Contents

1. A brief overview of the organization which you are currently working at with a detailed
interpretation of the current job role..........................................................................................................1
Overview of the Company.......................................................................................................................1
Business analyst Job Role........................................................................................................................1
Business Analyst duties and responsibilities of the job...........................................................................1
Business Analyst job qualifications and requirements.............................................................................2
Personal Development skills....................................................................................................................3
2. A critical discussion on the qualities and traits of effective strategic leaders and managers. (D.1).....3
List of Effective Leadership Traits............................................................................................................4
Traits of a Bad Leader..............................................................................................................................5
3. A critical assessment on own qualities, traits, skills, and behaviours related to strategic leadership
and management. (D.2)...............................................................................................................................6
4. Develop justified recommendations for developing own strategic leadership and management skills
and behaviours. (D.3)..................................................................................................................................7
How to improve your personal development skills.................................................................................7
Personal development skills in the workplace.........................................................................................9
5. List of references...............................................................................................................................10

1. A brief overview of the organization which you are currently working at with a detailed
interpretation of the current job role.
Overview of the Company
ESOFT was established in the at Kirilapone (which is suburban area of Colombo, Sri Lanka), and
initially offered training services for students that were preparing for the BCS (UK) Professional
Examinations.[2] They subsequently moved to their present location in Bambalapitiya (Colombo)
which is a hub for IT training in Sri Lanka[

ESOFT Metro Campus (previously known as ESOFT Computer Studies) is a private sector
educational institute or college located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It offers academic and
professional qualifications in Computing, Business & Management, Engineering, Hospitality and
English. Established in the year 2000, the company today has 40 branches nationwide. It is
headed by Dr. Dayan Rajapakse. Programmes taught at ESOFT Metro Campus are organised
into five schools or divisions. These are: School of Computing, School of Business, School of
Engineering and Technology, School of Hospitality Management and the Language Academy.

Business analyst Job Role

A skilled Business Analyst is responsible for the implementation and support of business
information systems across multiple departments. They identify problems and opportunities
within a company and ultimately provide solutions that help achieve the business' goals.

A Business Analyst job description should cover collaborating with financial reporting and IT
teams to develop initiatives and strategies that optimise costs and improve internal and
external reporting.

Business Analyst duties and responsibilities of the job

Business Analysts conduct market analyses, analysing both product lines and the overall
profitability of the business. In addition, they develop and monitor data quality metrics and
ensure business data and reporting needs are met. Strong technology, analytical and
communication skills are must-have traits.

A Business Analyst job description typically includes:

 Creating a detailed business analysis, outlining problems, opportunities and solutions for
a business
 Budgeting and forecasting
 Planning and monitoring
 Financial modelling
 Variance Analysis
 Pricing
 Reporting
 Defining business requirements and reporting them back to stakeholders
In addition to performing financial and operational modelling, a Business Analyst is expected to
develop new models that underpin sound business decisions. A Business Analyst job description
should recognise the streamlining and improving of internal and external reporting. The role
should also call for a strong understanding of regulatory and reporting requirements as well as
plenty of experience in forecasting, budgeting and financial analysis combined with
understanding of key performance indicators.

The end goal is to provide financial insights that help the decision-making process, and align
capital and resource allocation within the business budget. The Business Analyst should also
drive fresh initiatives for financial planning and business intelligence systems.

Business Analyst job qualifications and requirements

Typically, Business Analysts require a Bachelor degree minimum. Whilst any degree is
advantageous, the following subjects are useful as they’re in a similar field:

 Business Studies
 Business Administration
 Management
 Information Technology

There are also a number of industry-recognised certificates aspiring Business Analysts can
acquire too. The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) offers such accreditation.

The core skills of a Business Analyst job description should also include:

 Experience working with senior decision makers

 Strong communication/interpersonal skills
 Proven analytical background
 Advanced Excel skills

Personal Development skills

Personal development skills are important because they allow you to create strategic and
tactical plans for personal and professional growth towards your goals. It can be helpful to hone
personal development skills so that you can naturally work them into your daily routines and
use them to:

 Achieve personal and career goals

 Advance in your career
 Improve your strengths and talents
 Better yourself
 Find fulfillment and satisfaction
 Examples of personal development skills

Personal development skills can be traits or qualities you already have or ones you can gain
through education and training. Individuals will value different personal development skills
depending on their goals, but here are some examples of skills people commonly practice to
facilitate personal growth :

 Communication
 Interpersonal
 Organization
 Problem-solving
 Self-confidence
 Adaptability
 Integrity
 Work ethic
 Leadership

2. A critical discussion on the qualities and traits of effective strategic leaders and
managers. (D.1)
Leadership traits refer to personal qualities that define effective leaders. Leadership refers to
the ability of an individual or an organization to guide individuals, teams, or organizations
toward the fulfillment of goals and objectives. It plays an important function in management, as
it helps maximize efficiency and achieve strategic and organizational goals. Leaders help
motivate others, provide guidance, build morale, improve the work environment, and initiate
action.

