My Personal Learning Plan Essay.
MY PERSONAL LEARNING PLAN
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Just prior to our description on what leadership strategy is, it is of great importance to describe who a leader is. To begin with, a leader is a person who creates an inspirational vision for the future. It is true to say that such a person should have the additional ability to inspire individuals to work in a manner that would lead to the attaining of that same vision.
Any organization that talks of leadership would be thinking in tandem with qualities of a leader that will have experience, diversity, competence, the ability to create an environment for others to lead, collaboration across borders, just to mention but a few. Above all, such a person has to suit and adapt to the in-house cultural norms of the organization. (Tobin, 2015)
Developing leadership capabilities is not an easy a task. Let me say that it calls for self-sacrifice and volunteering even when one does not feel like. I worked with my aunt in Duke University Health System. Here I worked as a volunteer for a whole year. I just felt contented when I saw people’s health status rejuvenate after a certain period of suffering. More importantly, my heart melted with joy as I saw a patient recognize me as somebody who played a modest role in his or her recovery.
It is within this hospital premises that I nurtured my leadership development skills. First, I understood the fact that for me to become a leader, I should proof to have leadership organization skills. This means that I had to manage change. In this Hospital of Duke University, many volunteers were volunteers by name and not by their hearts. I had to perform tasks that most if not all of my fellow volunteers skived or assumed. The organizational skills dictated that I solve minor problems within my domain and make wise decisions. (Tobin, 2015)
According to Senge, the nature of structure in human systems is subtle because we are part of the structure. This means that we often have the power to alter structures within which we are operating. However, more effort into not, we do not perceive that power. In fact, we usually do not see the structures at play much at all. Rather, we just find ourselves feeling compelled to act in certain ways. (Senge, 2010)
These words of encouragement helped me to press on harder than before and be the change. Prior to leading others, I had to lead myself. I demonstrated high levels of ethics as well as integrity. My seniors always reminded me that where I cannot save life, I should not do further harm to a patient. That advice instilled self-discipline in me such that no patient ever died in my hands. I always called for help from the consultants and other specialists. I managed myself by keeping time at my place of work. I ensured that I increased my capability to learn while at the same time displaying drive and purpose. (Tobin, 2015)
In this phase of nurturing my leadership competencies, I learnt how to lead others. I ensured that I communicated effectively whenever I was to communicate. I developed my fellow team members by teaching them how to perform certain procedures. I understood that all of us came from diverse social and family backgrounds. Thus, I expected conflicts to arise in many occasions. For example, some members preferred doing more of talking than working. This did not go well for most of us; our supervisor could get irate with us and dismiss some of us from the institution. (Pluta, 2011).
From Senge’s school of thought,” Because they “become their positions”, people do not see how their actions affect the other positions”. I ensured that my actions did not jeopardize the relationship between our supervisors and us. I went apologizing on behalf of the team that certain mistakes would never recur. (Senge, 2010)
As Senge posits, leaders should have dynamic mind that would accommodate different sorts of changes that would help transform the organization for learning. In tandem with Senge’s idea, I had to learn about the system’s thinking. This meant that I had to comprehend what the top management expects from us and abide by it accordingly. This entailed the mission and vision of the organization. The tasks that I performed were within the tasks that the management assigned. ”systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision and team learning. (Senge, 2010)
Personal mastery was another discipline that I had to train. I knew that I could not work well under pressure. This meant that I had to perform all my chores in good time before the supervisor started raising her eyebrows. The major theater operations took so long. I know I could not stand for such a long period. This made me switch roles in the middle of the procedures before syncope set in. I remember an instance wherein we were performing an exploratory laparotomy. The procedure took up to more than five hours. The surgeon kept asking me questions concerning abdominal operations. Before long, I found myself in the recovery room. I had just passed out. Since then, I came to comprehend the limits within which I can deliver effectively. (Pluta, 2011).
Developing a mental model is a crucial discipline in nurturing leadership. Mental models boost our perception and thought processes. More importantly, they help us to predict other people’s reactions and figure out what goes on in their minds at present. A patient had stayed in the wards for almost a year then. His condition continued to deteriorate despite many medical interventions. Then I came across a similar case when I visited my grandmother in another hospital. The patient suffered from TB peritonitis. She had generalized lymph nodes enlargement and a history of chronic cough. The patient at the hospital in which my grandma lay had no different symptoms from those that presented in Duke University Hospital.
Of course, I was glad that I had found a regimen for the patient’s diagnosis. When I reported to work, I went to the patient and asked him if he had a history of TB or prolonged cough. The patient agreed. At present, the hospital was managing the patient for peptic ulcer disease, which did not see the patient through. As I said earlier on, I had to do what was within my capabilities. This was not far from asking the consultant about the issue. I know that I am an academic dwarf in front of a consultant. For sure, he was looking at a chest x-ray as I was busy explaining to him how differently we may consider the case. I felt demeaned and regretted to have called him. In fact, he was annoyed with me and ordered me to report to my place of work. I knew that I had stepped on live wires. I felt dejected. However, I was happy that I did not sit on the fence as my fellow suffered in my eyes.
The following day, our professor came and disputed the current diagnosis to TB peritonitis. I felt like a doctor without academic testimonials. Apparently, a nurse had overheard me telling the consultant about the issue and forwarded the same to the professor who had the mandate of changing the diagnosis. I propelled my actions in a drastic manner to help the patient succeed as well. This is in line with Senge’s idea that for one to succeed, others must succeed as well. (Senge, 2010)
I shared my vision with my fellow teammates. Some of them laughed at my visions while others encouraged me to press on. They had seen the potential in me. In addition, I was determined to learn from others. My dad would always say that if I wanted to go fast, I should go alone; but if I wanted to go far, I had to go with others. This meant that I needed both others and myself in order to reach the summit levels that I ever desired. (Pluta, 2011).
I am sure that my performance was above average. I opt and strive to improve in my areas of weakness. I would like to acknowledge my friends, parents and teachers who have encouraged me till this far. It is a challenge to be in leadership position. One has to go out of his or her ways to serve others. Sometimes I felt too tired to serve and ignored all the duties that my seniors had delegated to me. I choose to serve others irrespective of the differences that may coexist between us.
My learning objectives are to learn how to develop a business strategy. My second objective is to determine the challenges that a leader may experience. Finally, I wish to understand how one can improve upon their leadership competencies and address the challenges accordingly. (Pluta, 2011).
The institution should avail the necessary resources that will make learning possible. For instance, popular human resources such as tutors will instill good leadership skills. Reading materials will also help to consolidate the knowledge acquired from class. Personal experiences form part of the resources that will build a competent leader. (Tobin, 2015)
Achievement of each objective will be determined using direct conversations with the learners. In addition, the learners will receive case studies for which they would evaluate and give their opinions regarding the cases. The learners’ participation in leadership activities in the institution will also act as parameter to evaluate the validation. (Tobin, 2015)
References
Senge, P (2010). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization: Crown Publishing Group
Pluta, J. E. (2011). Human progress amid resistance to change. Victoria, BC, Canada, Friesen Press
Tobin, R. M. (2015). Overcoming resistance to change. London, Kogan Page