Why Professional Development Remains Important

Whew! 2022…it’s halfway over already. How is that even possible? While most of us have seen this year feel closer to “normal” than anything 2020 or 2021 had to offer, there is no doubt that the world has changed. It’s changed in terms of how we work and operate day in and day out, how we collaborate and communicate with others and how we grow as human beings.

It’s been rough…for all of us. Some more than others. But we’ve all felt it on some level. And looking around at the world today, it can be exhausting. First and foremost, take care of your mental health, take care of what YOU need…to be your best self. We all hear and say things like “self-care is the best care” but what does that really mean? And for many pushing for the next level in their careers — what does it mean to be your best self? Part of that experience can be developing new skills or growing your confidence through professional development. This is especially true if you’re feeling stuck with no movement on what to do next or in what direction you should head. It may not always be at the top of your priority list or your company’s list, but it should be. It’s likely been moved to the backburner during the last few turbulent years given the circumstances. It’s time to dust it off and bring it back to the forefront.

I did a pulse of my network last month with individuals from entry level management to Senior Director level. The interesting feedback was that over half of them had never received formal professional development and those that did only received one training when they first became a manager. Most talked about was on-the-job training, getting a mentor, or asking their manager to attend a conference. When we look at mental health and self-care, there is a lot to be said about getting a daily or weekly routine. Yet, with workloads growing and a good many of us working in a seat in front of a screen or on calls most of our days, how do we find time to prioritize ourselves?

Professional development can help you to get that promotion, give you confidence for a presentation in front of others, can help you leverage and grow your network, provide tools to launch your own business or even stand out in a crowded or competitive field. Not sure how to ask your employer how to support your professional development goals? Here are a few tips recently published by Forbes that might help.

It can be tough to stay engaged and do workshops or courses virtually when you may already be working from home on your computer daily. We get it (more on how to stay engaged in a virtual course or workshop setting in my next blog) but all you need is the right crew, the right content and a willingness to open yourself up to new ways that will likely pay dividends down the road.

Don’t let what’s happening in the world around you derail your professional or personal goals or aspirations. If you have career ambitions, don’t let those fade away, even if you’ve been sidetracked. That’s okay. It happens to more of us than you might think. Perfecting your craft is the way to achieve many of those goals and allows you to stay driven and work towards something. Stay the course, you will be glad you did.

Taryn Beaudoin
CEO and Founder
Crush Limits