DPP Participant Pack

Developing Professional Practice
Participant Name
My Manager
My Mentor
My Facilitator
My CIPD Number
Completion Date
Made up of workshop time, participant pack exercises,
CIPD Value 4 assessment activities, research and reading
Participant declaration
 I confirm that the work/evidence presented for assessment is my own

unaided work.
 I have read the assessment regulations and understand that if I am found to
have “copied” from published work without acknowledgment, or from other
candidates’ work, this may be regarded as plagiarism, which is an offence
against the assessment regulations and leads to failure in the relevant unit
and formal disciplinary action.
 I agree to this work being subjected to scrutiny by textual analysis software if
required.
 I understand that my work may be used for future academic quality assurance
purposes in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
 I understand that the work/evidence submitted for assessment may not be
returned to me and that I have retained a copy for my records.
 I understand that until such time as the assessment grade has been ratified
by internal and external quality assurance verifiers it is not final.
Signature:
Date:
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Page 1 of 38 Copyright Development Processes Group plc
Welcome and Introduction

Welcome to your Developing Professional Practice unit. This unit is core to everyone
taking this level of CIPD qualification, as it enables you to develop a sound
understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours you need as a Human Resource
Development (HRD) professional.
HRD is the commonly used term for HR practitioners specialising in Learning &
Development. At times in this programme we may refer to HR, because many writers
use the term to cover all facets of people management (personnel, HRD, employee
reward, employee relations, employee resourcing). If you’re an HRD professional you
may find it more relevant to simply substitute HR with HRD.
The HRD profession is evolving, as it increasingly demonstrates how HRD helps

organisations to achieve sustainable performance. It is important that as an HRD
professional you can build your capabilities as a strategic business partner.
This practical programme helps you to do that, and to:
 gain an insight into the HRD function
 understand why the latest practice offers great challenges and excitement
 clarify what being an effective HRD professional involves.
It allows you to take stock, chart your current profile, and develop a clear plan for your
future, whether you’re extending your current role or progressing towards something
different.
This unit’s primary focus is on building your capability as a ‘Thinking Performer’ which
CIPD describes as someone who:
 is knowledgeable and competent in their field
 is forward thinking
 adds value through continuous challenge and self-imposed improvement goals.
A very practical outcome of this unit will be your own, justified Continuous Professional
Development (CPD) plan, and the start of a development record (CPD record).
These are invaluable tools for your own development, and for your career progression.
Throughout this participant pack there are references to sources of further information
relevant to this unit, and hyperlinks to useful content on websites. Please note that DPG
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has no control over the content or location of material held on external web sites and
you may find, on occasion, that a link doesn’t work. While we update the participant
packs on an annual basis, if you do find a broken link, first try to find the right page
using the relevant websites search function. If there is none, or if that doesn’t work,
often a simple Google search using the title or key words will help you locate it. Failing
that, please contact your facilitator who will try to help you find what you’re looking for.
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Making best use of your time on this unit

As with every unit, you need to approach this one systematically. Here is a suggestion
that works for many of our participants.
Think Take 15 minutes to skim read the whole pack from start to finish. This
gives you a sense of its content, exercises and assessment activities.
Spend 15 minutes planning how you will go about the pack and the
Plan assessment activities.
Commit to an estimated timescale for yourself.
Go through the pack completing all the exercises that you can tackle
immediately.
Do
Go back through the pack doing the exercises that you need to research.
Now you can approach the assessment activities with confidence.
Main icons and your actions
Exercise your brain

(time estimate 10 minutes)
 This brain image tells you that this is an exercise to help you interact with the
unit’s content.
 There is also a helpful indicator of the time to spend on it.
Obviously, everyone is different, but this should be a useful guide.
 The shaded area has the information you need to complete the exercise.
Complete your response in the box(es) below.
Assessment
There is a separate assessment pack which accompanies this participant pack. In the
assessment pack, you will find:
 Details of the learning outcomes for the unit and an explanation of how the unit
is assessed
 Instructions for completing and submitting the assessment exercises
When an exercise or assessment activity refers to ‘your organisation’ you can choose
your current organisation, one you know well, the organisation of a friend/relative, or
you can choose to use the programme case study company, Hell’s Kitchen.
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Contents
1 What is required as an effective and efficient HRD professional........6
1.1 Introduction......................................................................................6
1.2 The role and contribution of HRD........................................................6
1.3 The role and contribution of the HRD professional...............................8
1.4 The CIPD HR Profession Map..............................................................9
1.5 What it means to be a professional...................................................13
1.6 Ethical Practice................................................................................14
1.7 HRD customers and stakeholders......................................................15
1.8 Links and follow through..................................................................18
2 Perform efficiently and effectively as a self-managing HR
professional................................................................................19
2.1 Introduction.....................................................................................19
2.2 Efficiency and effectiveness..............................................................19
3 Perform efficiently and effectively as a collaborative member of
working groups and teams and as an added-value contributor to
the organisation..........................................................................22
3.1 Introduction.....................................................................................22
3.2 Working with others.........................................................................22
3.3 Influencing, persuading and negotiating............................................24
3.4 Managing relationships within and across hierarchies.........................25
4 Apply CPD techniques to construct, implement and review a
personal development plan..........................................................29
4.1 Introduction.....................................................................................29
4.2 The concept and importance of CPD.................................................29
4.3 The benefits of CPD.........................................................................30
4.4 How CPD works...............................................................................31
4.5 Self-appraisal and receiving feedback................................................33
5 Unit reflections..............................................................................35
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Links to CIPD Standards
By completing this unit and delivering ‘Satisfactory’ assessment activities you will meet
the following learning outcomes and assessment criteria:
Learning outcomes Assessment criteria
You will: You can:
1 Understand what is 1.1 Evaluate what it means to be an HR
required of an effective professional, with reference to the CIPD’s
and efficient HR HR Profession Map.
professional 1.2 Analyse the four concentric circles of HR
professionalism
2 Be able to perform 2.1 Apply the basic techniques of project
efficiently and effectively management.
as a self-managing HR 2.2 Apply the skills and techniques of situational
professional analysis, problem-solving, decision-making
and creative thinking
3 Be able to perform 3.1 Describe the elements of group dynamics
efficiently and effectively and conflict resolution methods.
as a collaborative member
of working groups and 3.2 Apply a range of methods for influencing,
teams, and as an added- persuading and negotiating with others.
value contributor to the
3.2 Explain the presence of political behaviour
organisations
and how it impacts on achieving
organisation objectives.
4 Be able to apply CPD 4.1 Undertake a self-assessment of HR
techniques to construct, professional practice capabilities to identify
implement and review a continuing professional development needs
personal development plan
4.2 Evaluate and select different options for
self-development and explain advantages
and disadvantages of each.
4.3 Produce a plan to meet personal
development objectives.
4.4 Reflect on performance against the plan,
identify learning points for the future and
revise the plan accordingly.
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1 What is required as an effective and

