When you work in learning and development (L&D), you live and breathe the importance of professional development. You support others in the organization, but does that prioritization extend to your own development?
There's an old saying: The cobbler's children have no shoes. It means that when you focus on using your talents to help others meet their needs, you often get so wrapped up in that work that you neglect yourself. This self-neglect has consequences, but when you make professional development a priority, you open the door to opportunities. Here are five reasons to make sure you don't neglect this important aspect of your career:
1. Boost your credibility
No matter how experienced you are, you can always learn something new. This is especially important in areas like L&D, where advances like generative artificial intelligence transform the landscape at an ever-increasing pacing. Developing yourself in these areas builds up your credibility. You show your flexibility and commitment to keeping pace with changes. If you take advantage of professional development opportunities that offer microcredentials, this backs your credibility in a tangible way.
2. Increase your value to the organization
As you build your credibility, you demonstrate your value as someone who seeks to continually improve and upgrade your skills. This supports your own performance and gives you the tools to get the best from your team.
3. Prepare for new opportunities
Being a lifelong learner means you have the skills to develop in your career. When promotional opportunities arise, being able to show a strong history of professional development shows your commitment to continual self-improvement. Choose professional development opportunities that align with your long-term career goals. When an opening arises, adding an impressive list of training to complement your work credentials gives you a strong competitive edge.
4. Increase your emotional intelligence
Increasing your emotional intelligence (EI) doesn't mean choosing professional development opportunities directly related to EI, although those are certainly helpful. You build EI skills just through the act of planning and following through with a strong professional development plan. Psychologist Daniel Goleman identified four core areas that make up EI: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Many professional development opportunities put you in situations where practicing social awareness and making connections with others are core parts of the class and activities. You practice self-management as you make deliberate choices to interact in appropriate ways. The fourth facet of emotional intelligence is the most important one, as it acts as the foundation for all of the others, so it deserves its own reason.
5. Increase your self-awareness
No matter how much professional experience you have, you may not be as self-aware as you think. Tara Eurich, an organizational psychologist, found that 95 percent of people see themselves as self-aware, even though the actual number is only 10 to 15 percent. Odds are, this is an area in which professional development can give you a high payoff. It often puts you in situations where you're interacting with others who don't have preconceived notions about you. They can offer objective opinions and feel freer to do so than your colleagues. This provides a reality check that helps you eliminate blind spots and effectively plan additional professional development in the most needed areas.
As a learning leader, prioritize your own professional development plan to be a model for others. You'll show them the benefits of lifelong learning while reaping important benefits for your own career.
Image credit: Duanghathai Phitakjaroenwong