List of Effective Leadership Traits

A common misconception is that individuals are just naturally gifted with leadership skills. The
truth is that leadership traits, like other skills, can be acquired with time and practice. Below are
seven traits of an effective leader:

1. Effective Communicators

Leaders are excellent communicators, able to clearly and concisely explain problems and
solutions. Leaders know when to talk and when to listen. In addition, leaders are able to
communicate on different levels: one-on-one, via phone, email, etc.

2. Accountable and Responsible

Leaders hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for any mistakes. Leaders support
and encourage individuality while abiding by organizational structure, rules, and policies that
need to be followed.

3. Long-term Thinkers

Leaders are visionaries. This is evidenced by the leadership trait of being able to plan for the
future through concrete and quantifiable goals. They understand the need for continuous
change and are open to trying new approaches to solve problems or improve processes

4. Self-motivated

Leaders are self-motivated and are able to keep going and attain goals despite setbacks. In
addition, good leaders try their best to exceed, not just meet, expectations.

5. Confident

Virtually all good leaders share the leadership trait of confidence. They are able to make tough
decisions and lead with authority. By being confident, leaders are able to reassure and inspire
others, establish open communications, and encourage teamwork.
6. People-oriented

Leaders are typically people-oriented and team players. They’re able to foster a team culture,
involve others in decision-making, and show concern for each team member. By being people-
oriented, leaders are able to energize and motivate others. By making each individual feel
important and vital to the team’s success, they secure the best efforts from each member of
the team.

7. Emotionally Stable

Leaders exercise good control and regulation over their own behavior and are able to tolerate
frustration and stress. Leaders are able to cope with changes in an environment without having
an intense emotional reaction.

Traits of a Bad Leader

Listed below are the traits that bad leaders commonly exhibit:

 Too bossy
 Fearful of change
 Unwilling or unable to communicate effectively
 Dismissive of ideas other than their own
 Lacking empathy
 Inconsistent
 Prone to blame others rather than accept responsibility themselves
 Indecisive

3. A critical assessment on own qualities, traits, skills, and behaviours related to strategic
leadership and management. (D.2)
 Communication

Communication includes your ability to speak, write and listen. With these skills, you can
understand what others are saying and feeling and also convey your own ideas and feelings.
Good communicators can speak clearly and confidently, using a tone that is positive and
appropriate for the situation.
  Interpersonal

Also called people skills or social skills, interpersonal skills are the verbal and nonverbal
behaviors and reactions to interactions with other people. They affect my ability to build
relationships and make impressions on others in social situations.

 Organization

Organization skills include the tidiness of my physical and digital spaces as well as my ability to
plan, schedule and prioritize. Good organization can help save time, prevent
miscommunications and improve efficiency.

 Problem-solving

Problem-solving is my ability to handle challenging or surprising situations. Good problem-

solvers can stay calm when they encounter obstacles and assess all their options to find the
best solution.

 Self-confidence

Self-confidence is the belief in my abilities, actions and decisions. If I have confidence in myself,
I might be more likely to pursue ambitious goals, try new things and believe you can succeed.

 Adaptability

Adaptability is my ability to adjust quickly and easily to new things. People who handle change
well often get along with a variety of personalities and thrive in any environment. They can also
remain calm in surprising situations.

 Integrity

People tend to trust those who are honest and stand by their values. Integrity means doing
what is right and telling the truth, even if doing so presents challenges. Having integrity can
lead to a good reputation and opportunities for advancement.

 Work ethic
Work ethic includes not only hard work but also reliability, responsibility, quality, determination
and discipline. People with good work ethic tend to be productive and have a positive attitude.

 Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide people. Good leaders can motivate others and help them
reach a shared goal. They build confidence and improve morale.