efficient HRD professional
1.1 Introduction
This section:
 explores what’s expected of the HRD function
 explains how you can add value as an effective and efficient HRD professional
 reviews the knowledge, skills and behaviours you need, as an HRD professional.
1.2 The role and contribution of HRD

The organisational process of developing people involves an HRD function at some
level, whether it’s in a multinational business or an SME (small, medium enterprise), in
the private, public or third sector (voluntary, charity, trusts).
Context matters
Seen as a strategic business unit, the HRD function can make a major contribution to
your organisation’s performance. To succeed, its activities must be geared towards
building organisational effectiveness, viability and sustainability. So it’s important to
recognise the context of your HRD function and appreciate how it’s integrated within
your organisation. Only then can you understand the role it plays and the contribution
you make within it as an HRD professional.
Your organisation’s internal and external environments inevitably influence its strategy,
vision, mission and goals. For example, the economic downturn saw organisations
downsizing and restructuring. And that context sharply raises the organisation’s
awareness that it needs to retain talent and develop employees’ skills and knowledge,
to build an adaptable and flexible workforce – and to survive.
So, complex operating environments and rapid change make effective HRD increasingly
important. After all, the whole organisation’s agility pretty much depends on the agility
of its people. That means that building the capabilities of your workforce and having
people-centred outcomes (such as trust, commitment, involvement, collaboration and
development) are powerful ways of creating sustainable competitive advantage – as
long as what you do in HRD is aligned to the overall business strategy.
Let’s repeat… aligned to your business strategy . No function that wants to have any
real impact on overall business objectives can act independently or in a silo. For HRD to
be effective, its strategies and policies must be a close fit with those of the wider HR
and other business functions.
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On top of that, there’s the harsh reality that the role and importance of your HRD
function largely depends on how it’s perceived within your organisation. Your ability to
influence and be an effective business partner depends on factors such as:
 your organisational structure, culture and industry
 how people in your organisation perceive the HRD function’s contribution
 how people perceive you, your HRD peers and the contribution you make.
This means that releasing the power of HRD depends on your ability to generate a
positive internal perception of your HRD function. Demonstrating knowledge and
understanding of your organisation’s business context is one sure way of helping to
better position HRD within your organisation, and you can achieve that by:
 analysing your organisation’s strategy and identifying issues that might have
implications for HRD
 identifying your HRD function’s strengths and areas in which it could add value
by aligning HRD processes, practices, resources etc. to your organisation’s
strategy
 identifying key players, whose ‘buy in’ you might need to achieve success
 identifying people, internally and externally, who can act as partners and/or
advocates for your HRD function
 assessing how HRD activities are currently organised – for instance, whether line
managers have responsibility for HRD within their own functions.
This case study highlights the value that HRD can add. You’ll see that it’s not the
province of HRD professionals alone. It involves team leaders and managers, and your
role is to guide its implementation and encourage a strategic approach.
Example: Adding Value through HRD initiatives
Company A is breaking into new markets in a turbulent environment where progress
depends on rapidly responding to new and unfamiliar challenges. It has to be able to
repeatedly group and regroup its human, financial and physical resources and produce
new organisational capabilities that can respond innovatively to changing customer
demands and stimulate new customer wants.
There will be implications for HR policies to do with recruitment, promotion, rewards
and performance management. In addition, HR and HRD staff need to work together to
add value by helping to change and embed new organisational structure and culture
and to stimulate knowledge creation. HRD professionals must work with managers and
team leaders to build a learning culture and to stimulate knowledge creation.
HRD professionals must work with managers and team leaders to build a learning
culture in the organisation, form learning networks within the organisation and across
its boundaries, and stimulate knowledge-productive communities of practice in the
workplace.
Adding value through HRD initiatives (Harrison, R. and Kessels, J. 2003) (p25)
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Exercise your brain 1

