Here is a draft about me paragraph: My name is [your name] and I am [your age]. In my free time I enjoy [your top hobbies and interests]. Some of the places I have travelled to on holiday include [list some places you've been]. I come from a family of [size of family] - my parents are [names] and I [have/don't have] any siblings. At home I [have/don't have] a pet [type of pet] called [pet's name]. Currently I am studying [subject] at university and after I graduate I hope to pursue a career in [desired career path].

1. Understanding personal
strengths and weaknesses
Unit 6
Personal & Professional
Development

2. 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

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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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!

8. 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!

9. 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

10. Weaknesses
Why is it important to know your weaknesses?
Write down at least 2 reasons.
Share

11. 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.

12. 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!

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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
Threat
My 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.

19. Over to you!

20. 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

21. Brain Warm Up
Lost at sea

22. Lost at sea…
You are adrift on a private yacht in the South Pacific. As a consequence of a fire of
unknown origin, much of the yacht and its contents have been destroyed. The
yacht is slowly sinking. Your location is unclear because of the destruction of
critical navigational equipment and because you and the crew were distracted
trying to bring the fire under control. Your best estimate is that you are
approximately one thousand miles south-southwest of the nearest land.
Below is a list of fifteen items that are intact and undamaged after the fire. In
addition to these articles, you have a serviceable rubber raft (with oars) large
enough to carry yourself, the crew, and all the items listed below. The total
contents of all survivors’ pockets are a package of cigarettes, several books of
matches, 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

23. 15 Items you have.
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

24. 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

25. About me PP.
• Name, Age,
• Hobbies
• Interests
• Holidays been on?
• Family?
• Pets?
• Career (University? Then job that you want?