Introduction to Personal Development
The notion of personal development has gained a significant amount of prominence within the context of the present day world and provides diverse kinds of benefits to the individuals (Cottrell 2015). Furthermore, the notion of personal development at the same time enables the individuals to have a thorough knowledge regarding the personal strengths as well as weaknesses of one’s own personality or character (Wagner 2016). This particular knowledge is important since it helps the individuals to have an idea about the aspects of their character or personality on which they need to work on and the aspects of their character or personality which are their strong points and on which they need to capitalize (Day et al. 2014). At the same time it is seen that in the present day competitive world the individuals are required to have additional personal skills like effective communication skills, leadership skills, critical decision making skills and others so that they can have a competitive edge or leverage over the other individuals (Gurdjian, Halbeisen and Lane 2014). However, the process of personal development is not that simple since it is often seen that the individuals need to come up of their comfort zone for the process of attaining personal development and at the same time need to suppress the rebellious voice within them to effectively indulge in creative activities (Miscenko, Guenter and Day 2017).
This personal journal will shed light on the personal development of mine through the use of the creativity and also the morning papers. Furthermore, the paper will at the same time shed light on the manner in which the morning papers and also the set exercises were being used by me to not only bring about my personal development but at the same time to myself in the process of my own personal growth.
The morning paper “The Artist’s Way at Work” clearly indicates the importance of the use of the machinery of creativity and also the various creativity tools for the process of the attainment of personal development. Furthermore, the papers at the same time highlight the various benefits of the effective usage of the concept of creativity through the metaphor of the dragon as the representative of the creative spirit of an individual. The work under discussion here states that the creative force is just like a dragon full of raw vibrant energy which is not only difficult to tame but at the same time the use of which makes one feel that they are either undergoing the process of free fall or climbing a mountain in exhilaration. It is pertinent to note that the net result of this particular aspect of the process of creativity is that most of the people do not like to use this process for the attainment of their personal development. Furthermore, at the same time it is seen that the effectiveness of the use of this particular process depends not only in the context in which it is being used but at the same time the manner in which it is being used by an individual.
Importance of Personal Development
I would like to state at this particular juncture that I am the kind of individual who does not likes the use the machinery of creativity for the performance of my day to day activities and generally like to follow the routine or the set pattern that I have developed for the completion of my daily tasks. In the particular context of the morning papers I would like to say that the rebellious as well as the tyrannous aspect of my personality are stronger in comparison to the other aspects of my character or personality. Furthermore, the influence wielded by these sides of my character or personality deter me to utilize the machinery of creativity for the completion of my day to day activities. However, many experts are of the viewpoint that the effective usage of the machinery of creativity can not only help a particular individual to complete the tasks that they have in a better manner but at the same time the process of creativity enables a particular individual to overcome the boredom or the monotony of doing the same repetitive tasks over and over again (Hemlin et al. 2014). Thus, it is likely that the effective usage of the process of creativity is likely to help me in a significant manner for the process of my own self development.
One of the most basic requirements of “The Artist’s Way at Work” is the fact that the individuals should indulge in the process of writing atleast three pages of longhand written morning papers wherein they would express their random thoughts about the things that are going on in their mind. This is particularly aimed to develop not only the creativity of the learners but at the same time to provide an opportunity to the learners which will enable them to known themselves in a much more effective manner (Li and Huang 2016). I would like to mention in this regard that initially I found the job of writing the morning papers a very tedious as well as time consuming and not at all a constructive one. However, soon I realized the fact that it enabled me to not only channelize my thought process but at the same time helped me to convey the things that I felt and also thought in a much more effective manner to the concerned individuals. I personally think that this was important since it indirectly helped me to develop the skill of conveying my thoughts in a much more effective manner to the concerned entities. This is important since the ability to convey one’s thought in an effective manner is important since it helps a particular individual to develop leadership skills, an entity which is important in the present framework of the world (Boies, Fiset and Gill 2015).