(time estimate: 20 minutes)
Now you can see how important context is, what aspect(s) of your organisational
context would you change in order to improve HRD’s business impact and why?
1.3 The role and contribution of the HRD

professional
The role (responsibility) of the HRD professional is about enhancing the learning
capabilities and effectiveness of the organisation and its employees.
The contribution (input) of the HRD professional is about the value they add to an
organisation.
To operate effectively as an HRD practitioner you need to define your professional

contribution at an individual level. This will help you to internally market the power and
potential of your HRD function… but what does HRD professionalism looks like? The
CIPD’s new HR Profession Map (HRPM) provides the answers.
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1.4 The CIPD HR Profession Map

It helps to look at the history of the profession and explore how CIPD developed its
new HRPM. This extract from a People Management article (24 April 2009) explains that
the map was born out of significant research, and needed to be flexible for the
profession now and for the future.
The CIPD’s “professional standards” underpin qualifications for HR/L&D, and have
been a familiar foundation for tens of thousands of people embarking on their
career.
But the role of HR/L&D practitioners is changing so fast that the institute (CIPD) has
decided, rather than just update the existing standards, a radical re-visioning is
necessary to equip the profession for the challenges ahead.
Dramatic confirmation of the changing business environment came out of market
research commissioned by the CIPD last year. In one of the most comprehensive
surveys of the HR/L&D community ever undertaken, 4,500 people answered detailed
questions about their jobs, their professional needs and aspirations. The results
show:
 Increasing numbers of HR/L&D people are going beyond their traditional role,
and are now required to understand what drives business performance and to
bring into focus the employee capabilities their organisations will need in the
future.
 While 50 per cent see themselves as HR generalists, 50 per cent see
themselves more as specialists, for example in reward, learning and
development or employee relations, but also in roles, such as that of business
partner. They want to go narrower and deeper in their basic and subsequent
training.
 30 per cent have an international dimension to their job. This is only one way
in which the organisations they work in are becoming more complex. HR/L&D
professionals need a more strategic map of the function in order to serve their
organisations – and plan their careers – better.
 29 per cent are studying. This includes recent entrants studying to become
CIPD-qualified, but also people doing MBAs and other masters degree
programmes, and a vast array of continuing professional development at all
levels. There is strong demand for more structured learning and accreditation
as people progress in their careers.
In a recent interview (People Management, 15 January), the institute’s chief
executive, Jackie Orme, defined the profession’s changing orientation like this: “For
me, it is best summed up as a shift from a primary focus on supporting line
managers to manage their people well, to a primary focus on ensuring your
organisation has the sustainable capability it needs to deliver its aims both today and
in the future.”
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Page 10 of Copyright Development Processes Group plc
The HR map has been informed by an extensive programme of consultation with

senior HR/L&D professionals and other leaders in business, the public services and
management education since Orme took over the reins at the institute a year ago.
The clear message is that in order to deliver “sustainable capability”,
HR/L&D practitioners need to:
1. know their organisations inside out – this means, according to Orme, “truly
understanding the drivers of sustainable business performance, and the
barriers to achieving it”
2. know the main ways in which HR/L&D expertise can make an impact – and
contribute beyond the confines of the traditional role
3. have the behavioural skills to turn knowledge into effective action.
Orme believes that the old professional standards served well enough for their time.
But she wants to get away from the notion of fixed standards that are difficult to
change, and the sense of one-size-fits-all. To chart where the profession is now,
and to expand its capacity to meet future challenges, the CIPD has, in effect, started
again with a clean sheet.
Initial reaction from the field is that:
 this is a comprehensive picture of what HR/L&D excellence looks like;
 it is easy to understand, practical, and highly relevant to the challenges that
more and more HR/L&D professionals will face in the workplace.
It’s already clear that the map represents a complete overhaul of HR/L&D’s
foundations and a dramatic raising of the bar in HR/L&D’s ambitions.
So the HRPM is a tool that enables you to take ownership of your own learning and
development. By building an understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours you
need now and in the future, you can perform more effectively and efficiently, develop
your own career and add value for your organisation.
Let’s explore it a bit more deeply, looking at definitions, the big picture and the design
principles, and some key components – bands, professional areas, and behaviours.
CIPD definitions
Knowledge what the individual understands in order to carry out the
activities
Skills what the individual does
Behaviours how the individual carries out the activities
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Design principles
CIPD developed the HRPM using the following design principles:
 It covers behaviours as well as the technical elements of professional
competence required in the HR/L&D profession.
 It describes what you need to do, what you need to know and how you need to
do it within each professional area at four bands of professional competence.
 It's organised around areas of professional competence, not organisation
structures, job levels or roles.
 The scope of the map will cover the breadth and depth of the HR/L&D
profession, from small to large organisations, from fundamental to sophisticated
practice, local to global, corporate to consulting, charity to public sector,
traditional to progressive.
 Although some of the content may relate to line managers and academics, the
map is not designed to capture the professional competence required in these
disciplines.
Bands
The four bands in the HRPM outline the professional competence and contribution at
each level and highlight the transition challenges in moving from one band to the next.
In this programme you demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviours at Bands 1 & 2.
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Professional areas
These describe what you need to do (activities) and know, for each area of the HR/L&D
profession at the four bands of professional competence. There are also links to the
behaviours needed. As you can see in the HR Map there are ten professional areas,
mirroring the growing width and specialism of the HR/L&D function.

