Today many of us actually pay close attention to this area of our lives. Professional Growth and Development has been a business corner stone for decades. For many of us this piece of our mental corner stone has been paid for by the companies that we work for. We have often treated it as one of those “have tos'” in our lives. We also treat this activity as a day to “goof off” and pay little heed to what is ‘ given to us. It is my experience that when I attend these events as an observer, I observe all types of things going on in the growth experience and growth isn’t one of them. I also observe that little or no follow up is ever given to the participants.
As you can see this is a sore spot with me. I value education highly and any opportunity to learn something is very valuable in my eyes.
Today and in fact in the past 12 months the US has experienced some very eye popping business realities. Many of you reading this may actually be out of a job. Many of you may be scared to death that your job may not be there this time next year. It is imperative that we each evaluate exactly what our skill sets are. How we can grow the bottom line of our current and our future employer. We do this by learning new skills and by expanding what we already know and have in our skill set base.
Inside of this corner stone of the “mental” part of the four corner stones we can release a lot of stress by knowing that this area is on solid footing, This does not have to be a financial drain. We are very used to just “buying” what we think we need in the immediacy of the moment. There are many other options open to you to expand your professional development.
One of the most important and over looked is the use of a “mentor”. A mentor is someone who has already walked the road that you are currently on. They are successful and knowledgeable and willing to share what they know. These individuals could be an uncle or aunt. This person could be someone in your circle of networking friends. These people can be found in your local chamber of commerce or other associations which you may already belong. Many of these folks would loved to be asked and more than willing to come along beside you and help you in some way.
As with anything in this realm, you must know what you are looking for. Be precise and direct. Do not suck the life out of the mentor and be grateful and gracious. A sincere Thank you is greatly appreciated.
Where can you develop your professional life? To whom can you lean on today? Pick up the phone and ask. Write an email and inquire. It is a vital part of your own mental corner stone.