The Role of Creativity in Personal Development
The notion of leadership is something which has gained a significant amount of prominence within the framework of the modern day world and at the same time the acquisition of this particular skill provides wide ranging benefits to the concerned individual (Boies, Fiset and Gill 2015). I am personally of the viewpoint that the acquisition of this particular skill enables a particular individual to not only have a competitive advantage over other individuals but at the same time helps them in a significant manner in the process of their personal self development as well. The prominence that the concept of leadership and its effective usage has gained in the recent times can be explained on the basis of the numerous benefits that the usage of this particular process provides not only to the concerned individual but at the same time to the individuals who are associated with the concerned individual as well, namely, the followers and the subordinates (Derecskei 2016). I believe that I can inculcate this particular skill through the effective usage of the morning papers and also the various set exercises which has been provided to me by my professor.
At this particular juncture I would like to shed some light on some of the qualities that I have which I think might help me in an effective manner to become a leader. For example, as an individual I am cooperative, flexible, thoughtful, inspirational, effective decision maker. At the same time I would like to mention that I am a fairly good speaker as well as a listener, am risk taking and am able to motivate the individuals in an effective manner. I am personally of the viewpoint that these skills afford me the opportunity to become a better leader in comparison to the other individuals. For example, the effective communication skill which I have is likely to help me in a significant manner to not only communicate in a much more effective manner with the diverse members of my team but at the same time is likely to help me in a significant manner to convey the required information or the message to the different members of my team (Bono 2015). This is important since it will help me to explicitly state the diverse job roles that the different members of my team are required to perform but at the same time will enable me to influence them to achieve the targets that had been set for the team. Furthermore, recent researches have suggested that the leaders who have effective communication skills are more likely to gain success through the improvement of the performance of the different members of the team rather than the ones who do not posses this particular skill (Huda et al. 2018).
Morning Papers in Personal Development
The skills of effective decision making, motivating the different members of team, cooperation and others are also likely to help me in a significant manner (Runco 2014). For example, the leadership skill of motivation is likely to help me in a significant manner to effective inspire or motivate the different members of my team so that they are being able to achieve the target or the goals that had been set for the entire team itself (Runco 2014). In addition to this, the skill of effective decision making will at the same time enable me to make the kind of decisions which will be beneficial for all the members of the team and will at the same time foster trust as well as faith in them on my leadership abilities. This is important since in the present times it is seen that the leaders who are being able to imbue trust as well as faith have better chances of gaining success in comparison to the ones who do not (Stein 2014). These in short are some of the strengths that I have as a leader, which I think are likely to help me in a significant manner to gain a considerable amount of success.
The leadership aspects in which I lack are creativity, intuitive abilities and others on which I need to work on so as to become an effective leader who has the ability to not only motivate the different members of the group but at the same time to help them in the achievement of the goals or the objectives that they have set for themselves by means of mutual agreement. The process of working through the various morning papers clearly indicates that I lack creativity and generally like to take the help of fixed patterns as well as routines for the dispensation of the tasks or the job roles that had been assigned to me. I am aware of the diverse benefits that the effective usage of the process of creativity provides to the various leaders and in the light of the various benefits that the effective usage of the process of creativity provides to the leaders it becomes all the more important for me to inculcate this particular skill as part of my personal development plan. In this particular context I would like to mention that clearly the process of creativity is a challenge for my leadership abilities. In addition to this, another significant skill which I will have to develop in order to become an effective leader is my intuitive abilities. My own personal experiences suggest that I clearly lack intuitive abilities and this particular weakness of mine affects in an adverse manner the diverse decisions that I make. Thus, I personally believe that in order to become an effective leader I would have to inculcate this particular skill. These in short are some of the weaknesses that I have as a leader and on which I need to work so as to become an effective leader.
Acquiring Leadership Skills through Personal Development
My vision as a leader is to help each of the members of my team to achieve the job roles as well as the targets that had been assigned to them so as to improve the individual performance level of my team mates and also the overall performance of my team mates. At the same time I am aware that the achievement of this particular goal is likely to require me to develop effective communication skills, critical decision making skills, motivation and inspirational skills and others so that I am being able to help my team mates in the best possible manner. Furthermore, at the same time as a leader I believe in the values of integrity, ethics, working for the benefit of my team mates or followers and others. However, at the same time I would like to mention that the effective implementation of this particular vision would require me to focus on the concept of creativity in a much more effective manner. Thus, I am of the viewpoint that the overcoming of this weakness of shortcoming will require me to indulge in a much more effective manner in the morning papers and the other set exercises that has been provided to me by my professor.