Explore the professional area ‘Learning and Talent Development’. Here is the link:
http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-profession-map/professional-areas/learning-talent-
development.htm
Quickly surf around the document, concentrating on bands one and two since
those are at the practitioner level of this programme. Make some brief notes
What are the main two things that you notice?
For example, a connection and a difference compared with your current role?
What is surprising or interesting to you?
Behaviours
Each professional area has a list of the behaviours needed to deliver it. There are eight,
arranged in three clusters and at four bands of professional competence.
Insights and Influence Operational Excellence Stewardship

Curious Driven to deliver Courage to challenge
Decisive thinker Collaborative Role model
Skilled influencer Personally credible

Write a briefing note aimed at those thinking about becoming HRD professionals.
Refer to CIPD’s ‘HR Profession Map’ covering these three following
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professional areas at bands one and two:
1. Strategies, insights and solutions

2. Leading and managing the Human Resources function
3. Plus one other of your choice (for example one that connects most closely to
your L&D role or intended role)
You should make reference to the eight behaviours in the map.
In addition, your brief should outline the roles of HRD professionalism e.g.
managing self, managing in groups/teams, managing upwards and managing across
the organisation. In doing so, set out how these roles interact.
Bands and transitions

When you’re looking at your potential progression through the profession, it’s important
to clarify the banding and the transition challenges that come when you’re moving from
one band to the next.
The four bands of professional competence define the contribution that professionals
make in the some key areas, specifically:
 the relationship that professionals have with clients, such as supporter, advisor,
consultant or leader
 the focus of the activities performed by professionals, such as supporting,
advising or leading
 how professionals spend their time, such as providing information, understanding
issues, understanding the business or understanding organisational issues
 what services are provided to clients, such as informing, handling issues,
providing solutions or challenging difficult issues
 ways in which their contribution and success is measured.
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1.5 What it means to be a professional

Having explored the CIPD’s HR Profession Map you now know what the CIPD’s
expectations are regarding professionalism. The CIPD also sets out its expectations of
members in a Code of Professional Practice.

What are the key responsibilities of CIPD members under their Code of Professional
Conduct? Is there anything that you would add?
1.6 Ethical Practice

Ethical practice defines the way you conduct yourself as an HRD professional.
Definition of Ethics:
“the rules of conduct recognised as appropriate to a particular profession or area of life”
(Oxford English Dictionary).
As an HRD professional you should aim, through professional practice, to demonstrate:

 honesty
 fairness
 respect for others
 trustworthiness.

As an HRD Manager, what do you consider to be key areas of conflict between your
professional principles and organisational pressures?
And
How, as an HRD professional, do you apply your knowledge and skills to alleviate
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these areas of conflict?
Whether ethical behaviour is considered a duty or a virtue its underlying principle is to

ensure that behaviour is not driven by self-interest or self-gain, and that it has no
negative, unintended consequences for your organisation.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) takes this a step further by encouraging business
leaders to consider their organisation’s impact on the wider world. CSR strategies
contribute to long-term business values and sustainable performance.

Review the Business Link’s guide to Corporate Social Responsibility by clicking here.
With Corporate Social Responsibility moving up the corporate agenda, what element
of your HRD strategy (if there is one in place) demonstrates CSR?
Or
If there is no evidence of a strategy or CSR, how do you see your HRD function
being able to add value to the CSR agenda?
1.7 HRD customers and stakeholders

Before you can meet customer and stakeholder needs you need to know who they are,
and determine their expectations and priorities.
As a working definition, a customer is anyone to whom you supply the processes,
products or services of your HRD function. External customers are obvious – they’re
the users or consumers of the goods and services your organisation provides.
Internal customers are often overlooked though. These are the people, departments,
managers or functions inside the organisation that you supply something to. It can be
anything; including information, statistics, support on learning plans, specialist advice
and consultancy, or direct training. It can even be clerical support and back-up.
They may or may not pay you, but they rely on you as their supplier. Without your fit-
for-purpose service, products or data they cannot do their work effectively and
efficiently – and that inevitably has a knock-on effect for the external consumer.
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Stakeholders can be anyone, both internal and external, with a vested interest in your
organisation. They can include employees, clients, colleagues and customers… in fact
anyone who may be affected by your operations.
Who are they?

To start your thinking, create a list of your internal customers. Remember, these are
the individuals, functions, departments or sections that you provide something for.
They may be specific people or groups of people, and they could be within HRD or
outside it, and possibly not even hired by your organisation yet.
What are their needs?

Everyone who uses HRD services has their own needs; whether they’re subordinates,
peers, managers, users/customers or others. And as those needs always evolve and
change, it’s important to take the time to identify them.

This activity will help clarify what your customers value from you. Pick two different
customers, ask them these questions and note down their answers.
Make your notes brief but specific. Quite well or Most of the time is vague and
unhelpful, whereas 100% happy or Satisfied with the report although they need it a
day earlier each month gives you detail that really helps you understand their needs.
Customer 1
What core benefits is this
customer seeking from you?
What additional benefits is
the customer seeking?
How well is each of these being met right now:
Core benefits?
Additional benefits?
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Actions required (specifically

