What Actually Is Professional Development?
Before we deep dive into the main question and explore the importance and relevance of professional development, we need to define and truly understand the term. This can be explored in many different ways and my summarisation is as follows: “the process of continuous learning and application of theory into working practice to achieve a desired output.”
If we draw on our experiences throughout our academic and professional career, we have by default been working on our professional development to be the accredited individual we are today. In order to be a credible asset to your employer or your own business, you have embarked on the journey of continuously developing yourself in order to grow and fulfil a desired goal.
There are many avenues to achieve a vision within our professional development path, and there is no one size fits all method. However, utilising various tools will certainly enhance the potential and the likelihood of success. This can include building a career road map, vision tracker, outlining key milestones and even exploring various networking strategies.
What Is the End Goal?
Does working on your professional development even contribute towards your end goal?
Understanding what your goal is and working backwards to your plan will allow you to draw out the key steps that you need to take to achieve this objective, which in fact may not initially appear to be a key professional development item. However, as previously mentioned, any key skill which you apply in practice contributes towards your professional development. So, what may not seem relatable at first may in fact have a purpose.
It is also advisable to set yourself one to three goals within a period and focus on achieving them effectively. Output quality is far more valuable and rewarding than delivering on mass average quantity.
Ask yourself a series of questions to strength test your goal to really define what it is you are trying to achieve. Here are a few to get you started:
- What would I like to achieve?
- Is this a short-term or long-term objective?
- What is the purpose?
- What does success in this goal look like?
- What are my driving factors to achieve this?
Does Professional Development Solidify Your Competency?
To demonstrate the extensive knowledge that you have in a defined area, whether it is highly specialised or in a broad field, showcasing the material you have to others cements your understanding and learning. Any opportunity that you have to utilise your attributes provides you the chance to not only reflect and reinforce the skill but also teach and share this with others. This can be a highly rewarding moment and you can effectively repeat this process.
Working on your professional development journey does not only truly benefit you and your career path, but you are also making a positive difference to those around you and beyond.
You may find that from the abovementioned experience, not many people as anticipated valued the material you shared, which at first can seem disappointing. However, this is a great learning step for you, reflection on delivery and factors surrounding this will allow you to strengthen in this competency. As they say to keep motivated; look for the silver lining.
Let’s Round Off Professional Development
So, what we do know is that as professionals, we have always been on a professional development journey, one which is unique to our very own. The importance and relevance of this journey relates to your own individual goals and objectives that you set yourself.
To continuously achieve success requires planning, action, and reflection. To help kick start the process, feel free to download our career road map.
Advancing in our professional development does not always have to be about vertical transition, it also encompasses lateral moves. Any new challenge is a learning opportunity and adds to your professional development.
Stay focused, whether that is excelling in your current, projected future role or even thriving in your own business. The process of continued professional development has the potential to assist you. The results of tomorrow lie in today’s actions and effective planning. You all have the ability to reach your desired goals.
