Personal development is an investment in your team’s growth/success.
It’s a known FACT.
That’s why our team devotes a minimum of two hours a week to training. This enables us to stay at the forefront of evolving trends and fine-tune our processes so we can get the best results for our clients. As business owners, it should be a priority to constantly provide the tools and resources for your team to succeed.
Your passion for continued education is something that can help inspire and motivate your team. We encourage our employees to be skill collectors – to cultivate knowledge like the precious commodity it is.
Find employees with a “student for life” mentality. If there is a skill they don’t possess, they can always be taught. Finding joy in learning is more difficult to teach, since it must be assigned value by each individual.
Educational Literature
We encourage members of our team to ask for the tools they need to perform at their best. This includes books. Books are a valuable source for all sorts of careers. Think of your job title. Chances are, there are very likely hundreds of books geared towards your exact profession and how to make you better at it – more effective, more influential, increase your network, your confidence, how to build your business into an empire.
The Compound Effect is a staple for people looking to reshape their outlook of what it takes to be successful, not only as an entrepreneur but in your personal life as well. Darren Hardy challenges you to make small changes and be consistent with implementing them in your life.
The issue most of us face is not one big mistake that blows up in our face, but a series of small (seemingly innocuous) unconscious decisions made over time that form bad habits and become ingrained. We think it is the fault of others, circumstance or some unseen force working against us, when in reality when we unmask the culprit we find it was ourselves sabotaging our progress all along.
This unconscious self sabotage impacts every aspect of our lives. We empower ourselves when we take responsibility instead of assigning blame. Snapping out of the autopilot we typically run on and becoming more aware of the choices we make can greatly improve our chances for success.
No matter what area of your life you seek to improve, there is written content available on the topic. Like this very blog for example.
Podcasts & Videos
How are you spending your commute time?
- Listening to your favorite playlist
- Driving in silence (trying not to let your road rage get the best of you – Ha!)
- Listening to an informative podcast
If you answered “C” then add 10 brownie points to your scorecard!
Why not get the most out of your drive? Think of your commute as your Drive and Thrive time. You might even find yourself wishing your commute was a little longer when you find the right podcast.
One great thing about podcasts is that they are wildly diverse. It’s not uncommon for a listener to become a fan of a host and through this host, be introduced to a variety of guests/topics that they might not have otherwise explored.
In a way, a good podcast host can be a bridge to broadening your knowledge.The Joe Rogan Experience being a great example – Joe facilitates in depth discussions with neurologists, olympians, politicians, directors, and entrepreneurs.
Podcasts are a great tool and can even be used for group training! A group discussion on the key takeaways is a great way to get a sense of your team’s comprehension post-training. Here are a few recommendations that touch on topics like: business, optimizing your health, social/cultural issues and everything in between.
Masterclass and Udemy are excellent resources for educational videos/classes. Many podcasts are also formatted for YouTube for those that prefer to have a visual element. Certain skills/concepts are better suited for this. Type “How To” into YouTube and you will find countless step by step videos that will show you how to change a tire, get organic social media leads, or teach you organic chemistry.
Speakers/Mentors & Classes
We had the privilege of having Kelly Murray come into our office for some really empowering coaching.
She went in depth on some really impactful topics like: aligning your personal mission with that of your team, the importance of empathy in customer service, and how fostering vulnerability can improve team cohesion.
We role-played responding to customer concerns and have implemented it as a weekly practice. Kelly’s Coaching was personalized to the needs of our team and she made some recommendations for on-going training that would help us show-up better for ourselves, our team, and our clients.
Mentors are an underutilized tool for professional development. They can provide valuable insight because they’ve been where you’re looking to go. They can tell you about the potential obstacles you may face as you pursue your dreams. They can impart wisdom they’ve gained from the mistakes they’ve made along the way.
Find your compass – the person that’s been where you want to go. Seek answers and advice from the people that are living the life you aspire to. Cultivate relationships with people that refine your skills.
Whatever your goal, you stand to benefit from the insight of someone with more experience. Mentors can walk you through how to see a goal through to completion by making an actionable plan. You can find someone knowledgeable in the specific areas you seek to improve. Someone who is an effective mentor for one person, may not be an ideal fit for another. That’s why it is important that you can relate to the person you choose as a mentor; someone that imparts their wisdom in a way that resonates with you.
If you’re not already, I hope you choose to start making more time for professional development (and diversifying where you get your educational resources). There you have it; all the makings for a successful Skill Collector. I hope you were taking notes.
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