding the identified positive and ethical behaviours.

To influence at the organisational level, one has to use a wide array of communication tools including videos to better demonstrate, clear written communication or even charts. However, there are also different influencing styles that are prevalent in literature including as articulated Robert Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion that was based on the 20^th century industries. Nimon -Peters (2022) conducted a literature review of over two hundred peer reviewed articles and developed nine principles model for influence. The principles are categorised into three the first to the third principle take into consideration the audience that you seek to influence, four to six has to do with how the message is perceived and hence the need to use a wide array of models while seven to nine focuses on the behaviour perspective thus how one physically executes the plan to influence (Nimon-Peters, 2022).

Wilding(2020) provides four ways through which leaders can increase their level of influence including being transparent, inspiring loyalty, leading by example and recognising that perfection is a pitfall and as such one to be willing to make mistakes and rise above them.

Ø  I will write down the nine principles as articulated by Nimmon Peters and share them as flashcards to the personnel within the HR department in our company (Target Date December 2022).

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have come to appreciate that political acumen is an ideal that can be acquired whereas it comes natural for some people. It can be acquired through talking to colleagues that one respects and trusts, experience and observation. I have also come to appreciate that acquiring political acumen necessitates diverse knowledge of the functioning of the organisation. This is well captured by Pal and Clark 2017 who situated political acumen to the capacity or ability to steer organisational policies through the systems within the company. Political acumen therefore is significant in strategic management and in the implementation of policy changes in the company (Pal& Clark, 2017).

Political acumen within an organisation has four distinct practices which can be utilised to draw out positive effects including social awareness or ability to astutely observe others and understand their motive sand behaviour

Interpersonal influence and leader the ability to engage others using charismatic and compelling stye. It also has networking that involves the ability to develop diverse workforce group internally and externally, and sincerity that has to do with transparency and influence co working (Braddy & Campbell, 2020).  In a study that sought to find out whether leaders were utilising the four political skills between 2009 and 2010 the study ranked as the most utilised, followed by interpersonal influence, social awareness and finally networking (Braddy & Campbell, 2020). This can be explained by the fact that sincerity is the most natural and easiest to practice.

By and large leaders use political acumen to compel and motivate others to take action and thus contribute to work improvement as a leader can use political skills to enhance productivity and efficiency among the employees. Some of the practical examples where political acumen can be applied are managing of collaborations, development of talent and enhancing individual political skills

Ø  Gather feedback from friends, family members and workmates as to whether others perceive e as genuine and authentic (Target Date December 2022)

Ø  Ensure that my communication at the workplace whether verbal or written is clear and transparent. (Make it a routine habit)

criterion

achieved, with linkages to evidence and

literature

I have come to appreciate that indeed networking is not only a preserve for individuals but is also important for organisations. This is recorded in various pieces of literature for example Small Business BC (2013) Indicated that networking provides organisations with opportunities for sharing knowledge and thus improve on existing structure and avoid some catastrophic pitfalls. In addition, it provides organisations with opportunities for partnership and referral which is good for business. It also provides connections that improves the organisational standing in the industry by virtue of association.  Moreover, it raises the organisational profile to other industrial players which not only garners interest but can also result in valuable business deals (Small Business BC, 2013).

Similarly, Ni Business info (n.d.) articulates the benefits of networking for organisations to include building of relationships with other businesses such as banks, access o guidance on best practice when developing business solutions, heightens the social standing of the company, increases contacts with top talent in the industry and provides opportunities for bench making with players in the same industry.

Essentially, I now understand that even businesses as human beings cannot operate in isolation and hence the need to network organisations with others in  order to not only engage in healthy competition but also learn from one another and occasional join hands especially when agitating for review of legislations that affect the running of their businesses.

Ø  I will be recording the benefits acquired from every new professional network I have created with a view to track what I have learnt or gained from them.

Ø  I will also use LinkedIn to create a network for my company by following players in the same industry within the country and abroad.