Leadership and Management Success: Making Your Professional Development Count
Over the years I have come across many accountants and professionals who did exceptionally well in the early stages of their career only to hit a glass ceiling all too quickly.
The truth is in my experience a professional qualification or an MBA merely gets you in the door. What determines how far you go in the longer is at least in part to making your professional development count. So how can you make your professional development count?
Get a handle on your strengths and development needs
Until you know what you do well and what needs development, it is impossible to put in place your personal success plan.
Focus on the long term
Be clear about what the end game is and what you will need to achieve the ultimate goal.
Don’t restrict your approaches to professional development
It has never been easier to access development opportunities. Too often people think just about expensive training courses and if budgets for training are cut say there is no funding. There are plenty opportunities for low and no cost training and development, it is just a matter of seeking it out.
Remember your needs change
Don’t view professional development planning as being a task and finish exercise. See your plan as a live rolling document that is updated as new needs arise.
Bottom Line – If you are serious about your career you need to make your professional development count.
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.