Life is Change. Growth is Optional. Choose Wisely.
Alex Pollock
August 21, 2018
Meeting client expectations can indeed be a daunting task for most of us, leaving us at times more tired than inspired. What then, is our plan to be lifelong students, to continuously improve our effectiveness in all the roles we fill in our lives...employees, leaders, spouses, parents etc? We know that this is far too important a mission to leave to chance, but how robust are our plans?
I'd like to focus our thoughts on the workplace for this discussion. In what specific ways are you investing your time, talents and treasure in your personal improvement journey? Anything you can share that would be beneficial to the rest of us?
What are your areas of activity for personal development? I rely on three main areas for my growth:
- Reading: I'm avid reader. I always have a few books on the go to expand my thinking. As readers of my blog over the years you'll have noted my interest in the work of the Gallup organization that began in 1999 with "First Break all the Rules", by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. Currently I'm reading "A Passion for Leadership" (2016) by Robert M Gates and just finished "Team of Teams" (2015) by General Stanley McChrystal. What have you read recently you'd recommend to others?
- Technical Meetings: These take the form of virtual webinars or physical meetings. Participation in approved meetings is linked to maintenance of valuable professional certifications like CIH, ROH and CSP. For me membership in organizations like AIHA and NAEM have been a mainstay. What technical meetings are regularly on your calendar? These meetings can fill gaps identified in your reading of career guides like NAEM's recently released report "EHS&S Career Profiles and Skills for Success".
- Professional Networks: What subjects are you passionate about? Who do you know is passionate about the same things? If you are not in regular conversation with these people please consider initiating a group dialogue. It is helpful to include in your network people outside of your company and even outside your industry. Deep friendships and amazing insights can result from professional networks. In the unfortunate event of job loss the network can be a rich well of support and a source of new career opportunities. What has been you experience with networks? Any useful ground rules you have used to guide their success?
Tags:
Leadership Skills
About the Author
Alex Pollock
Alex Pollock has been studying leadership effectiveness for more than 30 years. A former leader in environment, health and safety, and public affairs at The Dow Chemical Co., he learned that we all have leadership roles to play. He enjoys discussing new ideas and sharing practical ways we can all become better leaders.