Personal

Performance
Development Plan
(PPDP)
Assignment –Two PLAN 7902

Application of Project Management

Sivananthan Pathmanathan
(SID41914306)
10/12/2009
 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
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Title Page

Personal Performance Development Plan

This document is a business report on how I can build skills and capabilities in order
to achieve professional and personal development in the field of project
management. This is a course requirement of the Masters of Project Management
at the University of Queensland in the subject of Application of Project Management.

Student Name: Sivananthan Pathmanathan

Student ID No: 41914306

Course Code: PLAN7902

Course Name: Applications of Project Management

Programme: Master of Project Management (MPM)

Lecturer: Mr. Michael Axelsen

Course Co-ordinator: Dr. Clive Warren

Assignment No: Two

Due Date: 12th of October, 2009

Word Limit: 3000 words

Word Count: 3141 (excluding tables & headings)

Weighting: 40%

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Executive Summary

Personal performance development plan (PPDP) is a guide for individuals to improve their
knowledge and skills in order to move ahead in career and personal life in the sense of
balance development. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to prepare an action plan to
myself to address my training and learning needs by assessing my present capabilities
compare with the desired competencies of managers with the support of gap analysis
models. Accordingly, as I am a middle level manager in the field of project management,
my desired level of competencies are incorporated with knowledge and change
management in an organisation, leadership and interpersonal self-development skills and
competencies. According to the gap analysis, I face skills shortage in the areas of
communication and information technology, managing people, self confidence and
language proficiencies. Consequently, I have planned to empower on those areas by
training and education by applying various interventions to become a best project manager
in the field of development projects. Therefore, PPDP provides marvellous opportunity to
both personals and organisations to improve their performance in a way of guiding people
towards better, happy, balanced life.

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Table of Content

Purpose............................................................................................... 05

Scope.................................................................................................. 05

Introduction................................................................................................... 06

Initial level of capabilities............................................................................... 06

Personal and Career Goals.............................................................................. 10

Desired level of competencies...................................................................... 11

Gap Analysis................................................................................................ 17

Action Plan................................................................................................... 20

Discussion…………......................................................................................... 23

Conclusion.................................................................................................... 23

References................................................................................................... 24

Appendixes................................................................................................ 25

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Purpose

The purpose of this report is to understand and acquire skills and capabilities in the aspects
of personal productivity management and professional development in the sense of project
manager as a potential role in the field of project management. The objective is to create
an action plan by assessing the gaps between the existing and desired performance and
preferences of myself as a project team member to enable to improve in those areas in
order to achieve better development. The ultimate aim is to provide summary curriculum
vitae of myself.

Scope

The scope of this report is to focus on creating a Personal Performance Development Plan
(PPDP) by examining the present performance and preferences of myself in terms of
current experience and strengths and weaknesses in personal productivity, management
and professional development. With the support of empirical research findings and course
readings it will enable me and my organisation to use this report for my personal and
career development.

Desired Personal
Performance
competencies Development Plan

Existing
capabilities Gap analysis

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Introduction

A Personal development plan (PDP) provides support to individuals to identify their training
needs and prepare an action plan for implementing the planned activities (Rao, 2004).
Armstrong (2000) defines the PDP as a set out action for an individual to learn for their
development with the guidance, encouragement and help from their managers. Further, he
emphasises that a PDP provides focus to plan and promote learning skills in order to
progress their career. Consequently, Gannon (1995) cited by Armstrong (2000) identifies
the process of personal development planning in line with four stages as shown in the
figure 1.

Assess
Current
Position

Implem Indivitual set

entation Development Goals

Plan
Action

(Figure 1, Source: Armstrong, 2000)

Initial level of Capabilities

Self-Introduction

I am Siva and I work for one of the line Ministries in Sri Lanka in the field of managing
developing projects which are executed to enhance desired improvements in vocational
and technical training. My responsibilities are to evaluate and monitor foreign funded
projects executed by different levels of agencies. Mostly, my responsibility is to hold

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progress review meetings and obtain feedback, then assisting the top level management to
direct those projects on the right track in order to obtain desired outcomes and goals.

Self-assessment

Before I joined this new career in five years ago I had been engaged in teaching profession
for nearly ten years. My educational background is Bachelor of Science and Post Graduate
Diploma in Education and currently I am studying the Master of Project Management
course at the University of Queensland. I was educated in my mother tongue up to senior
secondary level incorporated with strong Tamil cultural norms and customs including Hindu
religious values and ethics in a remote village. Due to unavailability of English in early
school and college days, I believe my communication capability was not up to the desired
level in English.

