Assignment Report
In this report I will briefly outline different sources of feedback and reflect and review the Continued Professional Development (CPD) process that I have undertaken as part of this assignment.
Objective and subjective are two types of many different forms of feedback. Objective feedback should be unbiased and based on facts. Objective feedback is received from other people and should be constructive and non-personal. Subjective feedback is based on you, the individual, and how you feel and perceive your experiences and performance.
Another widely used form of feedback is the 360 feedback performance appraisal. This collects feedback on the subject from various sources including colleagues, direct reports and customers (CIPD 2011). 360 feedback gets its name because feedback is received from subordinates, peers and management, giving a detailed picture of the individuals performance and attitude.
Since I started my higher education course my colleagues have commented that I socialise much less and I am not as much fun as I used to be. Although this is the opinion of my peers, those who manage me may consider my decision to enrol on the course as a sign of dedication towards my department and the RAF. My reasons for choosing to do the course, and dedicating as much time as necessary towards it differs from both my colleagues and management. I chose to embark on the foundation degree for the purely personal reason of developing my abilities and building my confidence. ‘Professional development is defined as those processes through which the organisation and individuals engage in ongoing learning to meet and address challenges and opportunities within agreed and identifiable boundaries that respect and balance the needs of the departments’ (University of Dundee 2011).
Reflecting on the CDP process has made me realise how valuable this tool is and how much you can gain from it. When I was completing my CPD plan I found it hard to decide upon which should be short term goals and which should be medium. I eventually ended up with my outcome by setting a realistic timeframe in which I could achieve my goals. When undertaking the SWOT analysis I found it much easier to identify my weaknesses over my strengths. I now think this was more of a confidence issue which I managed to overcome by focusing on my strengths and receiving positive feedback from my University Tutor.
Initially I was overwhelmed by the thought of attending the classroom sessions, however after meeting the cohort I realised that I wasn’t alone and everyone had their own anxieties and concerns. The more involved I got with the class based sessions and assignments the more