What is continuous professional development and why is it important to me?
Continuous professional development, or CPD as it is often referred to, is a career management choice. It is your career so you should manage your career. Leading UK creative sector coaching and mentor, Alec McPhedran, explains a useful approach to planning and managing your own continuous professional development. In career coaching, I often find people are in a role based on the needs of another, higher level person rather than where the individual wants to be. Planning your career is so important as it provides focus and clarity in what you want to do and what you do not want to do. It’s your career so plan where you want to be. Continuous professional development, or CPD as it is often referred to, is the ongoing, systematic self directed learning approach or process that should be a normal part of how you plan and manage your whole working life. The UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) explain that CPD as Continuing Professional Development is a combination of approaches, ideas and techniques that will help you manage your own learning and growth. The focus of CPD is firmly on results – the benefits that professional development can bring you in the real world. The CPD model is an approach to help you sit down and plan your knowledge, skills and experiences development and transfer your learning objectives and actions on to a personal development plan. This is often required by institutions in order to retain a membership such as the CPD, Institute of Mechanical Engineers or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. As you progress and gain new knowledge, skills and experiences, you then log these on to a CPD record, reflecting on what you have learnt, the transferable skills and how you can build on these – hence the CPD model. Research The starting point would be research. An honest self appraisal and reflection, likely some valuable 360 feedback. You should know what your current knowledge, skills and experience is and recognise strengths. Essentially you are where you are based on your strengths. You should also focus on areas you might like to develop. Then you focus on the research of the next and potentially future roles you would like to be doing. These will likely have criteria in competencies, knowledge, skills, qualifications, behaviours or experiences needed and this is incredibly useful. You can then map out what you currently have and then what you need to develop. Identify With this information, you should then plan, and if you prefer, discuss with others, what specific knowledge, skills, behaviours and experiences you need to have to progress your career. Clearly note these down as the start of your CPD planning. Plan This is a key element of CPD. You need to plan your development steps. Typically, people would use SMART based objectives, identify key steps on what needs to be achieved and by when. In some cases, it helps to list who can help at each step such as a mentor, an inhouse coach, a colleague, a friend or a professional body. These objectives are transferred to your personal development plan and this should be an ongoing and ,moving plan. It is your road map for your future and of course, in life, we have roadworks and need to at times try a different route to get to our goal. Learn When you complete an activity that gives you new knowledge or skills, you should record these on a CPD log. A log is useful as it captures your learning, new knowledge and skills and reflections in having completed that activity. It captures those new skills that are transferable to other situations. A CPD log is an essential part of development and is widely used in qualifications and institute membership requirements. If you are working on your development with a line manager, mentor or coach, discuss new learning that they too have seen and add to you CPD log. Embed Learning is actually relatively straightforward, embedding new behaviour not quite so easy. A study by the University of London identified that on average, it takes 66 days for a behaviour to become automatic. To change your behaviour requires persistence, motivation and honest self-management and awareness. Maxwell Maltz also identified that from his work, it might take a minimum of 21 days to change one behaviour. To change your behaviour, perhaps consider a close colleague who can remind you if they see, hear or feel you are resorting back to type when you are trying to change an attitude or personal style. Review Once you have achieved a personal CPD objective from your PDP, reflect on the whole process and again, capture reasons for the success and how you achieved these. This is great information as it is something you have achieved and that is something to build on. Your approach to things is not the same as others so it has to be your foundation for moving forward in your career in the way you now know is your approach to succeeding. Of course, within Continuous Professional Development, you have the work continuous. The need to keep moving forward is key in that the model is a cycle. It’s a personal continuous improvement cycle so what’s next and begin the journey again. As a coach, I am regularly impressed in what people achieve once they realise they can take control and make things happen. Again, it is your career so take ownership. Your CPD is your personally designed map that takes you to where you want to be. Have fun. The Continuous Professional Development has been developed by Alec McPhedran Chtd Fellow CIPD, Chtd Mngr CMI, as a tool to guide thoughts and planning in managing and developing their own career. For further information, visit www.mcphedran.co.uk.. Copyright © Alec McPhedran 2022