My life is not comfortable at all due to the very brutal ethnic war in Sri Lanka but a
satisfactory one as I am an upper-middle class citizen of a developing country. My wife is a
teacher and I have two children and very associative relatives and friends. Though I am
not a sporting personality, I have an interest in sports especially in cricket but am not
addicted to it. I prefer to do social works and community activities like voluntary services
but I did not have enough chances to engage it this due to several displacements by war.
This resulted into weak social networking, less interaction with other communities and
inaccessibility of international exposure.

In my life, there is no particular person who has influenced my personality or psycho-

motivation but school teachers had certain powers to mould me as who I am today. Even
though I did not admire any stereo type character, Mr. Hater, who is the project director of
Technical Education Development Project (TEDP) funded by Asian development bank
(ADB) in my workplace, showed me the path how to work with time schedules in complex
situations especially how to mitigate risks and constraints. This brought major change in
my time management and skills in handling uncertainty.

My personality type is different from my colleagues because they all have quite enough
exposure in management environments and almost all form the same educational
background and culture but, in my case, I am from an entirely different educational
background and past work experience. I prefer to deal directly with people and associate
with their development in the sense of giving priority to feelings and senses rather than

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rules and regulations. Thus, I have less experience in managerial skills and therefore I feel
a lack of confidence in my skills.

I prefer harmonious associations with people and I expect smooth functioning in work and
life and for that I desire participatory management or democratic leadership style. I like to
encourage people to learn through their work and respect others cultures, norms and
values in order to gain personal and organisational goals on a common platform.
Therefore, I always prefer visionary leadership to focus future benefit in boarder manner
irrespective of differences.

Peer Group assessment

Peer group assessment is a method of obtaining feedback from third persons about an
individual. 360 – Degree feedback is a systematic method for collection of opinions about
an individual and group from a number of stakeholders (Ward, 1997 cited by Armstrong,
2000). Moreover, Armstrong (2000) describes that this is a multisource assessment
(multilateral feedback) from managers, team leaders, peers, internal customers and direct
reports (self-assessment) for remedies by expert counselling and coaching as shown in
figure 2.

Managers

Internal
Peers Indivitual
Customers

Director
Reports

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(Figure 2, Source: Armstrong, 2000)

Accordingly, the following comments have been received from one of my peers about me;

 Siva is mature in the sense of responsibility of work and accountability.

 Siva has good self- driven motivation and he performs well in meeting deadlines,
but he does not achieve work standards.
 Siva is good in mathematical analysis by which he is capable to analyse critical
issues and find solutions, but he is not confident enough to take decisive decisions
in complex situations.
 Siva has a lack of confidence in his communication abilities due to his language
barrier.
 Siva is genuine hardworking character but his outputs are not satisfactory when
compared with his effort.

Personal and Career Goals

As project management is a new field to me, I have to improve in several managerial skills
and competencies for career development to achieve my ambition to become a best project
manager in the field of development projects and achieve a balanced happy life. As per the
above purpose I have the following career and personal goals to be achieved in future.

Short term goals;

 To acquire better communication skills incorporated with modern information

technology (IT) in order to manage information for creation of better strategic self-
direction (autonomy in workplaces).
 To upgrade my IT skills incorporating rapid changes of new technology.
 To learn project management tools and techniques (MS Project, Primavera, Prince2,
PMBOK standards) to perform managerial activities within the time frame in order
to achieve productivity and success.
 To enhance leadership competencies to manage teams of stake holders in terms of
quality circle, workforce and autonomous work teams for effective tasks
achievement.
 To become a good decision maker by managing knowledge and change initiatives in
both work and life.

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 To gain language competencies in Sinhala (one of the local languages in Sri Lanka)
to communicate and coordinate for obtaining feedback from local stake holders
especially project beneficiaries or target groups.
 To master the English language, to learn foreign knowledge and skills in order to
practise in both career and personal development when competing with others.

