Self-managed learning entails self-directed learning, action learning, and self-development. In 1978, Ian Cunningham defined the term self-managed learning and since then it has gained popularity among students who until today are increasingly adopting the concept (Serpis et al., 2017). The approach is divided into two different aspects; the first one is the learning group and has children with similar learning goals and of the same age. The second one is the learning agreement and it primarily entails discussions between a support group and a student. The learning group mainly depends on a facilitator to guide students concerning different topics. Groups are essential because they hone a student’s ability to think critically because they are able to share possible goals and outcomes. On the other hand, the learning agreement has five components that it requires students to conduct. In this case, they should know their past, their present, their future, how they plan to reach this future, and the knowledge of whether they have achieved a particular goal. The paper aims at demonstrating the experiences of a financial analyst in relation to self-management learning.
The main focus of self-managed learning is on how efficient the process of learning is without considering its content. According to studies, the process is divided into five sections including autonomous learning, motivation learning, collaborative learning, strategic learning, and Meta-learning (Serpis et al., 2017). All these approaches of evaluation facilitate the learning process to help students develop in their future careers. According to research, Meta-learning eases fundamental alterations in both the managers and learners to adapt to the learning process (Serpis et al., 2017). Meta-analysis achieves this objective by changing both the mindset of the manager and that of the student according to the new self-managed learning ideologies. Changes, in this case, involve altering the way a person utilizes resources and the way they think. The content increases and alters continuously, thus it is not considered as a priority in its initial stages. However, once a person has mastered the process and adjusted their mode of thinking, they will be able to apply their newly found skills to every aspect of life.
The financial sector is an area that is rapidly changing and experiences fast-moving business. Strategic learning is suitable in such areas of business and plays a very important role. According to Bennett (2017), in the current world, there are rapid technological changes and they occur within a short period. To match these rapid technological changes, leaders in the business sector require strategic learning to efficiently perform their roles as managers. Self-managed learning combines learning and management tasks to improve the performance of managers within the financial sector. Strategic learning positions leaders in such a way that they are able to acquire new skills necessary to successfully run a business.
The other function that self-managed learning does is that it allows for collaborative learning. According to Serpis et al. (2017), collaborative learning is essential because it improves and boosts performance among peers by helping colleagues identify their weaknesses. The other aspect of collaborative learning is that it helps peers and colleagues share information. In a company situation, these are important elements that help a business grow and develop. Experts highlight that collaboration is vital when it comes to self-managed learning because it strengthens relations (Serpis et al., 2017). For businesses to create a conducive and liberal environment for their employees, it requires collaboration among its members. On the other hand, motivational learning is an aspect of self-managed learning that seeks to improve the psyche and morale of the learner. Thus, the learner is able to gain the courage and confidence to explore their talents, skills, and potential.
Self-managed learning is further beneficial to an organization and individuals in numerous ways. To begin with, self-managed learning enables an individual to develop self-reliance. In this case, an individual does not require continuous supervision and numerous reminders to perform tasks. Rather, the individual will be aware of their tasks and make efforts to complete them on time. Such individuals make work easier for the organization because they are both accountable and responsible. Moreover, with the element of group development within self-managed learning, it builds relationship among individuals within an organization. According to research, self-managed learning joins people with distinct and unique opinions and characteristics so that they can collaborate and learn to share information (Serpis et al., 2017). Thus, colleagues find it easy to create good relationships thereby making the working environment a suitable place to conduct business.
Self-managed learning also helps individuals deal with ambiguity both in school and in the working environment. In other words, it helps individuals develop decisive decision-making skills. Through self-managed learning, individuals become considerate and patient and perform risk assessments before deciding on a significant matter. As a result, such individuals will be able to help an organization move forward and stay focused on its goals. Furthermore, the theory helps learners and employees change their opinions and ways of thinking. Consequently, they will develop critical thinking, which is essential in managing an organization. Individuals who think critically have the characteristic of being innovative. They would, therefore, help the organization in inventing new products, which would boost business.
