This Week’s Focus Point
By Dr. Jason Carthen
Be Responsible for Personal Development
Personal development is the responsibility of both the leader and the follower. When you have a follower that wants to remain in the same place due to comfort level and embracing the status quo, it is only a matter of time before complacency rears its ugly head and productivity suffers. This dilemma is often found in traditional corporate models that suggest an organization should only provide professional development, but not specifically personal development.
Traditional Views about Personal Development
During a lengthy consulting project with a world renowned hospital, I experienced how navigating traditional thinking about training and employees can stifle creativity and personal development. Employees want to know they have a voice in their future or destiny, and when that perception is withheld from them, or they are made to feel their needs do not matter, complacency and apathy can settle in rather quickly…
Consider Personal Development and Professional Development Both
When a leader takes both the personal and professional development of the follower into consideration, it gives the follower a voice and a proverbial “stake in the game.” I offer to you that simply providing a “check the box” professional development plan through Human Resources will not provide a follower with the much needed “heart training” that is needed for them to reach their personal best and take their company to higher levels. What are you doing to ensure that followers are developing both personally and professionally?
