Question

Part 1:

Identify two professional challenges Briefly describe five professional challenges that you currently face or anticipate facing soon.

Then, rephrase each of those challenges as questions.

Choose the two questions from your list that you feel are the most robust and challenging for you.

Provide rationale for your choice of questions.

Part 2:

Create your mind maps for each question Use a mind map to create a separate map for each question. You may refer to your MindTool mind map resource for an example. Your mind maps should be as expansive as you can make them. Each of your questions should branch into at least four related components and/or issues. Expand on each of these branches using as many sub-branches as needed to explore the complexity and connective possibilities available to each question. To create your mind maps, you may use Microsoft Word or another format of your choice. However, if you are planning to use a non-standard piece of software, be sure you can save the file in a format that you can insert into a Word document. You should also check with your instructor to make sure that you will be able to submit the file in the online classroom and that your instructor will be able to open the file. Insert your mind maps into your Word document as an appendix.

Part 3: Analyze your results After reflecting on the mind-mapping exercise and examining your mind maps: Provide your analysis of the clarifying process and role mind maps play in helping you clarify your professional challenges. Evaluate your experience using the mind-mapping tool to identify, organize, and clarify factors that need to be addressed to meet your professional challenge. Explain whether you think you would have learned as much about your professional challenges if you had not used this tool. Explain how you might use this process for other professional or workplace applications.

Answer 1

PART - 1

The five professional challenges are -

1. Developing Managerial Effectiveness - The challenge of developing the relevant skills- such as time management, prioritization, strategic thinking, decision making and getting up to speed with the job-to be more effective at work.

2. Developing Employees - The challenge of developing others, including topics around mentoring and coaching.

3. Leading a Team - The challenge of team-building, team development, and team management; how to instill pride in a team or support the team, how to lead a big team, and what to do when taking over a new team.

4. Guiding change - The challenge of managing, mobilizing, understanding and leading change. How to mitigate change consequences, overcome resistance to change, and deal with employees reaction to change.

5. Managing internal stakeholders and politics - The challenge of managing relationships, politics, and image. Gaining support and managing up; getting buy-in from other departments, groups, or individuals.

Choosing two challenges as questions-

1. What are the recommendations to develop managerial effectiveness? What a manager can do?

This reflects the challenge of managers to have a range of very specific skills, though this sort of skill development has been noted for decades, it still seems to be one that is relevant in today's world of work.

A manager can do this to overcome this challenge-

(a) Goal setting is important -Be proactive in setting goals, and with setting the timelines and deadlines required to meet the goals

(b) Delegate more - Delegating can, in fact, make you more productive. The act of delegation can also empower the people to whom you have given work.

(c) Work on tasks that maximize your unique value-add - Among all the organizational priorities, there will always be important tasks that only you can do. These are the tasks on which you should focus. As a result, you will maximize your specific value to the organization. Everything else, try to delegate.

(d) Gain some role clarity - Understand what your work does and does not entail. With that, you may have to practice and be comfortable saying "no"

2. What are the things to consider while developing employees? Is it a huge challenge?

(a) Take an active role in mentoring, coaching and developing others - Provide challenging opportunities for others, promote your employees to upper management (i.e trumpet their successes), and empower others to increase their area of competence. Support your employees by providing guidance and feedback. Assume roles such as being a sounding board, role model, or shoulder to lean on, while ensuring that organizational structures and systems enhance collaboration and accountability.

(b) Meet the needs of your employees - Its not just making sure that your employees have the right software or enough office supplies. You also have to meet their psychological and social needs. Many people need to be validated by others and desire to be part of something. A manager must try to meet the differing needs of many individuals with whom they work on a daily basis.

(c) Manage team effectiveness - Make sure your team has a clear purpose, strong support, and effectively shares information among the group and with important stakeholders outside the group.

PART - 2