For one to be a financial analyst, they need various skills which suit this field. Different organizations choose remarkable and immense staff to drive their organizational objectives. Therefore, there is a need to improve skills based on the type of career one intends to undertake. To succeed in the field of financial analysis, one needs to be collaborative and must be a good time manager. In my case, I believe a can be a good leader in this sector because of my qualities. I believe I am an integral person and this would help me led the firm in numerous decision-making processes. I have mastered the art of delegating duties thanks to the self-managed learning process.
I have identified that despite having numerous strengths that qualify me for the leadership position, I have a few weaknesses. One of these developmental needs is the ability to be courageous when faced with difficult challenges. To ensure that I develop this trait, I will push myself to be able to take more risks. I believe that this will enable me to be a good manager in this sector thereby enabling me to drive the company towards a brighter future. To ensure that improve on these weaknesses, I will devise a professional plan. The plan will involve setting a clear goal that involves improving my risk-taking skills. Within one year, I will conduct research on various topics concerning risk-taking. I will begin training by taking small risks and progress to challenging ones. I also realized that one does not need to be perfect while deciding on significant matters. In this case, I will take into consideration what everyone has to contribute and make the final decision. I believe that by doing so, I will be able to progress and become a good leader. To ensure that I stay on course with what I want to achieve, the plan will be documented.
In my original planning, I did not include my weaknesses as a leader. Through self-managed learning, I was able to understand that part of being a good leader is knowing a person’s weaknesses. The advantage of this is that an individual is able to undertake various steps to ensure they improve these weaknesses. Moreover, by understanding oneself, an individual is able to easily identify opportunities related to business. Consequently, both the individual and the organization will benefit through self-awareness. The time management strategies utilized, in this case, are definite and provide enough time for a given objective to be achieved. The plan involves enrolling in classes that teach decision-making skills such as risk-taking. I believe that the one-year timeframe given would allow one to develop such skills because it is beneficial to the individual and the organization as a whole. Thus, in terms of updates and feedback, the plan is more flexible and can change to fit future needs. The plan is also easy to evaluate based on finite goals and objectives.
One of the major ways of encouraging lifelong learning in personal and professional setups is by encouraging employees to self-manage their learning. An organization should take advantage of its workers’ personal interests. The importance of this is that individuals will develop a good sense of their learning requirements as well as gain better insight into the type of training that is best. In the process, an organization can ensure that workers share any actionable knowledge to maintain control over them. The other way of encouraging lifelong learning is by equating the important performance goals to learning objectives. By doing so, employees would take the learning process seriously and link the process to company performance. As a result, they would be able to unlock the advantages of lifelong learning. The other way companies can encourage lifelong learning is by connecting workers with mentors. These mentors can be related to the company’s line of business and can advise employees on the best way to unlock their skills. They can act as inspirational sources to motivate employees to work hard while still learning.
Developmental needs are necessary for the present and the future. One of the developmental opportunities necessary for the future is the ability to be an agile thinker. This trait is necessary because it would help a leader develop creative and innovative ideas. Managers who are fast thinkers are able to make decisions faster thereby providing their organization with an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. The other opportunity involves being a fast learner, which is the foundation of self-managed learning. In this case, the person will be able to adjust to the new business environment which is rapidly changing. Thus, self-managed learning is useful in almost every sector of the business and political environment. Most importantly, it provides learners with confidence, self-esteem, and self-control which are important skills in life. Through various experiences, one is able to hone their skill of business through lifelong learning.
References
Bennett, B. (2017). Self-managed learning and continuing professional development. Self-Managed Learning in Action, 167-181. Web.
Serpis, R., Aspinall, M., & Shorrick, R. (2017). Organizational change through self-managed learning – the case of PPP healthcare. Self-Managed Learning in Action, 97-116. Web.