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10 - Personal and professional development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2018

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Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to explore practical approaches to personal growth and development. This is vital if you are to provide effective team leadership or supervision particularly if you are working in a challenging and turbulent environment. Individuals who are effective team leaders and supervisors are often very clear about who they are and what they want to get out of their work as well as other aspects of their lives. They are likely to pay attention to the topics covered in this chapter which include looking after yourself; work/life balance; time management; personal and career support; professional networks and communities of practice; and personal portfolios.

Looking after yourself

Team leaders and supervisors are likely to experience a range of challenges in the workplace, e.g. demanding workload, information overload, initiative overload, issues arising from individual team members or customers, new ways of working in a team, new working practices and/or technical innovations. As a result it is important to be able to manage yourself in the workplace so that you can lead your team in a relatively stress-free manner.

Key aspects of looking after yourself in the workplace may include:

  • • Know your own work peaks and troughs. Most people have times of the day when they are full of energy and other times when their energy is low. For example some people are at their best in the morning (larks) while others are afternoon or evening people (owls). If you know your best times and you are able to organize when you carry out your work then it makes sense to do your most demanding work when your energy levels are at their highest.

  • • Have tea breaks and lunch breaks. Eat healthy food.

  • • When you have a break, if possible get away from your desk and get some fresh air.

  • • Keep your working environment clean, tidy and uncluttered (see Chapter 5).

  • • Use time-management techniques (see summary in Figure 10.1).

  • • Speak to colleagues if you feel overwhelmed.

  • • Use breaks to network with colleagues.

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    Information
    Publisher: Facet
    Print publication year: 2006

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