Understanding personal strengths and weaknesses

Unit 6

Personal & Professional Development

Today’s Lesson

• Recap on SMART targets

• Describe your own strengths and weaknesses

• Examine the opportunities for how your weaknesses can be made into strengths

• Judge the impact of threats on your progress

Recap

Write down one question to ask the one person in the class about something from last unit 6

lesson.

Speed dating

You will have 10 seconds to

remember 1 fact from each of

your speed dates.

The winner is the one person who

can remember the most facts.

Who has the best memory?

Today’s Lesson

• Recap on SMART targets

• Describe your own strengths and weaknesses

• Examine the opportunities for how your weaknesses can be made into strengths

• Judge the impact of threats on your progress

Strengths

Why is it important to know what your strengths are?

You have till the song finishes to write:

• 1 reason down.

• Pass your sheet to the next person

• Write another reason on the piece of paper in front of you

• Write one more reason down.

Why do you need to know your strengths?

• They could lead you to a suitable career

• Having a good idea of what they are will also be very useful in an interview situation.

• You should always make your prospective employer, mentor or team aware just how valuable you will be!

What are your strengths?

INDIVIDUALLY write down what you consider your strengths are

Aim to identify at least 3.

Share your strengths with the person next to you

– say them loud and proud!

Have you considered these?• able to handle conflict• able to make decisions• able to strike the balance between the big picture and detail• able to take risks• Adaptable and willing to change• being personally organised

Are you the sort of person who is?• committed• competitive• creative• determined• enthusiastic• has initiative• quick thinking and gets to the point• self-confident• Sensitive to other people and situations• willing to take responsibility

Weaknesses

Why is it important to know your weaknesses?

Write down at least 2 reasons.

Share

Why do you need to know your weaknesses?

• They can give you something to focus on

• They show you consider yourself realistically –not with rose tinted glasses!

Try to view your weak points as either limitations or areas for improvement, and look for positive ways of presenting them.

For example, you might know that you can be a bit obsessive with tasks, but looked at it from a different perspective, this could be seen as attention to detail, and a desire for perfection.

What are your weaknesses?

INDIVIDUALLY write down what you consider your weaknesses are

Aim to identify at least 3.

Share yours with the person next to

you – say them loud and proud!

Think carefully about your weaknesses – we all have them!Here are some examples.

• I like to win - I’m a bad loser.• I can be impatient sometimes.• I always want everything done at once.• I don’t make friends very easily.• I'm too focused on work and need to develop some after-

hours hobbies.• I can be disorganised • I don’t respond to criticism very well • I can be very talkative and not listen to what other people

are saying.• I will sulk if I don’t get my own way• I can be indecisive.

Opportunities

Do not be discouraged by your weaknesses; we all have them. Admitting to what may be wrong is your first step towards improvement.

Stubborn Tenacious

Demands perfection Strives for excellence

Compromiser Negotiator

Impulsive Fast

Self-effacing Modest

Obsessive Attention for detail

Bossy Leadership

What opportunities do you have for the following? Discuss in pairs.

Weakness

I am often late for lessons

I don’t make friends easily

I lose my class notes

Opportunity

Set an alarm early enough to be able to get an earlier bus.

Aim to speak to one new person per day in lessons. Start with a smile.

Buy a ring-binder folder so I can keep all of my notes in one place and always have access

Today’s Lesson

• Recap on SMART targets

• Describe your own strengths and weaknesses

• Examine the opportunities for how your weaknesses can be made into strengths

• Judge the impact of threats on your progress

Threats

What is a threat?

Discuss with the person directly opposite you what you think a threat might be.

A threat is something that might stop you turning your weaknesses into a strength.

Lets link them all together

Weakness

I am often late for lessons

I don’t make friends easily

I lose my class notes easily

Opportunity

Set an alarm early enough to be able to get an

earlier bus.

Aim to speak to one new person per day in lessons.

Start with a smile.

Buy a ring-binder folder so I can keep all of my notes in one place and

always have access

ThreatMy phone battery

might run out overnight.

I might not have the opportunity for group

work in lessons.

I might accidentally forget to bring the

folder into college for my lessons.

Over to you!

Today’s Lesson

• Recap on SMART targets

• Describe your own strengths and weaknesses

• Examine the opportunities for how your weaknesses can be made into strengths

• Judge the impact of threats on your progress

Brain Warm Up

Lost at sea

Lost at sea…

You are adrift on a private yacht in the South Pacific. As a consequence of a fire ofunknown origin, much of the yacht and its contents have been destroyed. Theyacht is slowly sinking. Your location is unclear because of the destruction ofcritical navigational equipment and because you and the crew were distractedtrying to bring the fire under control. Your best estimate is that you areapproximately one thousand miles south-southwest of the nearest land.

Below is a list of fifteen items that are intact and undamaged after the fire. Inaddition to these articles, you have a serviceable rubber raft (with oars) largeenough to carry yourself, the crew, and all the items listed below. The totalcontents of all survivors’ pockets are a package of cigarettes, several books ofmatches, and five pound note.

Your task is to rank the fifteen items below in terms of their importance to your survival. Place the number 1 by the most important item, the number 2 by second most important, and so on through number 15- the least important

15 Items you have.

SextantShaving MirrorFive-gallon can of waterMosquito nettingOne case of Army rationsMaps of the Pacific OceanSeat Cushion (flotation device approved by the Coast Guard)Two-gallon can of oil-gas mixtureSmall transistor radioShark repellentTwenty square feet of opaque plasticOne quart of 160-proof Puerto Rican rumFifteen feet of nylon ropeTwo boxes of chocolate barsFishing kit

Activity (5 minutes)

Your task is to rank the fifteen items below in terms of their importance to your

survival. Place the number 1 by the most important item, the number 2 by

second most important, and so on through number 15- the least important.

__ Sextant__ Shaving Mirror__ Five-gallon can of water__ Mosquito netting__ One case of Army rations__ Maps of the Pacific Ocean__ Seat Cushion (flotation device approved by the Coast Guard)__ Two-gallon can of oil-gas mixture__ Small transistor radio__ Shark repellent__ Twenty square feet of opaque plastic__ One quart of 160-proof Puerto Rican rum__ Fifteen feet of nylon rope__ Two boxes of chocolate bars__ Fishing kit

About me PP.

• Name, Age,

• Hobbies

• Interests

• Holidays been on?

• Family?

• Pets?

• Career (University? Then job that you want?