Personal Development Portfolio: Maximising your future workplace success

This is how current Master in Management student Robert Arutyunyan from Armenia summarises his experience in the first three workshops of the Personal Development Portfolio: Understanding yourself, Managing yourself and Developing yourself. Fellow student Parisa Monabati from Iran could not agree more. “Following the first three sessions of the Personal Development Portfolio has given me the opportunity to reflect on myself and to advance my career. The sessions have served as a space for introspection, to recognise my areas of proficiency and prospective development.

The Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) is an essential component of the MSM Master in Management programme, designed to offer insights and skills tailored to enhance participants' effectiveness both during their studies at MSM and in their future professional careers.

For Robert, the programme was exciting and insightful in terms of understanding his strengths, weaknesses, and personal characteristics. “During the course we had the chance to do comprehensive tests and questionnaires to determine our personality types. While doing one of the exercises, we were able to identify our core qualities, and discussed our results and findings in peer groups.”

“Another reason why I enjoyed the programme is because Prof. Heling designed the course in an interactive and dynamic way, suggested interesting topics to discuss, shared with us his own experience, and inspired students to actively participate and exchange opinions. In addition, we also analysed how to cope with negative feedback and covered such diverse topics as decision-making styles and learning process.”

Parisa also highlighted the self-evaluation tests and group discussions as the most engaging aspects of the sessions. “In addition to enabling me to develop a more profound self-awareness, these components have also provided me with the opportunity to perceive myself from varied viewpoints of people around me. The integration of theoretical understanding and practical skills has imbued every session with an element of enlightenment, revealing previously unknown facets of my personality and professional conduct.”

“The portfolio sessions have made an important mark on my personal growth,” Parisa says. “The exercises' introspective nature has facilitated the development of heightened self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and resilience. I have acquired the ability to identify and capitalise on my assets, as well as to target and develop my areas of development.” Parisa also acknowledges the effect of the sessions on her professional development. “Gaining insight into my individual work style, communication inclinations, and motivational factors has provided me with the ability to enhance my career trajectory. Furthermore, the incorporation of collaborative exercises and discussions have enhanced my proficiency in team interaction, which I consider to be critical for my professional development.

The Personal Development Portfolio has surpassed its initial purpose of being a collection of sessions and has evolved into a catalyst for significant personal and professional change that has far-reaching implications.”

Both Robert and Parisa are already looking forward to the remaining three sessions, which will focus on being more effective in social interaction situations and how the lessons learned in these sessions will contribute to their continued personal and professional development.

About the Personal Development Portfolio
The Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) programme consists of six separate one-day workshops spread out through the Master in Management Academic Year. The purpose of the PDP programme is to acquire insights and to train skills specifically oriented on participants' effectiveness during their study at MSM as well as in their future professional career. The workshops contain a balanced mix of acquiring knowledge and training skills.

The first three workshops are focused on acquiring a deeper understanding of oneself in terms of personal strengths and areas for development; understanding yourself, managing yourself and developing yourself. The second part of the programme consists of three workshops that focus more on being more effective in social interaction situations; communications skills, influencing skills and consulting skills.

Some of the concepts and tools from the programme may have been introduced to the participants before, but the workshops will help them to deepen their understanding and consolidate their ability to use these tools and skills to maximise their future workplace success. The takeaways from this programme consist of practical, impactful learning experiences that can be applied directly as well as later on in the participant's future career. The experiences will be analysed further in a detailed self-reflection report at the end of the programme.

The main overall objectives of the Personal Development Portfolio are:

• To acquire insight in one's own personal strengths and weaknesses
• To acquire insight in several conceptual and practical frameworks for successfully managing oneself and others
• To improve specific self-management skills
• To improve specific managerial skills in relation to cooperation with colleagues
• To create a fundament for further professional skills development

Do you also want to join the Master in Management and fast-forward your career to higher levels? Click here for more information about the programme, the curriculum, the available scholarships and the admission requirements. You can also chat with current students and alumni and get first-hand insights in how they have experienced the programme. The next intake will start in September 2024.

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