Clinton (2018) is of the viewpoint that the process of personal development requires a particular individual to seek new avenues of growth by making the most of the opportunities that the usage of the processes of creativity, innovation and others present to the individuals. One of the most important impacts of the effective utilisation of opportunities presented by these factors is seen in the particular sphere of the development of one’s leadership skills (Miscenko, Guenter and Day 2017). It is pertinent to note that the machinery of leadership is one which can render diverse kinds of benefits to the individuals however for the effective development of this particular skill one needs to make the most of the opportunities presented by the factors of creativity, innovation and others (Wagner 2016). The writing of the morning papers in this particular aspects gains prominence since by indulging in the creative process of writing these morning papers I can not only develop my creative abilities but at the same time my leadership abilities as well. This is important since recent researches have shown that almost all of the leaders of the present take the help of the machinery of creativity for effectively leading the subordinates or the followers who are associated with them at some point of time or the other. Thus, it becomes all the more important for me to indulge in the activity of writing those morning papers and thereby develop my creative abilities and also my leadership skills in a much more effective manner.
Personal Qualities for Effective Leadership
To conclude, the process of personal development is a very important one for the various individuals since it enables them to work on the various weaknesses that they have and also to further strengthen the plus points of their personality or character. Furthermore, at the same time it is seen that the process of personal development helps a particular individual to acquire the kinds of skills that they do not have and which is likely to benefit them in a significant manner in the future times. Thus, the diverse kinds of leadership skills or traits can be acquired by an individual through the effective usage of the tool of personal development. Furthermore, at the same time it is seen that the construct of leadership requires an individual to have a wide number of skills or character attributes and it is not possible for a particular individual to have all the skills or the traits that are required to become an effective leader. Thus, the individuals can take the help of process of personal development to have the skill sets that they lack.
References
Boies, K., Fiset, J. and Gill, H., 2015. Communication and trust are key: Unlocking the relationship between leadership and team performance and creativity. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(6), pp.1080-1094.
Clinton, R., 2018. The making of a leader: Recognizing the lessons and stages of leadership development. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Day, D.V., Fleenor, J.W., Atwater, L.E., Sturm, R.E. and McKee, R.A., 2014. Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25 years of research and theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), pp.63-82.
De Bono, E., 2015. Serious Creativity: How to be creative under pressure and turn ideas into action. Random House.
Derecskei, A., 2016. How do leadership styles influence the creativity of employees?. Society and Economy in Central and Eastern Europe, 38(1), pp.103-118.
Gurdjian, P., Halbeisen, T. and Lane, K., 2014. Why leadership-development programs fail. McKinsey Quarterly, 1(1), pp.121-126.
Hemlin, S., Mumford, M.D., Allwood, C.M. and Martin, B., 2014. Creativity and leadership in science, technology, and innovation. Routledge.
Huda, M., Mat Teh, K.S., Nor Muhamad, N.H. and Mohd Nasir, B., 2018. Transmitting leadership based civic responsibility: insights from service learning. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 34(1), pp.20-31.
Li, R. and Huang, M., 2016. Leadership Empowerment Behavior to Creativity: Perceived Status and Feedback Seeking Climate. In Academy of Management Proceedings(Vol. 2016, No. 1, p. 14413). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.
Miscenko, D., Guenter, H. and Day, D.V., 2017. Am I a leader? Examining leader identity development over time. The Leadership Quarterly, 28(5), pp.605-620.
Runco, M.A., 2014. Creativity: Theories and themes: Research, development, and practice. Elsevier.
Stein, M.I., 2014. Stimulating creativity: Individual procedures. Academic Press.
Wagner, W.E., 2016. Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley & Sons.
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