what, by whom, when)?
Customer 2
What core benefits is this
customer seeking from you?
What additional benefits is
the customer seeking?
How well is each of these being met right now:
Core benefits?
Additional benefits?
Actions required (specifically
what, by whom, when)?
This activity is not only helpful in this course of study, it’s also a very useful tool for
continuous improvement at work. By regularly asking internal customers how you’re
doing, you can ensure you’re always up to date with their changing needs and
priorities. It also helps spot things you may not need to do any more – like figures that
used to be important but are no longer needed, even though you’ve been spending
time churning them out each month because nobody told you.
Meeting, or exceeding, customer expectations helps build confidence and credibility in
your HRD function. And it’s important that the service you offer your customers is both
consistent and enhancing.
Consistency is critical for sustaining strong customer relationships. Enhancing your
customers’ experiences is a product of your commitment to continuous improvement,
where you develop a customer care strategy that ensures standards and expectations
are communicated internally and externally. With this kind of service level agreement in
place you can then measure your HRD function’s customer service against it – on the
lines of that last activity.
It’s a continuous process giving you excellent realistic feedback that helps you identify
what is going well and where there is room for improvement.
Continuous improvement
The Japanese call this Kaizen (Kai = change, Zen = good or better)
It is also important because many customers and stakeholders have power that can
either help you or present challenges to your HRD function as you try to determine and
deliver your priorities. Knowing their needs helps avoid conflict and build progress.
Types of power include: characterised by:
Personal Drive, inspirational, charisma
Knowledge/Expert Information, areas of expertise, etc.
Resource Controlling access to budgets etc.
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Physical Size, voice etc.

Status Position in organisation
1.8 Links and follow through

This link provides a summary and insights into Kaizen.
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_kaizen_main.html
Michael Le Boeuf, “How to win customers and keep them for life”. Listen to Michael
read excerpts from his seminal book. It may spark your interest in the full publication.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-to-Win-Customers-and-Keep-Them-for-
Life/Michael-Leboeuf/e/9780743519007
Explore the role HR played in the rapid demise of Enron in the Personnel Today article
“Did HR fuel the demise of Enron?”
http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/article.aspx?
liarticleid=11695&printerfriendly=true
Ulrich, D. et al (2008) HR competencies: mastery at the intersection between people
and business. Washington, DC: Society for Human Resource Management.
Cook, S. (2008) Customer service in your organisation . Toolkit. London: Chartered
Institute of Personnel & Development
Edwards, S. (2004) Guide for customer service professionals. London: Customer 1st
International.
Business Link. (2007) Customer relationship management [online]. London: Business
Link. Available at: www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1075422922#
Want to stretch yourself?
Check out the CIPD’s Career Management Guide – it looks at how

to structure successful career management activities that support
organisational objectives and meet employee’s needs.
http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/guides/career-
management.aspx
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2 Perform efficiently and effectively as

a self-managing HR professional
2.1 Introduction
This section explores some of the principles and practices required to become a self-
managing professional.
2.2 Efficiency and effectiveness

Effectiveness means doing the right things to produce the desired result.
Efficiency is doing things right.
To deliver an efficient service to your customers and stakeholders you:
 focus on what needs to be done
 plan relevant actions that need to be taken
 implement those actions
 review and evaluate impact at every stage to check you are achieving the right
result with the minimum use of resources.
You can achieve efficiency and effectiveness through these project planning steps:
Initiating Determining what needs to be accomplished

Presenting a business case
Liaising with customers/stakeholders
Defining and agreeing the scope
Planning Identifying key task resources and producing a plan
Establishing important and measurable milestones
Establishing budgets
Executing Carrying out actions against your plan
Controlling Ensuring timings are adhered to, and contingencies factored in
Closing Reviewing, evaluating and learning from experiences.
Each project’s scope and potential impact is different and may affect any level in your
organisation. How you interpret and execute instructions (inputs) and results (outputs)
defines efficiency and effectiveness in terms of the ‘added value’ your actions produce.
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Think of a project you have recently undertaken at work (large or small) and outline
the following:
a) What was the project and who initiated it?
b) What went well?
c) What didn’t go so well?
d) What did you have to change, if anything, to achieve the objective?
e) What would you do differently next time?
With effective project management skills you can enhance your professional credibility
and support organisational change, so it’s important that you strengthen these skills to
ensure effective and efficient delivery against the project objectives.
Achieving successful outcomes typically means using project management tools, which
come in many forms. Exactly which ones you choose is down to personal preference.

On this link: Business balls - Project management Tools you’ll find a comprehensive
overview of key project management tools. There are examples and explanations of
four commonly-used tools – brainstorming, fishbone diagrams, critical path analysis
flow diagrams and Gantt charts.
Take some time to read up on them if they’re new to you.
If you’ve used any of them before, how did they help to deliver the project
objectives?
Critical thinking, context and communication

For project planning and implementation you need to demonstrate a level of critical and
analytical thinking.
Critical thinking enables you to:
 reflect and consider a problem, strategy or solution
 consider the potentially competing needs of your customers
 create an outcome that is mutually beneficial.
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Critical thinking requires:

 reflection - which in turn requires an element of self-awareness
 criteria based judgement - the ability to weigh information received against the
actual circumstances
 analysis of any influences on the project and the potential ‘flaws’ of all
information received
 acceptance of feedback and the ability to take corrective action.
Although systematic project management and critical thinking are key, you always have
to remember the context. Projects invariably affect stakeholders, so it makes good
sense to keep them informed and involve them where appropriate.
Effective communication with stakeholders is important. Specifying how you will keep
stakeholders up to date with progress should form part of your initial project plan.
Being seen to communicate effectively strengthens your credibility by demonstrating:
 your ability to present relevant research into projects undertaken
 the way you have validated the reliability of your sources and data
 benchmarking
 alignment between your project and the specific needs of your organisation.
Effective communication skills require you to:
 listen actively
 understand verbal and non-verbal communication signs
 succinctly communicate relevant facts; written and orally
 construct sound and convincing arguments
 convey assertiveness without demonstrating arrogance.