Long term goals

 To become a self aware situational leader

 To uplift my career to face new challenges with competitors, according to
globalisation.
 To share my current learning knowledge with colleagues to organise my own
project management team for my organisation.
 To contribute my knowledge to establish a better project management tools (on-
line project evaluation) in my organisation.
 To become a competent project manager to work in International Non-
governmental Organisations (INGOs) to serve my nation for their rehabilitation after
the civil war.
 To provide good education to my children to meet future challenges.
 To provide fullest corporation to my spouse in her career development.

Desired Level of Competencies

Success of a project and its maturity and excellence in management highly depends on
proper management towards achieving desired outputs. Quite often, in project team
especially, project managers should have required knowledge, skills and competencies in
business management fields, Kerzner (2004). According to Axelsen (2009), knowledge
management (KM), change management and leadership are a few core areas in which
managers should enhance expected capabilities in order to empower themself in project
management professionalism. In addition, interpersonal skills management and self
management are also to be developed in managers’ career in the field of project
management.

Managing knowledge is an important aspect in the sense of acquire required knowledge

and by which making decisions. John (1999) defines that KM is the talent to select and

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capture work related knowledge to achieve and access the best practices and decision
making of both employees and managers in terms of individual and group behaviours.
Basically, KM is an approach to manage intellectual assets and other information in a way
of providing competitive advantage in a company, (John, 1999). Accordingly, it can be
classified in a model as shown in the figure-3.

(Figure – 3, Source: Axelesn, 2009)

Subsequently, Liebowitz & Megbolugbe (2003) developed a KM framework (KMF) that will
address the success of critical factors that provide empowerment to managers to improve
in required capabilities such as awareness, strategy, targets, taxonomy and benchmarking
in KM. According to Axelesen (2009), KMF maturity model is clearly useful to managers to
access their organisation. By which sharing and understanding of knowledge seems to be
an asset of individual, team and organisation as a strategy to practice in remaining areas.
In strategy, managers are expected to identify the differences between data, critical
information and knowledge through organisational resources and experiences. In
Knowledge network, knowledge exchange is vital to maximise the knowledge impact on the
productivity of management. As stakeholders, clients, partners, consultants and community
members closely interact with each other, information and knowledge sharing is crucial for
managers to have the ability to create an effective knowledge network as shown in figure
4.

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(Figure – 4, Source: Axelesn, 2009)

The next useful aspect is technology by which most of the tasks will be performed
efficiently within the time frame and budget of projects. Therefore, technology skills are
very useful to managers to create knowledge and values of that from the information.
Managers are able to organise and create discrete tasks by connecting and knowledge
sharing across the organisation with the support of collaborative technology skills. Further,
IT is another paradigm to make evidence based decisions. For this, managers should be
able to know the types and quality of information and related business rules and
regulations in particular with quality data and mandated information essential for
operational requirements. Establishing information quality roles and management process
skills also require managers to manage information resources to support strategic direction.
Capability of mitigating knowledge risks and identifying expert sets of knowledge also
requested competencies to meet current demands and reduce the time for new entrants
under capacity and capability area. Moreover, Innovation is a key area in the sense of
sustainable development in a business. Therefore, managers provide high priority for
innovation for new products and services by maximising returns from knowledge based
assets. As knowledge sharing stimulates the development of innovations, managers should
be aware about the tools of knowledge sharing. Finally, managers should know the
measurement tools of knowledge management activities. Key performance indicators
(KPIs) are the best tool to evaluate impacts of knowledge and information management
effects in projects especially, score-cards are a good tool to managers in this respect,
(Axelesen, 2009).

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Change management (CM) basically arises from the leaders’ vision and the success of it
depend on changing the organisational culture and employees’ attitudes (Sirkin, Keenan, &
Jackson, 2005). Bergeron (2003) emphasises that effective leadership is a predicator of
effective initiatation of knowledge management by the experience of CM. Therefore,
leadership is highly incorporated with knowledge and change management. Thus, it is
expected that managers should be capable in certain skills in order to initiate changes in
business. However, Top-down transformation is the key factor of CM in an organisation
and for that visionary leadership is required (Srikin et al., 2005). Accordingly, managers’
personal experience and their success factors are most likely relevant to make
transformation initiatives. Srikin (et al., 2005) identifies those success factors in two
categories such as soft factors; culture, leadership and motivation and, hard factors;
duration, integrity, commitment and efforts (DICE) in project execution. So, managers
upgrade their skills in measuring the organisation in both directly and indirectly by
communicating quickly. For measuring, identifying gaps and risks in project execution,
listing stake holders and their needs and talking with them about project change
programmes are a few needed managerial skills, (Sirkin et al., 2005). Further, Sirkin (et al.,
2005) points out that success of change management depends on the quality of teams and
its leader. Therefore, leadership skills are vital to discuss at this stage.

