Blueprint for Personal and Professional Growth (BPPG)

Think about the last time you went shopping for clothes. Did you try on any garments that did not fit you correctly? Perhaps you tried on something that was too large or too small or simply did not have the right style. There was nothing wrong with the garment or with you, but clearly the garment was not right for you or you for it.

The same is true for people and job positions: Not everyone qualified for a particular position will be right for, and excel in, that position. In How the Mighty Fall, Collins spends considerable time discussing the importance of having the right person with the right skills and attitude working in an organization, especially in key positions. In this Application Assignment, you will assess yourself and your suitability for a particular position.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Turn to Appendix 5 on p. 159 of How the Mighty Fall. Collins lists six characteristics that increase the likelihood of “the right people in key seats.” Examine those characteristics and consider how they contribute to the success of an individual in a key position.
• Consider your current job position, a past position that you no longer hold, or a position you aspire to have in the future. Provide a brief description of the roles and responsibilities of the position and evaluate yourself in that position based on the characteristics Collins lists on p. 159 of How the Mighty Fall. By Collins’s criteria, how suitable are you for the position? Is there anything you feel is absent in his analysis?
• Reflect on the material you have focused on throughout the entirety of this course. What have you gained in terms of professional knowledge that you could use to improve your managerial aptitude and capabilities and be better prepared for positions in the future?

Now answer and complete the below Assignment:

• Provide the title of the job position you evaluated, and briefly describe the roles and responsibilities that position entails.
• For each of the six characteristics outlined on p. 159 in How the Mighty Fall, write a paragraph evaluating your strengths and weaknesses in that area.
• Write a 2- to 3-paragraph analysis of at least three key weaknesses that you would like to improve. Formulate a potential plan for developing yourself in those areas.
• Briefly describe the lessons you learned as you analyzed an organization in terms of improving performance, increasing throughput and profit, and designing more successful organizations. Explain how you can use these concepts in the future.
• In addition, write a 1-page paper identifying the important concepts, ideas, or skills you will take away from this course that would also help you be prepared to reach future career goals. Discuss how you will use those things to improve yourself in your current managerial role or in a future position.

References:

Collins, J., (2009). How the mighty fall: And why some companies never give in. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Miick, R. (2011, Summer). Profit on values. Food & Drink, 90–91.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (2011). The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 58–67.

Stimson, W. A., (2005). A Deming inspired management code of ethics, Quality Progress, 38(2), 67–75.