Woman to Woman: Discovering Key Dimensions of Personal & Professional Development
By Marsha D. Link, PhD
Link Consulting
The inaugural article of Woman to Woman: Discovering Key Dimensions of Personal & Professional Development, discussed the critical importance of taking charge of your own development. This article offers three practical dimensions to systematically get you started. These are:
- Identifying and writing down your personal and professional goals
- Determining your strengths and values
- Creating action plans to implement your goals and values
Let’s examine each dimension in more depth.
Identify and write down your personal and professional goals
Too frequently, we move through life without intentionally reflecting on what we want to accomplish and why it is important to us. Research has shown that those who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. Additionally, in the work environment, growth is usually centered on professional endeavors, excluding the integration of personal goals. This being the case, it becomes ever more important for women to spend time identifying both their personal and professional wants. It is also important to recognize that one’s goals are unique. For example, some women aspire to become VPs, CEOs or entrepreneurs; others are satisfied with sustaining a mid-level job or maintaining a career as an individual contributor. One is not better than the other. Women differ in their desires for achievement, power and nurturing. The good news is that in this century, many women have a choice. A most important message is: Allow yourself to create the goals that are best for you and avoid defining yourself based on other women’s goals! By being intentional about your personal and professional goals, you are giving consideration to the “total woman.” Without acknowledgement of personal and professional desires, women run the risk at some point in their lives realizing that one or the other has suffered. The task is not easy, but being intentional helps to make the process easier and your future more satisfying.
Determine your strengths and values
If you have been successful in writing down your goals, you probably have already integrated many of your strengths and values. Deeper exploration of your strengths and values is needed to further leverage them. Like goals, each woman’s strengths and values are unique. Peter Drucker, considered the father of modern management, in his seminal article “Managing Oneself” writes: “It takes far more energy to improve from incompetence to mediocrity that to improve from first-rate performance to excellence.” Thus, when you identify and build on your already existing strengths, you are likely to accelerate growth and satisfaction.
As for values, it is important to determine those that are most important to you. Values serve as motivators and drives our behavior. Some values, such as honesty, trustworthiness and caring, are ethical in nature and important collectively. However, personal values, such as goals, are unique to the individual. Taking an in-depth look at your values by answering a few questions will help identify your unique inventory of values. This exercise can give direction to your future. Consider these questions:
- When I think of those I admire, what values do they exhibit?
- How much importance do I place on achievement?
- What level of importance do I place on family/friends?
- What motivates me: power, money, recognition or ______?
- How willing am I to compete with others, men and women?
- What balance do I want to achieve between my personal and professional life?
- What importance do I place on relationships and nurturing?
- Do I value teamwork vs. individual contributions?
These are but a few of the “values” questions to consider as you create your own inventory. Like goals, being honest about what you value takes courage and time, but the benefits outweigh the effort.
Create action plans to implement your goals and values
If you are clear about your goals and values, creating action plans is the next step. The importance of this step is analogous to an organization’s strategic plan. The best plan in the world will not have impact unless it is implemented. Likewise, a list of goals and values are of little use unless they can be translated in actions! Designing detailed action plans that are linked to specific goals is essential. Mentors and coaches can help create these if you feel stuck. Elements to incorporate in action plans are:
- “What” is the action to be accomplished?
- “Who/what” is needed to accomplish this action?
- “When” do I expect to accomplish it?
- “How” will I know I have done well with this action?
With clear goals, values and action plans, you are prepared to take charge of your own development. Your comments and questions are welcomed! Please feel free to communicate online or contact me at (949) 683-4632. Good luck!