TAKING ACTIVE STEPS FOR

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT &

KOLB’S LEARNING STYLES
Maldives Business School
Objectives:
◦ Understand steps required for personal development
◦ How to take active steps towards personal development
◦ Kolb’s Learning Styles & Experiential Learning Cycles
 PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Chapter I
Why do you need a personal
development plan?
◦ A personal development plan is that mirror zoomed in to look at yourself beneath the
skin and appreciating what’s there. You will see your strengths, values, biases and
beliefs. Beyond that, though, personal development planning goes forward to project
your vision of your ideal self. And then identifying what changes you have to make.

◦ Of course, personal growth can happen naturally. But conscious effort is needed to
push yourself to be the best version of yourself.
Examples of Personal Development
Skills
◦ Personal development skills can be traits or qualities you already have or ones you can
gain through education and training.
• Communication
• Interpersonal
• Organization
• Problem-solving
• Self-confidence
• Adaptability
• Integrity
• Work ethic
• Leadership
Personal development skills in the
workplace
◦ Be an active listener.
◦ Work well with others.
◦ Organize your time, work and materials.
◦ Work through challenging situations. - When dealing with a problem, assess your options
and determine the best solution.
◦ Believe in yourself.
◦ Adapt to change.
◦ Be truthful.
◦ Be committed to and passionate about your job.
◦ Guide those around you.
How to build a personal
development plan
◦ 1. Set your vision
“Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?”
◦ Setting a vision is a bold first step in every personal development plan. Dream about the kind
of person you’ll be, where you’ll live, and what you’ll be doing in 10 years. Don’t be discouraged
by doubts or what-ifs.
◦ This vision will be the roadmap for the rest of your personal development plan. Once you’ve
defined an end goal, you will be able to make decisions that align with your goals and values.
This is the surest way of narrowing down good options and discarding useless ones, whether
it be relationships, finances, career choices, or how you spend your time.
 Point of action:
◦ Identify some aspects of your life where you would like to see yourself grow. These could be
physical health, mental health, social skills, relationships, finances, spirituality, academic
and career paths, among some.
◦ Then, create a vision board or a Pinterest board to put your ideas on. You can also write this
down or record a vlog. Any medium will work as long as you put down your ideas.
2. Get to know your personality and
qualities.
Next, get to know yourself in and out.
◦ There are many ways to do this, like personality tests, but it is recommended to do a SWOT
analysis.
◦ A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is a visual organizer that’s
often used to assess how well a business or company is doing.
◦ When used to analyse an individual, it can chart out someone’s key qualities and ways
forward. Don’t skip this step in your personal development planning. It’s a must to evaluate
yourself and make room for strategic, personal growth.
Example of a personal SWOT
analysis
So, what should you write in each
box?
◦ Strengths (S) – List down all talents, skills, and attributes that you possess and that give
you an advantage of reaching your vision.

Weaknesses (W) – List down areas and specific skills which you lack or may get in the way
of you achieving your goals.

Opportunities (O) – List down any events, projects, or activities you can engage in to help
you reach your goal. Also, list down new skills to learn.

Threats (T) – List down any barriers that you anticipate and are out of your control. Knowing
your obstacles helps you prepare to counter them or find a way around them.
Point of action:
◦ Grab a piece of paper and a pencil. Go to your favorite spot, free of distractions. Plot
out your SWOT chart and begin your self-evaluation! You can do this over a few days.
Of course, input from your closest friends, family, or lecturers are most welcome.
3.Gather resources to start your
personal development plan.
◦ A personal development plan should be supplemented with resources that will help
you follow through. Without them, your plan might just be like clouds floating in the air
with no direction. So, it’s important to stay grounded and motivated to keep going.

◦ Based on your SWOT analysis, you would have identified your weaknesses and
opportunities. That’s a great start because they will guide how you choose from the
abundance of motivational videos, podcasts, courses, events, and workshops out
there.
Point of action:
Here’s a checklist of things you should do to fill up your personal development toolkit. This
list is not exhaustive but it is a good place to start!
• Display your vision board somewhere, so you can constantly be reminded of your vision.
• Follow a personal development podcast, like Lewis Howes’ The School of Greatness.
• Create a playlist, curating videos teaching you the skills you want to learn but didn’t get to in
university.
• Read books or watch documentaries that talk about what you set out in your vision board.
• Sign yourself up for courses and workshops targeting your area of growth.
• Network with people (professors, family members, experts, industry-specific groups) whom
you can learn from or be mentored by.
• Create a rough timeline for certain milestones to keep track of.
• Keep a journal of your plan and your thoughts on this journey.
4. Revisit your plan and change if
you need to
◦ You won’t be the same person forever.
◦ Remember that your personal growth will be a continually evolving process. Rather
than seeing your plan as a straight road from start to end, look at it as a circular
pathway.
◦ If you feel that your priorities change in life, that’s normal. After university, you may start
to see many opportunities coming up. Your personality might change, and so will your
SWOT chart.
◦ Your timeline may not work for you, and you may discover that you want to have a
completely different goal. That’s completely okay! Everyone develops and changes
along the way, but the most important thing is to get moving with a plan! Then, review
the plan as you go along.
Point of action:
◦ Every now and then, review your personal development plan. You can take a look at
your goals and SWOT analysis every quarter of the year.
◦ This helps you celebrate your progress and keeps you accountable. Have a thorough,
critical review of whether you’re keeping to your goals.
◦ If you need to make any changes, write it down and review the resources you have,
along with your timeline.
Finally
◦ Nothing is set in stone, and that is exactly why we have a plan to keep us rooted. If you
follow these four steps of personal development planning, you’ll be better equipped to
reach your self-growth goals!
KOLB'S LEARNING STYLES
AND EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING CYCLE
Chapter II
What is experiential learning?
◦ How one learns is a fascinating process that includes a variety of theoretical
methods and individual learning styles.
◦ In 1984, David Kolb created the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and it is still
one of the most widely used learning models. ELT is based on the premise that
a person learns from direct experience or ‘learns by doing’.