Mark West’s short article on “Business Relationships, Opportunities waiting to happen”
(British Journal of Administrative Management; Feb/Mar2006, Issue 51, p17-17, 1p ) provides
insight into effective relationship building techniques. You’ll need to be logged into the
CIPD’s website to access this.
Michele Compton’s “Action and Reaction: When Good Relationships Go Bad” (Women in
Business; Jan/Feb2008, Vol. 60 Issue 1, p9-11, 3p ) provides tips on how to deal with difficult
people at work. You’ll need to be logged into the CIPD’s website to access this one too.
WINSTANLEY, D. (2005) Personal effectiveness. London: Chartered Institute of
Personnel & Development.
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3 Perform efficiently and effectively as a

collaborative member of working
groups and teams and as an added-
value contributor to the organisation
3.1 Introduction
In this section you explore team models and team leadership, and look at achieving
win-win situations. Applying the right skills in the right situations helps build, develop
and maintain excellent collaborative working relationships.
3.2 Working with others

Organisational structures often define working relationships, and determine how those
relationships interact. While you may not choose every individual you work with, good
relationships matter, as a positive and motivated workforce is always more productive.
In any given setting group dynamics are multifaceted and complex. When working with
others your ability to skilfully manage the dynamics of relationships has a substantial
impact on the success of any project.
Team roles
Belbin’s (1981) work on teams defined nine equally important roles that people play in
team situations. Getting the team to work well requires each member to recognise the
importance of the others’ roles, so that they can work together to make best use of the
network of different skills and approaches that team members bring to the table.
These are his nine roles:
Doers Implementer turns ideas into actions

Shaper dynamic, proactive achiever
Completer/finisher the detail person
Thinkers Planter solves difficult and complex problems
Monitor-Evaluator critical, strategic thinker
Specialist brings skills in short supply
Relationship Co-ordinator co-ordinates the effort of others
builders Teamworker ensures effective interpersonal relationships
Resource-Investigator supreme networker
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Tuckman’s (1965) team development model originally had four stages of team
formation and was later adapted to include six (five shown here).
Stage 1: Forming Getting to know each other
Stage 2: Storming Differences of views/opinions start to occur and

conflicts/arguments emerge
Stage 3: Norming The team sets expectations and standards, agreeing goals
and how to achieve them
Stage 4: Performing The team starts to achieve the outcomes needed to

successfully achieve agreed goals
Stage 5: Mourning The team completes the project and deals with issues
learned and the loss, sadness or relief of leaving the team.
Whichever model you use to explore teams, the key factor is that team behaviour needs
to be understood if the team is to achieve cohesion and desired outcomes.

Think of a time when you were part of a team.

Make brief notes on how the team developed, using the stages in Tuckman’s model.
Identify the role you played (from Belbin’s list) and rate your performance.
What did you learn that will help you be a more effective team member in future?
Leadership
Effective leadership is a key factor in determining team success. The traits of a ‘good’
leader include being able to energise and inject enthusiasm into the teams and/or
groups you have responsibility for. And effective team leadership requires you to
demonstrate key aspects of the CIPD HRPM.
Insights and Influence
 Effective decision maker
 Able to see the big picture – vision
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Operational Excellence
 Good at doing things – task competence within specialist areas
 Ability to handle people through negotiation and conflict
Stewardship
 Accepts responsibility and remains calm under pressure
 Inspires and innovates
3.3 Influencing, persuading and negotiating

Other people’s perception of your HRD function has a distinct bearing on the degree of
influencing and persuading you can successfully undertake. Not everyone shares your
view that HRD is a crucial element in organisational success. They can be persuaded;
but getting them to see HRD as a key business partner often takes work.
To influence or persuade decision-makers and stakeholders you have to understand
their needs and know the appropriate outcomes. When your plan isn’t going to give
them exactly what they might expect, you need to prepare and present a balanced,
evidence-based and reasoned counter-argument to what they have in mind. You need
their buy-in and the key to success is your ability to convince them that your proposal
benefits and/or improves the current situation, beyond their expectations.
The skills of influencing and persuading

There are four basic influencing skills. Throughout your career you will rely on these
skills to varying degrees, in a variety of settings. Developing them now will enhance
your credibility as an HRD professional.
 Asserting Expressing your views clearly and directly, in assertive language.
 Bridging Drawing out other people’s points of view – indicating you
understand what they’re saying and joining your views with theirs (for instance,
“we both seem to be saying the same things, so let’s agree to proceed”).
 Attracting Trying to get people enthused by what you are proposing; getting
people to feel they are taking part in an exciting project
 Observing Being aware of the reactions of the people you are dealing with
and listening to what they say.
Negotiating
Influencing and persuading are key skills in the process of negotiation, where you:
 define your objective(s)
 get the facts
 organise your argument
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 anticipate objections
 find out what the other parties want
 look for hidden agendas
 prepare a simple presentation, with impact
 make your audience contributors to your idea
 sell the benefits positively
 gain commitment and take immediate action
3.4 Managing relationships within and across

hierarchies
Power and politics impact on relationships within organisations, and you could well
come across different types of power bases. One of the most-well known studies on
power is that of French and Raven (1959). From their research, they identified five
different bases of power.
Legitimate – coming from the perception that, because of their position, someone has
the right to make demands and expect compliance and obedience from others.
Reward – based on the perception that someone has the ability to give people what
they want, or to withhold reward for non-compliance with their wishes.
Expert – this type of power comes from someone having superior knowledge or skills;
they can choose to share their expertise, use it for the benefit of the organisation, or
they could decide to do neither.
Referent – this is power that comes from someone being liked or having people want
to be like them. Those with referent power have social influence and they can choose to
include or exclude others by influencing the perceptions of others.
Coercive – this type of power stems from the perceived ability that someone can
punish another who does not conform with their ideas or wishes.