Leadership is an intangible asset to achieve high performance by helping others to act well
in an organisation. John (1999) defines leadership as a practice having a clear focus to
communicate it to others and provide chances to them to develop. Further, McGregor cited
by Rudman (2003) divided it into two types which are transactional and transformational
leadership. However, Kotter cited by Radman (2003) reveals that a successful organisation
needs good managers to produce worthwhile changes in order to manage and control
complexity. Hence, managers need leadership capabilities to achieve success in their goals.
Jhon (1999) emphasises that listening, empowering, adapting, delivering and self-
understanding are the five fundamental competencies in leadership. Further, he lists the
following competencies to access managers’ capability in directing people in an
organisation;

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Give people responsibility for tasks and projects Listen carefully to others
Challenge the rules and conventions in the organisation Have a clear vision for the
team
Have a clear perception of your strengths and Encourage ideas from the team
weaknesses
Anticipate and adapt to changing conditions Demonstrate trust to others
Communicate the vision and ideas clearly to others Manage stress well
Spend time keeping up to date and developing new skills Motivate and encourage others
Provide training to enable people to work effectively Help others to manage change
Demonstrate a high level of commitment in your work Manage time well
Provide support for people when needed Focus on achieving results
Develop a good communication network throughout the Have a positive attitude
organisation towards yourself

Moreover, Kermally (2002) emphasises the following as a set of competency of leaders in

the twenty-first century;

Take part in the learning organisation Act as a coach

Provide resources to show commitment Get rid of a balance culture
Reward and recognise the efforts of staff Listen for various possibilities
Share the vision and involve people in strategy Free up information and encourage
formulation knowledge creation
Facilitate the individual and team development

Interpersonal skills management is the other extreme of personality of project managers

for their productivity in programme management. According to Axelsen (2009), there are
four dimensions in personality types. They are categorised in the way of practise such as
energy usage attitudes (extraversion – introversion), kind of information perceiving

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(sensing - intuition), method of decision making (thinking - fleeing) and finally preference
of living in structured or spontaneous ways (judging - perceiving).

In addition, Self-management is the most important technique to managers to manage

their work and life in balance. In work management, Kerzner (2004) identifies two types of
training skills to be developed in project management which are basic skills; multiple
reporting relationships, time management, leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation, team
building, motivation and planning & controlling and advanced skills; stress scheduling
techniques and software package usage for planning & controlling. Gillard & Price (2005)
recommends the following competencies under five clusters for project managers in order
to achieve effective project management in the sense of productivity;

1. Goal and action management

a. Diagnose use of concepts (acute analytical problem solving)
b. Efficiency orientation (personal drive towards accomplishment)
c. Proactive (initiative actions and accepting responsibilities for success or failure)
2. Leadership
a. Self-confidence (decisive action and firm recommendation and suggestions)
b. Use of oral presentations (effective communication; use of symbols, verbal &
nonverbal and visual aids)
3. Human resource management
a. Managing group process (consensus building and co-ordination)
b. Use of socialised power (developing network, alliances and teams)
4. Directing subordinators
a. Developing others (facilitate group discussion and provide public recognition to
individual achievement)
b. Use of unilateral power (adaption to individual differences, ability to use
authority and organisational power policies and ability of coaching)
5. Focus on others
a. Stamina and adaptability (energise to endure long working hours and continuing
to sustain high performance levels)

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Gap Analysis

Using a gap analysis organised to identify the skills shortages between the desired skills
and competencies, which are recommend by Gillard and Price (2005) for project managers.
My present level of respective skills and capabilities are in the following table in order to
prepare the action plan. Initial level of Skills and capabilities will be rated in numerical scale
from 1 to 5 of ascending order of merit. (1- Poor, 2 - Moderate, 3 – Good, 4 – Very Good,
5 - Excellent).

