3.3 Review areas of personal and professional behaviour for development

This guide will help you answer 3.3 Review areas of personal and professional behaviour for development.

In health and social care, reflecting on your personal and professional behaviour is an ongoing process. This involves recognising both strengths and areas for improvement. By identifying behaviours that need development, you can provide better care and support, build stronger relationships, and meet regulatory standards.

In this guide, we will look at what reviewing personal and professional behaviour means and how to identify areas for growth systematically.

What Does Reviewing Behaviour Mean?

Reviewing behaviour means stepping back and assessing how your actions, attitudes, and interactions impact your work and the people you support. It combines looking at the quality of your care and considering how well you meet professional standards and expectations. The focus isn’t on criticism but on opportunity and improvement.

In health and social care, this review often includes looking at how you communicate, react to challenges, follow procedures, and uphold person-centred care principles.

Areas to Review in Personal Behaviour

Personal behaviour plays a key role in your day-to-day work. Below are aspects you might want to evaluate:

Communication

Are you communicating effectively with individuals, families, colleagues, and other professionals? Think about your ability to listen, use appropriate language, and convey empathy. Clear, respectful, and positive communication creates trust and ensures people feel valued.

Emotional Regulation

How do you respond to stressful situations? Health and social care settings can be challenging, but keeping calm and professional is critical. Reflecting on how well you manage your emotions can uncover areas to build resilience.

Attitude Toward Learning

Are you open to feedback and personal growth? A willingness to accept constructive criticism and participate in training is essential for improving your skills and behaviour.

Empathy and Respect

Consider whether you consistently treat individuals with dignity and empathy. Respecting cultural, religious, and personal preferences is part of providing person-centred care.

Time Management

Do you use your time wisely and efficiently? Punctuality, completing tasks on time, and balancing your workload are all indicators of strong personal discipline.

Areas to Evaluate in Professional Behaviour

Reviewing professional behaviour is just as important. Health and social care workers operate under clear regulations and guidelines, making this a vital part of the review.

Adherence to Policies and Procedures

Do you follow organisational guidelines, standards, and policies? This includes areas like infection control, safeguarding, and record-keeping. Failure to comply with procedures can affect the quality of care and individuals’ safety.

Professional Boundaries

Are you maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries with individuals you’re supporting? Overstepping or blurring professional boundaries can lead to ethical concerns and harm relationships.

Accountability

How well do you take responsibility for your actions? Admitting mistakes, reflecting on errors, and demonstrating accountability show professionalism.

Teamwork

How effectively do you collaborate with colleagues? Contributing to team goals, sharing knowledge, and supporting others build a positive working environment.

Compliance with Regulations

Are you meeting the required legal and ethical standards? Health and social care workers must regularly reflect on their compliance with laws like the Care Act 2014 or the Equality Act 2010.

Why Regular Reflection Is Important

Personal and professional behaviour affects everyone you support. When standards slip, individuals may receive poor care or feel undervalued. Regular reviews reduce this risk. It helps to ensure your skills and attitude remain suitable for the demands of your role.

Reflection is encouraged under legislation like The Health and Social Care Act 2008. This law emphasises the duty of care, which requires staff to reflect on how their behaviour affects the well-being of people they support.

Methods for Reviewing Behaviour

There are several approaches that workers can use to assess their personal and professional behaviour effectively:

Self-Assessment

A self-assessment involves taking a critical look at your actions and evaluating how well you perform. Honest self-evaluation is a powerful step toward identifying areas for improvement.

Questions to consider might include:

• Am I calm and polite in all situations?
• Do I take time to understand people’s needs thoroughly?
• Have I followed all required procedures this week?

Peer Feedback

Colleagues can provide valuable insight into your behaviour. Sometimes, others see aspects of your conduct that you may miss. Ask for feedback from trusted team members to gain a balanced perspective.

Supervision Meetings

Regular supervision with a manager or team leader is a formal opportunity to review your professional behaviour. They can help identify areas you may need to strengthen while offering practical advice.

Observation

Watch how others in your team behave in similar situations. Learning from their strengths—and observing their approaches—can help you understand how to improve your practice.

Training and Reflection

Participating in regular training sessions and reflecting on what you’ve learned is another way to improve. It keeps your skills up-to-date and ensures your behaviour aligns with best practice.

Tools to Support Behaviour Review

Several tools and frameworks are available to help with reviewing your behaviour. These may include:

• Reflective Journals: Writing your thoughts and experiences down at the end of each shift can highlight successes and mistakes.
• Case Reviews: Creating case studies around your experiences provides structured opportunities to reflect.
• Competency Frameworks: Using a framework helps to check whether you are meeting professional performance standards.

Steps to Develop Identified Areas

Once you’ve identified areas for improvement, you can start developing these behaviours. Break this process into manageable steps:

1. Set Specific Goals: Clearly outline what you want to improve. For example, if time management needs strengthening, set a goal of planning your day with priority tasks.
2. Create an Action Plan: Write a concrete plan of action. Include timelines, required resources, and how success will be measured.
3. Seek Support: Ask for guidance or mentorship from colleagues or managers if needed.
4. Track Progress: Reflect on your behaviour over time to see whether there’s measurable improvement.
5. Take Responsibility: Own the process and engage actively in improving your identified areas.

Overcoming Barriers in Behaviour Development

Sometimes, barriers may hinder your efforts to develop personal or professional behaviour. Examples of common challenges include:

• Lack of confidence
• Time constraints
• Resistance to feedback
• Stress or personal difficulties

Addressing these barriers often requires honesty and proactive problem-solving. For instance, if stress impacts your behaviour, speak to your line manager or access support services to manage this challenge.

Example Areas for Development

Below are a few examples of behaviour areas that may arise frequently for health and social care workers:

• Improving Active Listening: Being fully present in conversations to truly understand individuals’ concerns.
• Strengthening Team Interactions: Finding ways to work more collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Following Protocol More Diligently: Ensuring policies are followed in their entirety, avoiding shortcuts.
• Developing Patience: Remaining calm and focused, even when tasks take longer or individuals show resistance.
• Enhancing Record-Keeping Skills: Keeping records up-to-date and accurate instead of rushing through documentation.

The Role of Accountability in Behaviour Development

Accountability means acknowledging your behaviour and being responsible for improving it if necessary. Accountability fosters professionalism and ensures that individuals under your care experience respect, dignity, and high-quality support.

Maintaining accountability includes communicating openly about challenges and making a demonstrated effort to grow.

How Behaviour Development Benefits Your Role

Regular self-improvement boosts your confidence and competence in your role. It also increases your credibility, both with colleagues and the people you support. Ultimately, reflecting and improving your behaviour helps ensure the care you provide is safe, effective, and aligned with ethical practices.

Final Thoughts

After reviewing your personal and professional behaviour, commit to continuous improvement. True growth comes from repeating this process regularly, not as a one-off task. Schedule periodic reviews to ensure you stay on track with your commitments.

Focus on making small, practical changes that add up over time. Developing your behaviours means you’ll be better prepared for challenges and help maintain the well-being of those in your care.