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What are VARK Learning Styles
Developing learning interventions does have to have more focus on the learner or a group of learners. Often, learning events can be developed in the preferred style of the tutor or trainer and of course, that perhaps would not suit quite a few of the people involved in the learning activity. In this article, VARK is discussed by creative sector coach and mentor Alec McPhedran in how consideration should be given to apply the styles to enrich the learner experience. VARK is a popular model that categorizes learning styles based on the way individuals prefer to learn and process information. Developed by Neil Fleming in the late 1980s, the VARK model suggests that people have distinct preferences for how they acquire and understand new information. The acronym VARK stands for four main learning styles. Visual (V): Visual learners prefer to learn through visual aids such as diagrams, charts, graphs, videos, and other visual representations. They tend to remember information best when they can see it presented in a clear and organized manner Auditory (A): Auditory learners develop best through hearing or sound methods, such as listening to lectures, discussions or podcasts. They often remember information by associating it with sounds, tones, and spoken words Read/Write (R): Read/write learners prefer written information, including textbooks, written instructions, and note-taking. They learn effectively by reading and writing out information, summarizing concepts, and creating lists Kinesthetic (K): Kinesthetic learners, also known as tactile learners, learn best through hands-on experiences, physical activities, and interactive learning. They like to engage in activities that involve movement, touch, and practical application of concepts It's important to note that while the VARK model provides a framework for understanding learning preferences, research on the effectiveness of tailoring instruction to specific learning styles has shown mixed results. Some studies suggest that individuals may benefit from a combination of learning styles rather than being strictly confined to one. Additionally, many educators emphasize the importance of incorporating a variety of teaching methods to accommodate different learning preferences and create a more comprehensive learning experience. Designing Learning with VARK When designing instruction or learning experiences using the VARK learning styles model, it's important to keep in mind that learners often have a combination of preferences, and using a variety of methods can enhance their overall learning experience. Here's how you can incorporate the VARK model into your learning design: Assessment of learner preferences
Visual learners (V)
Auditory learners (A)
Read/Write learners (R)
Kinesthetic learners (K)
Multimodal approach Recognize that learners may have preferences in multiple categories. Design activities that cater to different learning styles within a single lesson or unit. Provide options for learners to choose how they engage with content. For example, offer both a visual infographic and a podcast for the same information. Flexible content presentation Present information in multiple formats. For instance, include both text and images to appeal to both visual and read/write learners. Accompany auditory content with visual aids to reinforce learning for aural and visual learners. Varied assessments Offer a range of assessment methods, such as quizzes, written assignments, group discussions, and practical projects. Ensure that the assessment methods align with the learning preferences and activities of different learners Feedback and application Gather feedback from learners about their experiences with different learning methods. Use the feedback to adapt your delivery or teaching strategies and improve the learning design over time Remember that the goal is to create a balanced and inclusive learning environment that accommodates various learning preferences. While the VARK model can provide valuable insights, it's essential to recognize that learners are diverse and may benefit from a combination of approaches. Alec McPhedran Chtd Fellow CIPD, Chtd Mngr CMI, MAC, MCMI is a coach and mentor for talented creative people. He specialises in one to one coaching, facilitated learning, media coaching and team development. For further information, visit www.mcphedran.co.uk. Copyright © Alec McPhedran 2024 Coaching creative talent with GENIUS Coaching is facilitating people to reach their unique potential. A coach should consider the effective management of the coaching process so as to reach session goals as effectively and as focused as possible. Alec McPhedran