4. Develop justified recommendations for developing own strategic leadership and

management skills and behaviours. (D.3)
How to improve your personal development skills
You can enhance your personal development skills by taking classes, learning from the people
around you, gaining new talents and improving upon existing ones. Follow these guidelines to
develop yourself personally:

 Overcome your fears. - Fear can prevent you from growing and progressing. If you are
afraid of public speaking, for instance, take a class or join a group that helps people
become better public speakers. If you are afraid of taking risks, find a mentor who can
help you make good decisions and build your confidence. Grow and learn by trying
things you might not be comfortable doing. If you are shy, try starting a conversation or
introducing yourself to new people at a reception or workshop.
 Read. - Reading can expand your knowledge and vocabulary and keep you informed. It
can also stimulate your mind and can improve your critical thinking skills. Try setting a
goal to read at least one educational or motivational article a day, or one book a month.
 Learn something new. - Learn a new skill or topic, whether you do it yourself or sign up
for a class. You might, for instance, take courses to learn another language, a new
software program or how to write creatively. Consider watching a webinar on
professional development topics such as entrepreneurship or social media marketing.
 Ask for feedback. A- pproach a family member, friend, colleague or manager, and ask
them to give you feedback on a recent project or accomplishment. Use their positive
comments as well as their constructive criticism to find ways to improve. Sometimes you
need an outside, unbiased opinion to get a different perspective.
  Observe others. - Watch and learn from the people who inspire you. This could be
someone you know, such as a supervisor, family member or public figure. Identify the
qualities you admire in them, and try to replicate those in yourself.
 Network. - By interacting with many types of people, you can learn new ideas and
understand how to communicate and work with different personality types. You can
also meet people and develop relationships that might help you in the future. Network
through industry organizations and shared interest groups, or attend conferences and
events on topics that interest you.
 Keep a journal. - Writing in a journal every day or week can help you gain self-awareness
and reflect on recent events, decisions and conversations. You might keep a hand-
written, private journal, or you might choose to share your thoughts and experiences by
blogging. Use it to set and assess goals and progress.
 Meditate. - Many people meditate to gain clarity and awareness and to reduce stress
and anxiety. Meditation can help you focus on your self-development and goals in a
healthy, positive and calm way. Even scheduling a break from work or quiet time to
yourself can help you relax and focus.
 Get a mentor - If you need help identifying ways to build your self-development skills,
talk to a mentor. This individual could be a manager, professor, someone you admire or
a professional personal growth mentor.

Personal development skills in the workplace

 While personal development skills can benefit all parts of your life, these particular
practices may be useful in the workplace and help you advance your career:
 Be an active listener. Part of being a good communicator is paying attention to what
other people say. Concentrate on understanding what your coworkers and clients are
saying so you can remember that information and respond well. Use effective and
professional listening and communication skills in everything from phone conversations
to job interviews.
 Work well with others. Good people skills make you a valued team member. You should
be able to collaborate with and motivate others. Cultivate your social skills to build
 relationships with colleagues, clients, customers and acquaintances of all types and
backgrounds.
 Organize your time, work and materials. Plan out tasks so you can complete them
quickly and easily. Know what projects to prioritize if you are handling more than one. If
you are well-organized, you may be better able to meet your deadlines and collaborate
effectively with others..
 Work through challenging situations. When dealing with a problem, assess your options
and determine the best solution. Know when to ask for advice or research different
scenarios. People who can think critically and work through complex problems are more
likely to make good decisions both in life and work.
 Believe in yourself. If you have confidence in your decisions, others may be more likely
to believe in you as well. This positive energy can help motivate and instill confidence in
those around you. You are better able to handle challenges and reach goals if you
approach them with confidence rather than doubt.
 Adapt to change. Be flexible so you can deal with changes in work and life easily.
Adaptable people can work well both alone and on a team, manage multiple projects,
work under a variety of conditions, accept new ideas and more. Being able to respond
well to change can also make these situations less stressful for everyone involved.
 Be truthful. Honesty is the foundation of a positive relationship with colleagues and
supervisors. Practice good ethics and stand by your values. Integrity can bring you
respect, satisfaction and a good reputation at work.
 Be committed to and passionate about your job. People with good work ethic tend to be
productive, reliable and determined to do quality work. This dedication can help you
complete tasks on time and motivate your peers.

Guide those around you. Being a good leader requires confidence, vision and communication.
People who build these leadership skills can help their team progress and be productive
without being controlling.
5. List of references
 Indeed Career Guide. 2022. 9 Ways To Improve Your Personal Development Skills |
Indeed.com. [online] Available at: <https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-
development/improve-your-personal-development-skills> [Accessed 1 January 2022].
 Betterteam. 2022. Business Analyst Job Description. [online] Available at:
<https://www.betterteam.com/business-analyst-job-description> [Accessed 1 January
2022].
 Betterteam. 2022. Business Analyst Job Description. [online] Available at:
<https://www.betterteam.com/business-analyst-job-description> [Accessed 1 January
2022].