Trust area Desired level of skills and Initial level of Gap between desired and
competencies my skills and present levels
competencies

1. Goal and a. Diagnose use of concept

action Focusing on mission 3 Continue mission focused work
management activities (focus on achieving
results and keep the goal in
sight) are expected competences
Goal achievement through 2 Top down transformation
efficient initiatives approach and visionary
leadership are required
Acute analytical problem solving 3 Identifying various alternatives
for constrains and risks by
thinking and judging is vital skill
b. Efficiency orientation
Personal drive towards 4 Be consistent
accomplishment
Self-motivation 4 Keep positive attitude towards
work
Organise the work efficiently 3 Improved planning skills are
required
Meet the deadlines 4 Be consistent
Setting personal work standards 3 Adopt high level of performance
standards
Establish challenging and 3 While establishing goals, keep
realistic goals relevant constraints and risk in
consideration.
Distinguishing relevant and 2 Knowledge about information
irrelevant information quality roles and management
process skills are required
c. Proactive
Initiative actions 4 Transformation initiatives and
experience in knowledge practice
are required
Overcome obstacles 3 Anticipate and adapt to changing
conditions and risk mitigation

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 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
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techniques are required

Accepting responsibilities for 4 Accountability and authority for
success and failure results by using proper planning
& controlling mechanism is
wanted capable
2. Leadership a. Self-confidence
Take decisive actions 2 Improved IT skills are requested

Make firm recommendations and 3 Self confidence abilities are

suggestions needed

Confidence in own capabilities 3 Own strengths and weaknesses

identification talent are essential
Believing in mission 3 Trust and self-understanding are
important
Ability to relay the mission 3 Developed two-way
Communication skills are
expected
b. Use of oral presentations
Effective communication 2 Improved presentation skills are
required
Run effective meetings 3 Communicate meeting agenda
and results before and after
meetings respectively, Use
participatory approach in
finalizing decisions are required
Ability to use symbols, audio & 2 Software technical skills are
visual aids required
Competence in verbal 3 Improved language proficiency is
communication required
3. Human a. Managing group process
resource Ability to build consensus team 2 Have a clear vision for the team
management and helping others to manage
change are useful techniques
Ability to co-ordination teams 3 Careful listening, encourage ideas
from the team and group thinking
is helpful tools
Identifying unique teams 2 Defining clear purpose and goals
for destination is vital skills
Effective team supervision 3 Regular reviews and conflict
resolution by negotiation are
required skills
b. Use of socialised power
Developing network, alliances 4 Information and knowledge
and teams sharing among the shareholders
is relevant competent
Ability to gain keen cooperation 4 Listen to others and provide
from others chance for their views and
simplifying their job structure are
essential skills
Competence in resolving 3 Feedback systems and
conflicts mechanisms for problem-solving
are useful skills
Capability in influencing others 3 Reward and recognise the
efforts, provide resources and

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 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
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support for others when needed

are helpful techniques
4. Directing a. Developing others
subordinators Capable in facilitating for group 4 Keep good relationship among
discussion members and ease their tasks
towards goal by providing
required skills are expected skills
Provide public recognition to 4 Communicate individual
individual achievement achievement by rewarding is vital
Skills in encouraging to self 4 Spend time keeping up to date
improvements and developing new skills and
free up information and,
encourage knowledge creation
are important
b. Use of unilateral power
adapting individual differences 3 Anticipate and adapt to changing
conditions and get rid of a
balance culture are helpful
Competences in using authority 2 Develop a good communication
and organisational power, policies network throughout the
& producers to influence others for organisation
achieving goals
Ability of coaching and obtaining 4 Link learning to goals by follow
feedbacks up , observation, learning
through doing and trial and error
methods are good
Address performance issues 3
5. Focus on a. Stamina and adaptability
others Energise to endure long working 2 Proper time management and
hours perform priority basis are
required skills
Continuing to sustain high 2 Take training and education as a
performance levels part in the learning organisation
Adaptable to change 3 Flexible and not much stick with
rules and customs

By gap analysis, effective initiative, decisive decision taking, distinguishing information,

effective communication, oral presentation, identifying unique teams and its building, using
organisational powers and energise to sustainable work are identified as my weak areas to
be developed in future. Specially, language and IT skills are specific area for improving
communication capabilities. In addition to these, leadership, knowledge sharing and skills
management also will be given focus for my career and personal development.

