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Thinking of the words “Professional Development” most of us visualize being away at a seminar, conference or training. While out-of-the-office learning is helpful, unless it is coupled with on-the-job daily learning strategies, it limits our growth to a rare event.
Based on recent research results like the Gallup Organization’s employee engagement study, the vast majority of employees seek to learn and grow in the course of doing day-to-day work and want their managers to create a learning environment in that context. On the other hand, the majority of managers do not believe that their employees want them to emphasize development. Interesting, isn’t it?
At Integrated Work Strategies, we define professional development as individuals increasing their competencies and capacities to do great work by bringing themselves fully into the job. It involves growing into our job and growing from it. The result is a richer, more rewarding work life for the individual and more engaged, higher-skilled employees for the organization. As a manager, this means I am constantly looking for those growth and development opportunities that can be “baked-in” to our regular work for clients. It is one of the key areas of satisfaction for my employees and myself. This approach reflects I penchant of mine: I like to learn, not just once in awhile, but every day I can.
One of the other compelling reasons for a focus on daily learning experiences is that organic growth and development naturally happens in small increments over time. I find it is best to support professional development in the same way.
To encourage regular professional growth, this month’s article contains a list of twenty-one low-cost development options to use for individual development planning or just to add a little spice to your workday. Enjoy it! Try one this week and see for yourself the significant growth that can occur with little cost except your time and attention.
21 Low-Cost Professional Development Ideas
1. Search the Internet on topics of interest and research current papers, events, people, and philosophies that relate to your desired career. Stick to published articles and reputable sites. Plan to spend 1-2 hours a week engaged in locating and absorbing this information.
2. Register for free or low-cost teleclasses on your areas of interest. Find them by searching for “free teleclass” along with some description of your areas of interest.
3. Learn about the professional associations for your industry. Register at whatever level you can afford. Keep current with their publications, newsletters, and conferences.
4. Adopt a theme. When you are working this month or this week, focus on a particular aspect of the work such as project management, developing relationships, communication precision, delegation, or a technical aspect of your work. Return again and again to how you can work on that skill in the context of the work you are already doing.
5. Take a key person out to lunch. Whether it’s a co-worker, manager, external partner, or friend who knows about the areas you are interested in, prepare in advance to ask them questions about your specific areas of interest. Ask their advice about moving forward in your field.
6. Volunteer for a specific task force, assignment or other challenging work project. While you are completing it, ask for support and ideas from managers, external partners, and co-workers. Be clear that you are not asking others to do it for you, that instead, you are looking to develop your skills to complete it.
7. Spend time observing. There may be people who you admire in your field. Make notes on what they do and how they do it. Use their example as your instruction. Follow them for a period of six months or more to see how issues unfold under their leadership over time.
8. Remember that soft-skills and organizational skills are also a part of your professional development. Take a look at your office setting and personal tracking systems. What can you do to improve them? Get ideas from David Allen’s book, newsletter, website (www.davidco.com) or many other on-line resources.
9. Have relevant information show up in your in-box by subscribing to newsletters, blogs, or updates from reputable sources. Filter them so they go into a email folder you can read when you are ready, rather than having them interrupt your other work.
10. Go to the bookstore and find books that are in your areas of interest. Sit and read them. If you find a really good one, buy it.
11. Connect with groups of people who are interested in similar topics. This may happen in your city, such as social/community networking groups, on-line via the various networking group sites such as googlegroups.com, Ryze.com, and meetup.com, or in a peer learning situation in your workplace.
12. Volunteer outside the workplace in public service in a way that gives you experience in your area of interest. Called “pro-bono” work, this type of volunteering gives you great practice and helps you get to know your strongest areas of contribution. You also feel great about having given service to others. You can also ask for a reference about your skills in the area you worked in.
13. Find a mentor, or several mentors. To do this, identify your areas of interest. Look for individuals who are already doing what you want to do. Contact them with a small request. Be willing to pay for their time at first, if needed. Ask them content questions about the field, or ask them process questions about how you can advance, or what is most important for you to learn. Be willing to offer to help them as well.
14. Journal. Write down your thoughts, your interests, your contribution to the workplace and your community. Identify items you are proud of. Write about your frustrations and your hopes. Keep writing regularly as a companion to your progress. If you get stuck, read Journalution by Sandy Grason.
15. Mentor someone else. When we teach, we learn. Offer your assistance to someone who isn’t as far along a path as you are – personally or professionally. Your ability to help them and explorations of what works for them will help you as well.
16. Attend a conference. There are many conferences held by associations, collabortives, and other groups that may focus on a particular technical aspect of your field. These conferences are great places not only to learn the content presented, but also to meet others interested in the same topics, and find out about innovations and publications in the field.
17. Try out your leadership. Opportunities to lead start small, and grow continually. Use whatever is available to you -- lead the effort to organize your contact management system, or to re-work the office filing, or to determine the viability of a new product line. Wherever you can lead with an awareness of your style, intention and impact on others, it is bound to be a growth experience.
18. Mine office data. Most offices store books, binders, reports, and other resources for the industry they are in. Look to see what’s there. Read up. Especially look for historical information that relates to current projects you may be involved in.
19. Get Feedback. Ask associates to share with you their perceptions about your areas of strength and areas of growth. Ask their opinion on areas to focus your development time. Remember that other’s opinion of you is not actually you, but it is useful to know.
20. Represent the organization to an outside audience. Whether a large or small venue, look for opportunities to be a speaker or presenter on behalf of your organization. Get to know your constituents. Ask questions as well as share the essential information about your organization. Share what you learned when you get back.
21. Write a proposal for a new project. Have an idea? Put it in writing. Take your time and edit carefully so that you can put your best foot forward. You can also write a status report on an existing project or a summary of important events.
Jessica Hartung, is the founder of Integrated Work Strategies, a professional development firm creating a future where people enjoy learning at work. Since her first job as a cashier at age 14 for Main Pharmacy in Downers Grove, IL, Jessica has been studying workplace learning, management practices and how to align them with our authentic human nature. Jessica provides senior-level coaching, facilitation, executive education and consulting to corporations, non-profit and government organizations.
Jessica is a Certified Behavioral Analysis (CPBA) and a member of the National Association of Female Executives, and a member the International Coaches Federation (ICF), which is recognized nationally for maintaining the highest standards for the coaching profession. She is also a member of the Institute for Management Consultants, part of the global community that certifies management consultants in accordance with international standards. Jessica is included in the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals, 2004 Edition.
Jessica lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and two children, Hannah nine, and Ari four.
For more information about how Integrated Work Strategies can assist you with your workplace challenges, please contact us at 303-516-9001, or visit our website www.integratedwork.com.
 Please visit Fulfilling Work to find more archived articles.
Feel free to forward this article to others. Permission to reprint or reproduce in a newsletter, publication, or by an electronic means is granted, provided that it includes this notice: “Copyright 2006 by Integrated Work Strategies. From Fulfilling Work , an e-newsletter by Jessica Hartung, CEO and Professional Development Consultant. Website: www.integratedwork.com Email: newsletter@integratedwork.com”. We would also appreciate receiving a copy of the work.
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