With all the drama of 2020 and beyond it feels like personal development has fallen off the priority list for many of us, and we need to address that.
Whilst many companies say they support your development, and many will even provide capacity within your contracts for training, I wanted to write a blog about the key point that all too often is forgotten - you own your development
We are now in the era of do-it-yourself career development. Companies less frequently offer formal training - a trend that has been around for years. This may be because employees change jobs so frequently (job tenure now averages about four years) that firms don’t see the value in investing in people who are likely to leave. This is a sharp contrast with the investment that senior leaders used to make in employees.
Unfortunately, this can mean that organisations are unknowingly leaving employees with skill gaps and blind spots that can derail careers and organisational effectiveness. And that sadly means managers aren’t helped either. In fact, Korn Ferry found that when managers rated themselves on 67 managerial skills, “developing others” came in last!
The reality is that this places a big burden on you. At all levels we must learn to identify our own weaknesses, uncover own blind spots, and strengthen our own skills.
We must take control of our own career development.
Get clear about who you are, what you want, who you need to influence to get that, and move purposefully toward action and learning. Your growth and development is first and foremost our own accountability. There are many things in our life we plan – holidays, parties, but very few of apply this approach to our career development.
I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change. - Jim Rohn
So let’s get practical. Blank sheets of paper can be daunting, and often that means we do what is immediately in front of us, or the obvious things, but we don’t feel the drive or passion. So I thought I’d help with some guidance on how to create your own development plan with 5 starting steps:
1) Start by getting self-aware
Answer the following questions for yourself. They are intended to help you know yourself and what matters to YOU. We often pursue goals and career paths that we’re conditioned to believe will help us feel successful. What I have found in making my own career changes is that true success and fulfilment comes from when we are true to who we are uniquely.
What are my strengths?
What kind of work most energises me?
What is my personal brand?
What’s the impact I’m inspired to make with my career?
What are potential de-railers that can stand in the way of achieving my goals?
2) Get feedback from key stakeholders
Talk with people who know you well including your line manager, task manager, peers, direct reports, friends to find out what they perceive as your strengths and opportunities for development. Many times we have blind spots that prevent us from seeing ourselves clearly, so take insight from others you trust.
3) Map out your objectives
Get clear about where you want to go next.
Answer for yourself:
What roles did you have greatest success in?
What roles did you have most fun in?
What does that tell you about the common characteristics of roles where you thrive? (e.g. roles with a high degree of challenge, or roles where you’re constantly learning, or roles where you have the opportunity to teach others, etc).
What’s next for you?
4) Create a Development Plan
A great development plan address the following questions:
What are my strengths and career purpose?
What are the kinds of roles where I thrive?
What new experiences am I looking for to challenge and grow me?
What are the next step options that would give me those experiences?
What do I need to develop and gain exposure to in order to prepare myself for these roles? (technical skills, interpersonal skills, organisational skills)
5) Leverage your network
Once you have created your development plan, collect feedback on it. Share your excitement for your next move and why it’s exciting to you. Ask for their help to get you there. When we are truly inspired about the opportunities in front of us, we inspire others to help us.
We know that development takes effort, time and that has to be considered in balance with the wider commitments you have. You need to ensure that the path you are laying out for yourself is something you are committed to seeing through. There are no right answers with career development, not everyone wants or needs to be a CEO, a People Manager, a team leaders, a specialist, a ……. – there is no judgement on what you want your career to give to you – money, legacy, freedom, fulfilment, self-worth, friendship, sense of community – all are valid reasons.
But as the quote below says whatever path you chose there will be a price….
For everything you want in life, there is a price you must pay, in full and in advance. Decide what you really want and then determine the price you’ll have to pay to achieve it. Remember, to achieve something you’ve never achieved before — you must do something you have never done before. You must become someone whom you have never been before. Whatever you want, you’ll have to pay a price measured in terms of: sacrifice, time, effort, and personal discipline. Decide what it is and start paying that price today. - Brian Tracy
There are lots of templates and way to help you structure your thinking line with the above. I love the ones from “Mind of a Winner” – so I attach these for you. See if they help….
"If you wish to acheive worthwhile things in your personal or career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development." Brian Tracy
Until next time...
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