explains the simple to use but highly effective GENIUS coaching framework for creative coaching sessions. In essence, coaching is a simple process. However, we must make sure we do simple well. At its heart lies good questioning, listening and the ability to summarise. The challenges are building trust and maintaining a positive working and open relationship in which the coachee feels they are the focus of attention and that they are being helped to work on their ideas. The additional skill is managing the process of the coaching session. This has to be timely as well as facilitating the individual to move forward. In the creative industries in which I mainly work, it is critical ideas and solutions came from the individual being coached. That’s really hard when you believe you know what the solution is. But surely that’s one of the issues of coaching, “What you believe the solution is.” Great coaching is about working the individual. It’s their imagination and their aspiration. Our job is to help turn these into a reality. Not the coach’s reality or perceived reality. It has to be owned by the coachee. As a coach, your inputs have to be really relevant, valid and appropriate if and when invited to do so. You, the coach, act as the conductor. The individual has the talent. The coach’s role is to get the best out of the talent. Like most coaches, I have come across a number of really useful coaching models, including the simple but highly effective GROW model. The common view is that the GROW model derived from Performance Coaching by John Whitmore. GROW is used to structure the coaching session; Goals, Realities, Options and Will, as in “What will you do?” This is pretty good, particularly for offering line managers a coaching tool but for professional coaches it sometimes might need a bit more. Another useful model is CLEAR, developed by Peter Hawkins. CLEAR concentrates on Contracting, Listening, Exploring, Action and Review. Working in the creative industries often has me having to work with additional technique in the coaching session. Creativity, innovation, exciting aspirations and ideas that need turning into a reality. That’s the amazing and exciting challenge in media with creative coaching. For me, a new approach was needed to help inspire and push my clients. GENIUS GENIUS coaching developed following a chat with a pretty cynical script-writing friend. She felt coaching had its place but most definitely not in the world of ‘creative people’. Her previous experience of being coached while working at a leading broadcaster had been helpful but only in career progression and not on her desire to be the best in her field of telling stories. A number of coaches had not been able to really meet her creative aspiration. This made me think about myself, my own ability to go further than I had been before with people and therefore how could I meet her challenge? Yes there are excellent coaches who are very focussed on pushing people but are we held back with the SMART objective format? Are we sometimes held back by our own feelings if moving out of our own comfort level? Her point was do we really push people past their boundaries? Was I really helping by agreeing to a coachees initial objectives or was I really stretching them, taking them to new and exciting places, sometimes scary, in their ambition? Over the following months I revisited my coaching sessions, the processes I was using and depending on subjects, the results we were getting. Goals were being achieved but I was wondering could it have been wider reaching, more challenging – truly daring to be different. The GENIUS model of coaching evolved after testing it out on some knowing victims with mixed success. I was particularly influenced by Jenny Rogers, author of Coaching Skills, a Handbook. Jenny mixes coaching fantastically well with Neuro Linguistic Programming. Thinking of end goals, care with use of language and testing the energy to achieve things. People who were really up for a new adventure opened their mind to great new ideas, concepts and opportunities that truly seemed off the wall. But importantly, motivational for a creative person. With some, it made them feel uncomfortable and my learning was that you had to work with the aspiration and the reality of their ambition in their style. Again, not my ambition or my preferred coaching or creative thinking techniques. Eventually the GENIUS model came out, probably the result of a fire, aim ready strategy. It’s now one of my favourite models, particularly when working with exciting creative talent. GENIUS coaching is simple. GENIUS is a guide to running a coaching session. It’s yet another useful model for coaches for their toolkit. It does draw its inspiration from the likes of GROW, OSKAR and other coaching models. Simple is good but the skills is in doing simple well. Goals The first step of GENIUS is to set the GOALS, a rather obvious starting point. We know the goal, purpose or aim is critical for a number of reasons but primarily it provides us with the reminder of what it is we are working on, what needs to be achieved. It makes sure all future conversation is relevant to achieving the goal. With GENIUS coaching, there are three types of goals to set.