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Action plan - Personal learning activities - Group learning activities - Learning through doing work - Family and social activities
Time Frame
Trust Objectives Activities Remarks
2010 2011 2012
areas (Expected Skills)
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Personal Acquire better
Goals communication
skills
To be - Develop Sharing personal experiences Keep good association with
smart in interpersonal professional people and
Holding membership in unions and
personality communication subordinators by attending
societies particularly in AIPM
skills seminars and workshops
Participating cultural events and parties
- Develop two- Interacting with people in discussion, It mostly depends on the
way debate & meeting chances for group activities in
communication Invite people feedbacks learning and work places
skills
Engage in group activities
- Learn Learning a public presentation course It is planned to follow in leisure
presentation through on-line and reading related time at home
skills books
Upgrade IT skills
incorporate with
new technology
- Develop current Making opportunities for applying IT There is a possibility for free
IT knowledge skills whenever it is possible in day to access to learning resource
day work development centre (LRDC) in
my work place
- Learn new IT Learning IT courses in my PM Take one IT related
knowledge programme at UQ management course in each
Attending UQ Library IT sessions last two semesters
- Learning while Gaining from peer groups and
doing work subordinates
Gain language
competencies
 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
Oct. 12

- Improve in Studying diploma in Sinhala language SLDIA Conducting a free course

communication course at Sri Lanka Institute of for professionals like Sri Lanka
skills in Sinhala Development Administrations (SLDIA) administrators
language
- Improve in Preparing meeting minutes and It is possible to get course fee
English writing documents in English at office from my organisation
skills Following a language programme at
British council
Enhance
leadership
capabilities
- Improve in team Following mentors’ programme in Most of the mentors
building skills workplace programme are in Sinhala
Read relevant scholarly material on language so it is a constraint to
Leadership follow all the programmes
Use online recourses on leadership
development
- Develop self Personal learning Saving money for meet high
confidence course fees at UQ Sports is
Doing meditation and Yoga in UQ Sports challenge
Club
Learning project
Work management
goals methodologies
- Enhancing Attending short courses for To find a expert assistant or
To become project Prince2 programme foreign training
a best management Joining PMI
project software tools
manager Practicing in
knowledge
management
- Understanding Learning by doing through UQ experience and my previous
the process of brainstorming, discussion, dialogues, teaching experience will help for
knowledge observation coaching
transfer and conducting coaching
sharing

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 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
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- Ability to Create Sharing experience through on the job-

knowledge training , informal meetings and learning
groups
Sharing the
knowledge with
my organisation
- Sharing my Doing coaching by three person learning
current Writing to organisational magazine and
knowledge for news letters.
subordinators
development
- Applying my Establish a project operation team Doing in time depends on the
foreign training budgetary allocation to my
for my organisation from the
organisation Develop project evaluation methods government and the support of
development top level management

Family Providing good

goals education to my
children
To be in - Providing Seeking admission in English medium Financing is the constraint
balance in multicultural schools
life environment to Sending them to learn in foreign colleges
face challenges
Supporting to wife
for her career
development
- Assisting her for Earning money for covering extra
studying expenses
Social Keep better social
goals interaction
- Establish a good Participating social activities
To be rapport with
socialised people Volunteer experiences in Australia

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Discussion

The reason for having personal development plan is to fit people to their present job by
acquiring knowledge and improving in skills (Hegerty, 1995 cited by Armstrong, 2000).
Further, Beagrie (2004) is listing the following usefulness as a result of keeping individual
performance development plan;

 Increasing individual motivation

 Identifying skills gaps
 Establishing goals for gaining vital skills to move ahead
 Improve personal effectiveness
 Stay in up-to-date
 Increasing job-satisfaction

Ultimately his idea is to make employees on working hard towards more employability.
Therefore, preparing and following PPDP is worthwhile to everyone to improve their career
and life goals. Accordingly, my action plan is developed for three years to ease
implementation and gain outward success rather than stick on long time period. It is useful
to me and my employers to develop myself and apply my knowledge and skills for
organisational betterment. In addition to this, it is helpful to my family, colleagues and
subordinates in terms of knowledge sharing by interactions. Finally, PPDP is indirectly useful
to the readers those of who are interested in preparing PPDP for themselves. Covey (1990)
argues that life is not only for outcomes of work but also living in happy productive peace.
Hence, making the plan activities to implement in flexible ways, works towards a better,
satisfactory, happy life.