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius

Confucius’ quote summarizes Kolb’s theory wonderfully, the crux being that a
person learns through action. Kolb’s theory is particularly interesting because it
focuses on the learner’s perspective and on personal development. In
experiential learning, the individual guides the learning process as opposed to
the conventional, didactic method.
Kolb's Learning Styles and
Experiential Learning Cycle
◦ David Kolb published his learning styles model in 1984 from which he developed his
learning style inventory.
◦ Kolb's experiential learning theory works on two levels: a four-stage cycle of learning and
four separate learning styles. Much of Kolb’s theory is concerned with the learner’s
internal cognitive processes.
◦ Kolb states that learning involves the acquisition of abstract concepts that can be
applied flexibly in a range of situations. In Kolb’s theory, the impetus for the
development of new concepts is provided by new experiences.
“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of
experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38).
The Experiential Learning Cycle
◦ Kolb's experiential learning style theory is typically represented by a four-stage learning
cycle in which the learner 'touches all the bases':
The Experiential Learning Cycle
◦ 1. Concrete Experience - a new experience or situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation
of existing experience.
◦ 2. Reflective Observation of the New Experience - of particular importance are any
inconsistencies between experience and understanding.
◦ 3. Abstract Conceptualization reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an
existing abstract concept (the person has learned from their experience).
◦ 4. Active Experimentation - the learner applies their idea(s) to the world around them to
see what happens.
The Experiential Learning Cycle

◦ Effective learning is seen when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages: of
(1) having a concrete experience followed by (2) observation of and reflection on that
experience which leads to (3) the formation of abstract concepts (analysis) and
generalizations (conclusions) which are then (4) used to test a hypothesis in future
situations, resulting in new experiences.
Learning Styles
◦ Kolb's learning theory (1984) sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on a
four-stage learning cycle (see above). Kolb explains that different people naturally
prefer a certain single different learning style.

◦ Various factors influence a person's preferred style. For example, social environment,
educational experiences, or the basic cognitive structure of the individual.
Learning Styles Descriptions
◦ Knowing a person's (and your own) learning style enables learning to be orientated
according to the preferred method.
◦ 1. Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO)
◦ These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive.
They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use
imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations from
several different viewpoints.
◦ Kolb called this style 'diverging' because these people perform better in situations that
require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a diverging learning
style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information.
◦ They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be
strong in the arts. People with the diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with
an open mind and to receive personal feedback.
Learning Styles Descriptions
2. Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO)
◦ The assimilating learning preference involves a concise, logical approach. Ideas and
concepts are more important than people.

◦ These people require good clear explanation rather than a practical opportunity. They excel
at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it in a clear, logical format.

◦ People with an assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in
ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound
theories than approaches based on practical value.

◦ This learning style is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal
learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical
models, and having time to think things through.
Learning Styles Descriptions
3. Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE)
◦ People with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find
solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people
and interpersonal aspects.

◦ People with a converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and
theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and
problems.

◦ People with a converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems
than social or interpersonal issues. A converging learning style enables specialist and
technology abilities.

◦ People with a converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work
with practical applications.
Learning Styles Descriptions
4. Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE)
◦ The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on,' and relies on intuition rather than
logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical,
experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to
carrying out plans.

◦ They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an
accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out
their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent within the general population.
Educational Implications
◦ Both Kolb's (1984) learning stages and cycle could be used by teachers to critically
evaluate the learning provision typically available to students, and to develop more
appropriate learning opportunities.

◦ Educators should ensure that activities are designed and carried out in ways that offer
each learner the chance to engage in the manner that suits them best.

◦ Also, individuals can be helped to learn more effectively by the identification of their
lesser preferred learning styles and the strengthening of these through the application
of the experiential learning cycle.
End of Slides! 

◦ "Learning never exhausts the mind.“ – Leonardo Da Vinci