We got an interesting call yesterday. A lady called up asking whether we provide leadership coaching for individuals. While we primarily work with corporate groups, we also take on executive coaching and the occasional individual engagement. So, we decided to take the discussion ahead.
Now let me tell you what I found so intriguing about the conversation. This lady, was a Senior Manager in a large pharmaceutical company. She was basically looking at professional development for herself. What took me by surprise, was that when I inquired about the trainings she had attended in the past, she said none. Neither had her current organisation organised any training, nor did the one before. And that’s why she had taken it up to get herself trained and ready for the next higher role.
Professional development is simply about developing yourself so that you can be more professional. So what does ‘developing yourself’ imply here? It means sharpening your skills, acquiring knowledge and even working on your attitude. In short, working on all the aspects that can help you get better in your current role or those you may take up in the future.
So, is professional development about developing technical skills or soft skills? It’s actually about both. As both are equally important in getting us on top of our game. However, the focus often depends upon where we are in our corporate journey. For most people starting out, its first about technical skills and building a solid foundation in them. Their focus is therefore more on acquiring technical knowledge and honing their technical skills. Once they establish comfort in the technical space, self-leadership and people management starts to come in. That’s actually also when more and more people realise how important it is to get their ‘softer’ skills in place!
Professional enhancement is extremely important for all of us. While it helps us perform better, it also gives:
More Visibility – This helps you to stand out amongst the crowd. Yes, you get a lot more attention with people across the organisation often secretly or even openly being in awe of you. Sounds great, doesn’t it.
Better Promotability – When your seniors see how well you’re able to manage tasks and your team, your chances of a promotion improve. And who knows, it might pivot you to become the next candidate for that coveted leadership role!
More Opportunities – Just as they say the busiest people get more work, the same applies to the best people. They get better projects, roles and opportunities on the whole.
In short, professional development helps you become your version 2.0. More confident, able to manage people at all levels, independent, relevant in these constantly changing times and ready to take on what may come. Such people are often seen as ‘taking charge of their career’ and leaving no step unturned to make it towards fulfilling their dreams.
So, now I am going to give you my top 21 professional development topics (the softer one’s) that can make you superman or superwomen of the corporate world!
Here goes…
This one has to be sitting on the top. It’s the most used skill irrespective of the level you are in an organization. You have to be able to communicate effectively with your team to get work done, with other departments, customers, seniors, vendors, etc. It will always be the basic building block for every kind of work and hence mastering it is non-negotiable.
The corporate world is slowly understanding the role emotions play at work. They are realising that emotions are the driving force behind how we communicate and behave with one another and hence must be managed well. And those that can help others manage their emotions can add a feather to their cap!
As human beings we all think differently. Therefore, there are bound to be differences in opinion. And if we can learn how to manage these in a cordial manner, without damaging relationships or holding back on communication, we are king (or queen!). Project updates, performance appraisals, customer grievances, etc. will all become a lot easier.
When I talk about leadership, it’s not just about leading others. That’s an understood as to its importance! It’s also about leading yourself, what we commonly call self-leadership. So while you need to know how to manage work and people, you also need to be able to manage yourself irrespective of your designation. Which is exactly what we aim to do at The Yellow Spot. Cultivate leaders at every level!
Ever noticed the impact the word ‘my’ has on us? The minute we put this label on anyone or anything, our attitude towards it changes. And we become ready to do anything for it. This applies to our work and role also. If we start owning it, we get instilled with a very different kind of energy towards it. And will go all out to ensure that our tasks get completed in the best possible way.
Stress puts a brake on our progress. And it can turn a brilliant performer into one that struggles to complete even mundane tasks. While we can’t get rid of stress in this fast paced world, we can definitely learn how to manage it better.
Most people tend to be passive or aggressive. They either push their way through or just let others trample on them. Finding the balance is key to better communication and more overall happiness.
We all have only 24 hours in a day. The difference is in how we use and make the most of it. Plan, Prioritise and manage procrastination.
Giving and receiving feedback is tough. If done well, it can enhance performance. Otherwise it can pull it down and create a lot of damage. Hence it’s a skill we must learn. And use, to enhance ourselves professionally.
There is only ‘this much’ that we can do alone. To do more, we need people. We also need to be able to work in a group in harmony, inspite of all our differences.
Change is imperative. And unless we change with the times and adapt to it, it really won’t work. While change comes more naturally to some, others need to make an effort to be more flexible towards it.
Most managers struggle with this one. It could be delegating as a concept, or how to do it effectively to each of their team members. That’s a skill every manager needs to master if they want to go to the next level.
Who do we work for at the end of the day? The customer. We therefore need to have that as a constant reminder and work towards keeping them happy.
It becomes easier to work with people when you know what they want, need and expect. This could be your boss, customer or even team member. And that’s when we are truly able to get through to them better and faster.
We need to influence people in all walks of life. Getting our ideas across, yes. But in a way that doesn’t look pushy, but actually helps the person understand why we are saying what we are saying.
One of the top human fears. But again one of those skills that we need specially when we climb the corporate ladder. Being able to present your ideas in a powerful and effective manner.
Most negotiations are about getting the largest piece of the pie. Good negotiation isn’t about winning alone. It’s about creating outcomes where everyone feels they’ve gained.
Culture is what makes you want to come to work on a Monday morning. That same culture is largely governed by the way people treat each other. How respectful, professional and ethical they are.
Getting to the root of a problem is important if you want to eliminate it. And that’s where analytical skills come in handy. They give you a holistic picture of what’s truly going on and pave the way for managing it.
Looking into small things can be tough for many. But detailing is extremely important as the lack of it can cause a lot of re-work and missed opportunities.
Yes, we can all be creative. Create something new. Bring in new ways of doing things. Attract more customers. Enjoy the newness and feeling of fulfilment.
While this list can look overwhelming, let me make it a little easier for you to go about the development process.
Self-assess your current skills. Technical and behavioural. Make a list of those that you specifically require. Think of challenges you face at work to help you arrive at these skills.
Now prioritise your list, putting the most important ones at the top. You can look at your current role in more detail to identify these.
Pick up the top skill on your list and start working on it. Move to the next one only once you have completed this one. Avoid trying to work on multiple skills at a time. It may cause overwhelm, a lack of focus and delay mastery.
Use different methodologies. Trainings, seminars, conferences are great ways to gain awareness and develop yourself. Read, there’s no dearth of material available nowadays. AI is also fantastic. Use it to get personalised inputs. Coaching and mentoring work wonders if you are looking for ‘human support’ to help you navigate your challenges.
Let’s face it, the world is moving at a superfast pace. And if we keep waiting for others to drive our growth journey, we’ll miss the bus! Its therefore time to take ownership of our development and build a brighter, better future for ourselves. Let professional development be a continuous practice, so that we keep improving and march ahead with all the confidence in the world!
If you are looking to build these capabilities for your team or even for yourself, we’d be happy to support you. Because growth doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by design.
Blue Arch CHS, Louis School Lane, Four Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400053
