As a leader, you are an example to your team inside and outside of the office. High expectations will be set for you, your actions will be scrutinized, and often, your employees will look to you for how to react or behave in a situation.
You may choose to see this as a burden. After all, you are responsible to yourself and to the people underneath you. Or you may see this responsibility as an opportunity to affect change in your business and in the lives of your employees. Hopefully, you embrace this gift and choose to serve your employees by being the best possible person you can be.
Just like everything in this world, reaching your greatest potential takes hard work and dedication. You may have the best of intentions in every situation; do you have the best of training?
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Some people are considered "born leaders." They are outgoing, charismatic, passionate, and kind. If you're one of these people, that's fantastic! However, there's still an opportunity to hone your skills and learn new ones that will serve you well in your leadership roles.
If you don't consider yourself a born leader, don't fret. If the desire is there, all of the necessary leadership skills can be taught.
Whether you work in an industry that requires Continuing Education credits or not, ongoing professional development will keep you at the top of your game. There are a number of benefits to constantly seeking development opportunities including:
Learning New Skills to Use in Your Current Role or to Advance in Your Career
No matter how long you've worked in a position, a company, or an industry, you will frequently face new challenges. The marketplace, the employees you're tasked with leading, and the customers you'll interact with are changing. Ongoing professional development can help you deal with whatever comes your way.
Learning new skills allows you to move up into different roles within your company and be more attractive to new organizations that you may wish to work for.
Building Credibility and Confidence
As the marketplace changes, leaders are expected to keep up with the times or risk becoming extinct. This may include certification programs, skills training, embracing technology, learning to communicate better, or any number of professional development topics. As you learn more, your confidence and your credibility will grow.
Standing as an Example for Your Employees
You probably expect your employees to undergo some form of professional development training during their careers, so shouldn't you? Show your team that you are willing to put in the work to become a better leader for them. They will not only appreciate your desire to serve them well but will also be motivated to embark on their own professional development journey.
Related: How to Develop Leadership Skills in Yourself and Others
Let's be honest—there is not a single individual, no matter how "professional" they claim to be, that leaves their personal relationships or their personality at the door to the office. On the contrary, being who we are contributes to our ability to connect with our teams, customers, vendors, etc.
Knowing that we must bring our "selves" to work every day, we must now focus on how to be the best individuals we can possibly be.
In order to fully embrace the benefits of personal and professional development, we must first set goals for ourselves. What do you hope to get out of your development activities, and how will you go about reaching those goals?
The most important thing to keep in mind is that all goals must be SMART:
Clearly identify the action and when it will be completed by. This prevents the frustration of open-ended goals like "Become a better leader," which will never be clear as to how or when it's been achieved.
There are a variety of goals that you can create for yourself in a professional setting. Some of these include:
Consummate professionals may not talk about their personal goals at work. Nonetheless, personal life can affect our attitudes, how we interact with others, and how fulfilled we feel in our lives and the roles within them. Now that we've addressed how to be an effective leader in the office, how do you create positive change in your personal life? You can apply the same ideas to your personal development goals. Here are a few examples to get you thinking:
The most successful personal and professional development is done in a systematic and intentional manner. In order to create a plan for yourself (or for your employees), you must follow these steps:
Personal and professional development will make every aspect of your life easier to handle. Your employees will appreciate your effort as will your family, friends, and most importantly... you.