The theme of my weekly post this time is on a subject that many of us unintentionally neglect - our own personal and professional development.
Why? The reason for this post may in part be to do with the typical reflection than by many of us the start of a new calendar year, but in my case is also being driven by two specific instances. The first, was in part down to me writing an article on this topic (also for ILTA) on professional development within pricing. The second was due to a conversation with a friend in another firm on professional qualifications (and the misuse or mis-representation of).
Many of us, particularly those of us who are in the business/ financial management or IT-based professions, need to ensure that we are kept up to speed with current developments in our field and obtain appropriate, continuing education.
This could be through our active participation in professional organizations such as ILTA, the need to gain or maintain certification in our respective disciplines (for example as a CPA, or as a project manager) or through our day-to-day reading either for pleasure or for work.
What is clear is that those who do take this time to develop their skills feel more fulfilled personally and contribute more to their organization professionally than those who don't.
Taking time to do this regularly is time well spent.
I can remember when, as a relatively junior management consultant, questioning my supervisor at the time as to why they always had one hour blocked in the diary every day at the same time. The response I received was surprising, and was along the lines of " . . . that's when I catch up on developments within my industry. By having a regular time to do it ensures that at least I do one or two of these during a week rather than none." Needless to say I now do the same and encourage my teams to do likewise (and yes, I do manage 1 -2 times a week now).
Happy learning during 2015 (and beyond)!