Read the descriptions of these five types of power base on the Mindtools website.
When you have read through the article, give an example of each type of power
below.
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Any of these types of power can be used to protect or pursue an individual or group’s
self-interests. That can lead to conflict; and while conflict is natural, it can lead to the
breakdown of relationships if it’s not handled constructively.
Handling conflict
People use a range of natural stances to handle conflict situations.
Avoidance Tries to avoid conflict, but when it arises tries to stifle or

postpone it, or at least ensure that there is no direct
confrontation
Compromise Seeks compromise by negotiation and making deals
Competition Tries to win, either by exploiting rivalries or by exercise of power
Accommodation Encourages the other party/parties to put the reasons for conflict
on the table, so that it can be resolved
Collaboration Seeks to work together to find solutions that build on differences
and that help each of the parties involved to win something
Submissive Usually gives way, either because of a belief that conflict is
counter-productive or because it is clear from the start that
winning is impossible
The style you use should be responsive and sensitive to the situation. For instance,
collaboration may not always work and it may be better to opt for a compromise
through negotiation, to preserve commitment and facilitate progress.
When you’re managing a conflict situation, stay focused on the desired outcomes for
the business. Establishing and maintaining effective relationships are key success
factors. In an article published in Training Journal, Nick Heap points out:
“Relationships can often seem like fragile things – especially in the workplace where
they are often built and destroyed by the actions we take.”
The full article can be accessed by clicking here:
When you’re managing a conflict situation, stay focused on the desired outcomes for
the business. Establishing and maintaining effective relationships are key success
factors. In this excerpt Rosemary Harrison (2005) outlines the CIPD’s notion of the
Business Partner, and sets out steps for building and maintaining effective relationships.
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Partner others
Build effective working relationships inside and outside the business so that L&D
strategies work on the ground and new initiatives gain the support they need.
Achieve results
Promote L&D activity that supports the business and the learners, work with others to
monitor and evaluate its outcome, and spread awareness of the value-adding that the
L&D function provides.
Remember the People-Performance framework

Without the right organisational context people cannot, or will not, use their learning
and skills to the benefit of the business. Help to build commitment and a learning
culture in the workplace through your partnerships and expertise.
Travel around
Move about the organisation establishing a live and proactive presence in the business,
expanding and deepening your business knowledge and cementing valuable
relationships.
Never be complacent
Use partnerships as a vehicle for your own learning as well as that of others,
stimulating your professional development and generating new knowledge to make the
L&D function leading edge.
Ensure professional and ethical practice

Respect the values of others, building on diversity of whatever kind in order to produce
rich learning experiences, with access for all employees to opportunities to develop their
performance and potential.
Raise awareness
Ensure that managers and all employees know about the big L&D issues facing the
organisation and the part they can play in tackling them.
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Steven Covey - 7 Habits of highly effective people
HORN, R. (2009) Business Skills Handbook. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel

and Development
WATSON, G., GALLAGHER, K. (2005) Managing for Results: Chartered Institute of

Personnel and Development
Review “Managing relationship conflict and the effectiveness of

organisational teams” by clicking here. The reference for this is:
Journal of Organizational Behavior; May2001, Vol. 22 Issue 3, p309-328, 20p .
You’ll need to be logged into the CIPD’s website to access this

article.
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4 Apply CPD techniques to construct,

implement and review a personal
development plan
4.1 Introduction
In this final section we’ll look at Continuing Professional Development (CPD), what it is,
how important it is and how it works. There’s an assessment activity at the end to show
that you can:
 undertake a self-assessment
 produce a CPD plan for yourself
 commit to maintaining a CPD record
4.2 The concept and importance of CPD

CPD is a process by which individuals take control of their own learning and
development by engaging in an on-going process of reflection and action.
This process is empowering and exciting and can stimulate people to achieve their
aspirations and move towards their dreams. (Meggison and Whitaker 2007)
CPD is a systematic way of helping you manage your development, so you can give
your best to yourself and your organisation. It has two practical outcomes:
 A CPD plan, which is your targeted personal development plan
 A living CPD record – like a diary of key experiences, learnings and results.
We’ve mentioned ‘your contribution’ to your organisation, and that’s about adding
value. Ted Johns at the Prosper Consortium has this very interesting box grid called,
The Adding Value Employee. It’s often referred to as the ‘Thinking Performer’ because
that’s the place where the effective employee lives.
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(Doing the right thing) Effectiveness
Wish List Dreamer Thinking Performer
The Lifetime Liability Automated Bureaucrat
Efficiency
(Doing things right)
4.3 The benefits of CPD

As your organisation continues to evolve, so your professional knowledge, skills and
behaviours must also evolve if you’re to help enhance organisational performance.
From the organisation’s perspective, CPD provides current and future opportunities to:
 improve employee’s competencies to enable the achievement of key objectives
 align knowledge, skills and behaviours to future roles, in succession planning.
Your rationale for undertaking CPD is that it enables you to:
 take a focused approach to your own development
 keep up to date with developments within your profession
 plan your own development to fit your preferred learning style.
It also provides evidence of your commitment to CPD, which you must have when you
come to upgrade your CIPD membership.
Taking time out to reflect on important experiences and noting down your thoughts and
next steps is a powerful way to learn. Making sure you use experiences to identify
learning areas and apply what you learn is a key factor for Thinking Performers – one
that connects well to the cycle of experiential learning by David Kolb (1984).
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Act
Do
(Plan and (Experience)
Implement)
Conclude Review
(Generalise) (Reflections)
4.4 How CPD works

