Assignment Title Self-discipline Essay

Demonstrate self-discipline through relevant activities M2 – Perform relevant activities with a high standard of self-discipline D2 – Evaluate personal levels of self-discipline for entry to the uniformed public services I personally believe that I as an individual posses many skills and qualities that demonstrate my self-discipline. Self-discipline is another form of discipline and an essential quality for a member of any service. Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to apply yourself in the correct manner, including controlling yourself and your feelings. To  appreciate the qualities needed for self-discipline fully, you need to understand the following things; personal grooming and presentation punctuality time management reliability attendance composure attitude performance personality If you lack any of the qualities that make up the key areas of self-discipline then more likely than not, you will not be able to succeed at your job. For example, poor attendance could mean that you are not fully informed of important issues at briefings, which will mean that your team cannot rely on you to respond to certain situations correctly. Over the time I have spent at college I believe that I have successfully achieved some, if not all, of the points listed above. Personal Grooming and presentation In the uniformed public services, where members of the public may be looking to you for help or guidance, it is particularly important that you are of smart appearance. People form impressions and opinions about us from the way we appear to them, so if you want to create the right impression it is important that you are correctly presented. I have shown great examples of personal grooming and presentation by arriving at college (with 100% attendance) in my uniform, with polished boots and well ironed uniform. Punctuality In order to run efficiently and effectively, organisations have to be keep to tight schedules and this means being governed by time. In the public services punctuality is vital so that, at any time, someone can say where, when and how many people are on duty. At the beginning of a shift, public service personnel are briefed about any major issues that may have been arisen, for example, police officers would be kept updated about a missing  child. If you are late for a shift and miss the briefing, then you are preventing that organisation from operating at its full efficiency. Time Management Good time management skills are very useful skills to have. Someone who manages their time well can be far more productive than someone who may appear to be very busy, but who is, in fact, not being very productive at all. Often, there is not enough time to do all the work that needs to be completed by specific deadlines. This theoretically means that employees need to prioritise their work. To prioritise means to sort out which tasks are the most urgent and need to be completed first. People can be easily distracted and lose concentration rather quickly when tasks have to be completed, therefore, it requires a high level of self-discipline to keep on track and stay dedicated. Reliability In the uniformed public services reliability is an essential quality to posses. Being reliable means doing what you have agreed to do, therefore not letting people down. This is extremely important in the public services, where good teamwork is essential and team members need to be able to rely on each other. Attendance All employers, both in the public services and in the private sector, expect their employees to attend work regularly. Poor attenders can be expected to be disciplined or even dismissed. This is because work rotas are planned around the number of people who will be available, and this cannot work if people do not turn up. No team or organisation can operate effectively in this way. Composure If a person is described as being composed, it means that they remain calm, even in stressful situations or times of crisis. This can be extremely important members of the uniformed public services who need to think quickly and clearly at such times. Attitude Having the right attitude can be very important when you have to attend a job  interview. Uniformed public service employers will be looking for someone who shows that they are enthusiastic without being overbearing, confident without being cocky and who are polite and courteous, not aggressive or ‘stroppy’. Having a good attitude can be equally important when you are employed as a member of the uniformed services. You will need to be able to listen to members of the public and to empathise with them without letting your own attitude and feelings come to the for front. Performance Conscientious employees will carry out their job to the best of their ability. Public service workers will always be expected to provide a first-class service and to give the public good value for money. You will find that if your self-discipline is at a high enough standard then you will be able to do this without someone having to watch over you. Personality When ‘personality’ is talked about in the uniformed public services, it means they are talking about the distinctive, unique qualities that make members of a service stand out from others. When you are seen in a uniform people assume that you don’t have a personality. This is definitely not the case. Your personality can make a huge difference to your role within the public services: it can make you popular colleague to work with it can ease relations with the public both at home and abroad.