Conclusion

PPDP is a useful tool to an individual to identify their knowledge and skills shortage from
their strength and weakness to plan training needs. Further, it provides an opportunity to
people to have goals and ambitions in order to develop in both career and life by acquiring
desired skills and competencies. PPDP has four phases such as assessing current
competences, setting goals, identifying gaps in capabilities and preparing an action plan for
implementation. In my case, as I am weak in communication skills, languages proficiencies,
IT skills and leadership capabilities, the action plan recommends in-house training, short
courses, readings, sharing experiences, interaction with people and work and coaching as a
few interventions within the time frame. In conclusion, action plan is useful to both me and
my organisation to improve my performance development. Moreover, PPD is helpful to
individuals to be smart in both career and family life with happiness.
 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
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References

Armstrong, M. (2000). Performance Management: Key Strategies and Principal Guidelines.

Kogan Page: Milford.

Axelsen, M. (2009). Week two: Retrieved September 25, 2009 from PLAN 7902, University of
Queensland Blackboard Online: http://www.elearning.uq.edu.au/.

Beagrie, S. (2004). How to Plan your Personal Development. Personal Today, Mar 30: 29.

Bergeron, B.(2003). Essentials of Knowledge Management. Wiley & Sons: Canada

Covey, R. (1990). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective people. Information Australia: Melbourne.

Gillard, S., & Price, J. (2005). The Competencies of Effective Project Managers: A Conceptual
Analysis. International Journal of Management. 22 (1), 48-53.

John, P. (1999). Management Pocketbooks: Hants, U.K.

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Appendixes

Curriculum-vital

Sivananthan Pathmanathan
[email protected]
+61- 421382184192

Sir Fred Schonell Street, St. Lucia, Qld. 4067

Sex: Male

D.O.B: 02.01.1970

Civil Status: Married

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I am a successful projector coordinator with experience in planning, executing and

controlling of projects in which I have good capable in coordinating shareholders activates in
human resource capacity building fields.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

I engaged the following responsibilities in my past;

Coordinating the policy and planning activities of the vocational and technical training
providing Institutions under the purview of Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training.
Preparing Development Plans, Action Plans and Quarterly based progress reports on
Technical, Vocational Education and Training programmes. Prepare project proposals on
development activities of Technical education and Vocational Training for seeking donor
assistance. Monitor the projects which are being implementing by the Ministry of Vocational
and Technical Training. Co-ordinating the activities of Skills Development Assistants those
who have been attached at the Divisional Secretariat level in North-East province of Sri
Lanka for promoting the human resource development programmes.

Taught Mathematics and Physics in senior secondary level classes and Advanced level
classes respectively, according to the government syllabus of Sri Lanka and evaluating
answer scripts of examination of the General Certificate in Education in the subjects of
Physics and Mathematics.

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Assistant Director

Technical Education Development Project

Ministry of Vocational Education and Technical Training, Sri Lanka, www.nipunatha.gov.lk

08. 2004 to Up to now

Graduate Trained Teacher

Wijeyaratnam Hindu Central College, Negombo, Sri Lanka

06. 2000 to 08. 2004

Graduate Teacher

Killinochchi Central College, Killinochchi, Sri Lanka

10. 1994 to 06. 2000

KEY SKILLS

Technical Skills

- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Project
- Java
- Pascal
- BASIC

Certificates

- Advance certificate in English for professionals of Sri Lanka Institute of Development

Administrations (SLDIA)
- Certificate of Information Technology (CIT) of University of Colombo
- Certificate of the first Efficiency Bar Examination of Sri Lanka Planning Service of the
Department of Testing and Evaluation
- Certificate in Basic Sinhala of Department of Official Languages

Memberships

- Association for Sri Lanka Planning Service (SLPS)

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 Personal Performance Development Plan (PPDP)
Oct. 12

Languages

- Tamil (Fluent)
- Sinhala (Good)
- English (Fair)

EDUCATION

- PGDE (Post Graduate Diploma in Education)

National Institute of Education (NIE), Sri Lanka

- BSc (Physical Science)

University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

- GCE A-Levels: Physics (B), Pure mathematics (C), Applied mathematics (B) and
Chemistry (S)
Jaffna Hindu College (JHC), Sri Lanka

- GCE O-Level: including Hinduism (D), Tamil language (C), English language (C),
Sinhala language (S),Maths (D), Science (C), Social Science (C), Health Science (C),
Commerce and Accounts (C) and Electronics (C)
Jaffna Hindu College (JHC), Sri Lanka

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Drama, Debate, cycling and cricket

REFERENCES

References are available on request.

(Source of CV template: Monster)

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