CPD is practical and straightforward, with three key steps:
1. Carry out a personal stock take and reflection.
2. Produce a CPD development plan.
3. Start and maintain a CPD record.
You’ll use these three steps in more depth when you come to the assessment activities
at the end of the unit. But for now, this is the outline of what’s involved.
Step 1 is your personal stock take, where you ask yourself some simple questions:
 What’s happening over the next year in my current role?
 What are my longer-term aspirations (over, say, the next three years)?
 What do I need to know, do and behave like, to do what’s needed of me?
 What am I already good at?
 What are my gaps (knowledge, skills, and behaviours)?
 How might I best fill them?
Step 2 is your plan. It should answer these basic questions over a set period of time,
with target dates for review and completion:
 Where do I want to be by the end of this period?
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 What do I want to be doing (something new, extended, or more of the same)?

 What do I need or want to learn?
 What will I do to achieve this?
 What resources or support will I need?
 What are my success criteria?
Step 3 is the straightforward record of your activity and success. It records:

 key dates
 what you did
 why you did it
 what you learnt from it
 how you are using what you learnt
 whether there’s any further action needed.
Dispelling some myths about CPD
If it does, you need to do it

It takes too much differently.
time.
Whether your manager or

It’s not relevant to business culture supports it is
me, my organisation irrelevant – it’s about you and
doesn’t promote it. your professional development.
It’s about you keeping your
focus and motivation.
I don’t get much

opportunity for
courses so my record
will be small.
CPD can include:
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 formal training
 project work
 reading – books, newspapers, people management, training journals, etc.
 secondments
 observing role models
 outside work experiences
 films, DVD, TV and radio
 e-learning, etc.
4.5 Self-appraisal and receiving feedback

A key element in this unit is your ability to appraise yourself against other people’s
expectations. Continuous self-appraisal is a key CPD component, and in practical terms
it helps you to improve your capabilities and effectiveness.
To gather the information you need for self-appraisal you can:
 critique yourself, possibly using Kolb’s learning cycle as the basis for analysis
 ask for feedback from direct reports, peers, customers, your manager.
Remember, asking for feedback can be a revealing process. It may give you a surprise
or two, as the way you see yourself is often different to the way others see you.
Once you have the information from your own review or from feedback, you can use it
to develop your capabilities and effectiveness.

www.cipd.co.uk/cpd
CIPD web area on CPD
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm
Here you can delve further into Kolb’s experiential learning cycle.
http://www.masie.com/Home.htm
The Masie Centre is a useful site about learning, especially e-learning. Perhaps try out
some of the podcasts.
http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/trainingneeds/idtlneeds.htm
CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL AND DEVELOPMENT. (2009) Identifying
learning and training needs [online]. Factsheet. London: CIPD.
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Megginson, D. and Whitaker, V. (2007) 2nd ed. Continuing professional development.

London: Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.
Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J. and Boydell, T. (2006) A manager’s guide to self-development.
5th ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.

Click here and listen to the CIPD’s podcast “Pushing the
boundaries of learning and development – Podcast 42”.
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5 Unit reflections
Congratulations! Now that you have completed the unit, what are your reflections?
Think about the content that you have explored in this unit.
What was confirmed that you already knew? What was
new? What made you think?
And for your participant pack exercises and
assessment activities, what are you happy
about?
What would you do differently next time?
What did you learn, perhaps technically, about yourself and maybe, for example, your
time management?
Now complete your CPD entry in your CPD record for this unit.
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Developing Professional Practice

Developing Professional Practice

 I confirm that the work/evidence presented for assessment is my own

Welcome and Introduction

The HRD profession is evolving, as it increasingly demonstrates how HRD helps

Making best use of your time on this unit

Main icons and your actions

Exercise your brain

Complete your response in the box(es) below.

Links to CIPD Standards

1 What is required as an effective and

1.2 The role and contribution of HRD

Exercise your brain 1

1.3 The role and contribution of the HRD

To operate effectively as an HRD practitioner you need to define your professional

1.4 The CIPD HR Profession Map

The HR map has been informed by an extensive programme of consultation with

Skills what the individual does

Behaviours how the individual carries out the activities

Exercise your brain 2

What is surprising or interesting to you?

Insights and Influence Operational Excellence Stewardship

Exercise your brain 3

professional areas at bands one and two:

1. Strategies, insights and solutions

You should make reference to the eight behaviours in the map.

Bands and transitions

1.5 What it means to be a professional

Exercise your brain 4

1.6 Ethical Practice

As an HRD professional you should aim, through professional practice, to demonstrate:

Exercise your brain 5

these areas of conflict?

Whether ethical behaviour is considered a duty or a virtue its underlying principle is to

Exercise your brain 6

1.7 HRD customers and stakeholders

Who are they?

Exercise your brain 7

What are their needs?

Exercise your brain 8

Actions required (specifically

Physical Size, voice etc.

1.8 Links and follow through

Want to stretch yourself?

Check out the CIPD’s Career Management Guide – it looks at how

2 Perform efficiently and effectively as

2.2 Efficiency and effectiveness

Initiating Determining what needs to be accomplished

Exercise your brain 9

Exercise your brain 10

Critical thinking, context and communication

Critical thinking requires:

2.3 Links and follow through

3 Perform efficiently and effectively as a

3.2 Working with others

Doers Implementer turns ideas into actions

Stage 1: Forming Getting to know each other

Stage 2: Storming Differences of views/opinions start to occur and