“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
The workplace has never been as fluid and as susceptible to change as it is today. By taking charge of your career through personal and professional development, you can establish a unique roadmap that will give you oversight and a capacity to plan. Here are some suggestions on how to begin your journey:
Use a Competency List
A competency list or library is the ultimate tool to charting a deliberate course for professional progress. It sets out the requirements and/or qualifications necessary or desirable in your role. Use it to eliminate the guesswork when you want to upskill. A competency list is most effective when you apply it in consultation with your manager and mentor.
Find a Business Coach
A business coach can help you navigate a complex professional landscape, make the right calls, avoid pitfalls and, perhaps most importantly, meet the right people. Many organizations have a coach/mentor program, but you can also look outside your company, or even the industry, if you believe a particular individual is the best match.
Join a Professional Association
A professional membership can give you the inside track to excelling and innovating in your role. Keep ahead of the curve by learning of the latest industry developments as they happen. Gain access to industry leaders through conferences and workshops
Diversify Your Knowledge
Excellence in your own role is always desirable but a familiarity with the myriad aspects within your organization is invaluable. A professional with a holistic understanding of the interdependence between different departments can make better, more informed, and more productive decisions.
If you are seen as the go-to person when complex decisions have to be made, your professional progress is only an accelerated course.
Be Flexible
A vibrant workplace will always throw complex challenges at you. The ability to innovate and respond creatively to change is a hallmark of true professionalism. This approach applies both to your management style and to you personally. Always keep an open mind.
Formulate a Plan
Professional development books, articles, and seminars lay the groundwork but they are incomplete in themselves. It is up to you to transform all the disparate bits of information into a cogent plan of action that works for you.
Never Stop Learning
Always be on the lookout for new books, journal articles, and podcasts that will expand your personal and business knowledge. Also, participate in professional dinners and conferences (either as a presenter or attendee) to expand your horizons.
Share Your Insights
Offer to write an article or give a speech about something you find interesting in your line of work. In doing this, you are solidifying your own knowledge and creating your own personal brand.
At DeSantis Trusted Advisors, we provide consulting, advisory, and coaching services to businesses and their stakeholders with the goal of creating pathways to success. Contact me today for more information
