5 Ways to Advance Your Personal Development

Ask any HR Manager about the top issues on their latest employee survey and “more development opportunities” is likely to be one of them.  But in today’s economy many companies have either cut back formal classroom training or eliminated it altogether. Disappointing? Yes. Short-sighted? Definitely. But the good news is that there are many ways to continue your personal development without sitting in a classroom.  The important thing is that you continue to learn. Ultimately, your career and the path to achieving success in that career are in your hands. Start by assessing the skills and behaviors you need to develop to improve your capabilities in your current role and/or prepare for your next role. Then determine the best development resource. Here are five potential resources to get you started.

1. Read. Read everything you can on the topic. Books, magazines, trade journals, online articles. If you are at the career planning stage, there are plenty of online resources to help you identify the skills and behaviors you’ll need for your next step and then you can develop your reading plan from there. Be creative! Tap into reading sources you wouldn’t normally consider. There is learning everywhere.

2. Volunteer. Ask for an assignment at work that will stretch you. Volunteer for an organization or event in your community that will allow you to use or develop a skill you don’t get to use at work. For example, if you want to improve your leadership skills, volunteer to head up the committee planning an event or a community project.

3. Find a mentor. Most senior leaders attribute at least part of their success to the help of one or more mentors along the way. A mentor can give you the wisdom of someone who’s “been there” as well as honest feedback about your development areas and progress. Look for someone you admire and respect and with whom you have an open, honest rapport.

4. Join a professional organization. Connecting with others in your field through a professional organization is a great way to continue your development while building your professional network. These organizations often have expert speakers and other learning resources. Plus there are many volunteer opportunities to build your skills, and you just might find a mentor there!

5. Hire a coach. Is there a particular skill or behavior you need to develop that’s holding you back from achieving the next level in your career? Hiring a professional coach may be the answer. Be sure you hire someone who is professionally trained and certified. Interview several to find one that is a right fit for you in both experience and rapport.

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says, “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”

Keep adding to that treasure…

Learn on,

Rebecca

Communicating from Your Strengths

“Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.”   

- Paul J. Meyer

Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling certain that the other person knew what you meant, only to find out later that they hadn’t heard – or understood – you at all?  That communication – the human connection – simply didn’t happen? Unfortunately, this is a pretty common occurrence. So how do we change that? How do we ensure that we (the sender of information) and the listener (receiver of information) interpret that information in the same way?

It begins by understanding your communication style and then learning to adapt that style so the listener will hear and understand you. So there truly is a connection.  

Think about how you tend to communicate in a work setting. Do you get straight to the point, use direct, assertive language and keep conversations brief (you are action-oriented!)  Are you comfortable with conflict and focused on moving the meeting, the project, the task forward?  Now think about having a conversation with someone who has the opposite communication style.  Who has a softer and more relaxed approach.  Who likes to engage on a personal level before diving into business. And who would rather avoid conflict. How would you adapt your style to communicate effectively with this listener?

Or perhaps you’re a very animated communicator.  Full of ideas and energy and often switching quickly from topic to topic. You prefer to focus on the big picture with minimal details. You love stories.  Now imagine that you’re giving a presentation to someone with the opposite communication style. Who is more formal and deliberate when speaking.  Who is focused on facts and details and prefers order and process. How would you adapt your style to communicate effectively with this listener?

We each have a bit of all these styles within our communication palette.  But we tend to favor one or two of them as our strengths. Recognizing what those strengths are, and then developing the ability to identify the strengths of others and adapt accordingly is key to achieving effective communication. 

There are a number of assessment tools available to help you understand your communication strengths and learn how to adapt to others.  If you’re interested in learning more about assessments for you or for your organization, please contact me, Rebecca Bales, at RebeccaBales@luminalearning.com.

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for my family, friends, gifts and talents, and the opportunities that God has given me to experience this life. I am blessed for all of the people who are on this journey with me, who have crossed my path and whom I have yet to meet. I wish all of you a Happy and Love-filled Thanksgiving!

Warm regards,

Rebecca