Commit to Being a Lifelong Learner, by Jennifer Ledet, SPHR
September 11, 2008
It’s back to school time in most parts of the country, and the kids aren’t the only ones who should be heading back to class.
As a leader within your organization, you have a responsibility to continue your own professional development. Yes, I said you have to continue to develop yourself. You know that you have a duty to create a workplace with a development culture – one where employees are offered opportunities to learn new skills. It’s important that you support and encourage your employees to attend training workshops. But by also continuing to seek out and participate in professional development programs yourself, you are not only learning new skills, you are modeling this practice for your employees.
Continuing education should be just that: continuing. It never stops. The average person will spend a good portion of their workday learning in the twenty-first century. Anyone unwilling to continue to grow and learn will be left in the dust of those who do make the effort to expand their knowledge and skills. Those who refuse to develop and grow will become deadwood and usually become disengaged. Soon the pace of change will overtake them.
I believe that being a strong leader takes constant effort. Good leadership includes skills and actions that you can learn. You can take advantage of any of the following methods for continuing your professional growth:
- Read, read, read: Professional development books, leadership and management books, periodicals and trade journals of your particular industry.
- Attend training courses, seminars, and workshops offered by your organization or through outside consultants or facilitators. (Go to http://www.ledetmanagement.com/ to find out about the programs we offer.)
- Participate in certification programs through your professional organizations/industry.
- Sign up for distance learning courses offered online or by telephone.
- Attend conferences, trade shows, or conventions sponsored by your professional organization.
- Attend lectures or presentations offered by local universities or community colleges.
- Network with people within your industry, especially those above your level.
I tell participants in my workshops that learning and knowledge can never be taken away from you. By improving your knowledge and skills, you are also increasing your value to the organization. In uncertain times such as these, who wouldn’t want to increase their value to the organization?
However you decide to do it, commit to being a lifelong learner. You’ll be a better leader, a better employee, and a better person as a result. Look into professional development opportunities and plan your own continuing education. If you want to really get into the spirit, go out and buy yourself some school supplies!
Jennifer
Ledet Management Consulting
Grow Your People. Grow Your Business.
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I could not agree more. Any kind of change that is to effectively take place, needs to start with you as an individual. It has to start with you as a leader. By continuing to learn how to be that effective leader goes way beyond spreadsheets and numbers. It embraces how one leads a team of talent to achieve those numbers, to achieve those goals and create success. People change, economics change and culture swings. You need to be in a position to move with it and not just keep up…but lead. By assessing how you are showing up as a leader and understanding your role as a leader, you can only grow and with action plans and accountability. COntinuing to better oneself will make working with (for) you and enjoyable experience.