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FIRST SECTION

 

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS E-MODULE

 

CONTENTS
Click the following links to be taken to the corresponding section of the module:

  1. Module objectives
  2. Personal and professional effectiveness self audit
  3. Section 1: Planning and time management
  4. Section 2: Practical strategies for planning and time management
  5. Section 3: Working with others
  6. Section 4: Managing emotions and stress
  7. Section 5: Communication
  8. Section 6: Caring for ourselves
  9. Final reflection and references

 

ABOUT THIS MODULE

Content: The module is divided into six main sections looking at

  1. Planning and Time Management
  2. Practical Techniques for planning and time management
  3. Working with Others
  4. Managing Emotions and Stress
  5. Communication
  6. Caring for Ourselves

 

Reflection is a process that involves playing back a period of time related to previous valued experiences in search of significant discoveries or insights about oneself, one’s behaviours, one’s values, or knowledge gained. Specific criteria for performance are usually not involved.

In contrast, self-assessment is a process used for studying one’s own performance in order to improve it. It is more proactive than reflection in that performance criteria are defined before the action in question begins or before it is replayed; and strengths, improvements, and insights (Wasserman & Beyerlein, 2007) against these criteria are then recorded during the process.

 

How to engage with this module: If you would class yourself as time-poor, and maybe even if you are not, then we would suggest taking this module one section at time. There are lots of ideas in each section and it might be helpful to try some of them out to see what works for you before moving on to the next section. There isn’t a one size fits all approach to time management, so the process of experimentation can help you create the approach that is right for you.

At the heart of this module is the idea that we cannot alter the time we have; there are still only 24 hours in a day. We should focus on managing ourselves, our behaviours and how we choose to use the time we have.

 

Learning approaches: The module uses the following approaches to help you to consider each area of effectiveness and how you can enhance those for yourself or for others.

Self-assessments (purple text in boxes): the module starts with three exercises which ask you to think about where you currently feel you are in terms of your own personal or professional effectiveness.

You may find it useful to look at these for yourself or for a colleague whom you suspect may be having some issues with personal and professional effectiveness. There are additional self-assessments throughout the module that can be used individually or in groups.

 

Scenarios (red text in boxes): the start of each section presents a scenario which tells a story about real people whose personal and professional effectiveness was reduced by the circumstances they faced at work in the health care professions. Any of these scenarios could happen to any one of us. Each section looks at key aspects of personal and professional effectiveness, why it is important and how we can develop or strengthen our resources in these areas. Each section closes with the outcome of each scenario.

 

Reflection sections (blue text in boxes): the module has sections asking you to reflect on your experience of the issue under discussion. This is intended to support you to make links between your own practice and the resources being offered. Reflection can be done individually or in small, facilitated groups.

 

Examples from professionals (orange text in boxes): examples from people working in healthcare are included throughout the module to illustrate how others have dealt with issues relating to personal and professional effectiveness.

 

Activities (green text in boxes): sections where you are encouraged to try out the resources or ideas presented.

 

Links to external resources: are presented as hyperlinks, usually blue and underlined. If you click on the text you will be taken to the resource. Separate access to the resource is also to be found in the references section at the end of the module.

Caring for ourselves: the module closes with a section on caring for ourselves. It is important that we make time to look after ourselves and our needs when working in busy and demanding environments.

Final reflection:
This final section encourages you to think about ways forward for those who have completed the module.

 

CREDITS

Authors: Hayley Allen and Trevor Bibic

Personal and Professional Effectiveness: Hayley Allen and Trevor Bibic

Planning and Time Management: Trevor Bibic

Date published: February 2021