Energy Once the aspirational goal and the session goal (or goals) has been set, the next part of GENIUS coaching is to look at the ENERGY of the coachee. They may want to achieve something that is far reaching for them but do they really have the energy? The desire to achieve and the energy to do something can sometimes be poles apart. Get the client to rate their energy levels to make this work, perhaps by giving a score out of 10. Without the genuine energy to achieve the goal, is the goal the right one in the first place? Another useful tool to use here, again thanks to Jenny Rogers, is to ask how motivated they are about achieving the goals. A rating of 1 to 10 equally helps give some indication of possible investigation. A useful read on the importance of personal energy is the high performance pyramid by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz (2003). The focus of the model is the importance and connectivity in the four energy levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The theme is not so much about how you manage your time but how you manage (and control) your personal energy. Really helpful in probing commitment to achieving an aspiration. Nurture Once goals have been established and the energy levels checked to achieve them, you then need to NURTURE the range of opportunities and options. This is very much the Options stage of GROW. This again is where the questioning, listening, summarising and creative thinking skills of the coach come into play. Your ability to brainstorm, encourage creative thinking; thinking of things that are really off the wall, never been done before are absolutely critical. When nurturing ideas, this ideally should be treated in the same way as a pure brainstorming session. Pull out the ideas, don’t critique to early, set the parameters linked to the objectives and work through some of the ideas. This is also a great time to use challenging and creative thinking tools such as de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats (data, emotion, negativity, positiveness, feel good, innovative thinking and process). Once you have looked at each idea, work through and prioritise the key actions that came out of the nurturing process. Priority action one is the way forward. Options two, three and four – potential back up ideas. From the Six Thinking Hats model you will then be able to move into the next stage of GENIUS coaching thanks to the identifying emotions and negatives from the red and black hat discussions. Inhibitors That’s because you need to revisit the agreed priority actions from the nurturing stage and identify the INHIBITORS. That is, what is going to stop the ideas from working? This is really powerful as you seek out the negatives. It’s those negatives that you then address with the client to establish how they will be tackled should they arise. I guess the development of the cunning Plan B scenario. We are great at planning the perfect life with Plan A. Unfortunately life’s not perfect. Therefore it makes sense to anticipate inhibitors. Manage them into positives. It’s worthwhile at this point revisiting your nurtured actions to see if they need revising to reflect the points identified in the inhibitors stage of the session. Utopia So, we now know what we want, how much energy the client has to achieve their goal, we’ve generated some great ideas and have identified the potential problems and the likely responses. If all works fantastically well then… UTOPIA; an imagined perfect place or state of things. This is where the coaches Neuro Linguistic Programming knowledge comes more into play. Can you get the individual to visually, auditory and kinaesthetically imagine their Utopia once the goals will be achieved? This is a powerful tool to make the end result of a coaching session feel real. It’s what turns that aspiration into the reality. Visioning, recording or feeling that end goal gives the goal life. It puts Utopia in the mind of the individual. I have even gone so far as to encourage clients to make that picture real – getting or drawing a close or true to life image and then placing it in eye sight at their desk. Weird I know but it definitely works. For the auditory types, a written statement always at hand seems to have the same effect. We’re back to the immense importance of goals. Once they look and feel real, once we are emotionally attached to them, they will become real. Developing, writing down and imagining goals is an essential role of the coach to get the client to understand this. Steps Finally, the coaching session is rounded off by summarising the STEPS to be taken by the coachee. What will they do between now and the next session? These are developed by writing SMART (specific, measurable, realistic, agreed and timed) Action Goals and clarifying the actual steps to take to achieve the Action Goals. I guess in the good old day that was called action planning. So there you have it. Yet another wonderful tool for coaching. The very simple GENIUS coaching model. It’s about pushing ambition and creativity further for creative people, exploring amazing and varied opportunities and imagining the realities of what success will look, feel or sound like. Obviously I know this model may not be perfect for some, that’s the beauty of the business we’re in. If we were all perfect then we wouldn’t have anybody to coach. The GENIUS Coaching Model G – Goals to be achieved E – Energy to achieve the goals N – Nurturing and exploring options to achieve the goals I – Inhibitors that may arise on the way to achieving goals U – Utopia when the goals will be achieved S – Steps to be taken to achieve the goals Article published in theTraining Journal September 1 2009 GENIUS coaching has been developed by Alec McPhedran Chard FCIPD, Chtd Mngr CMI, MAC, MCMI, as a tool for people who coach creative talent; to guide them through an inspirational and wide reaching coaching session. First published in 2006, the GENIUS Coaching Model helps to manage a creative flowing coaching session. Alec is a creative sector trainer, coach and mentore. He specialises in one to one coaching, facilitated learning, and team development. For further information, visit www.mcphedran.co.uk Copyright 2006 Alec McPhedran. All rights reserved. |
AuthorAlec McPhedran is a long established creative sector trainer, coach and mentor. Archives
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