Get AMPED!
(Academic and Motivational Professional Education and Development)
But I don’t have time to attend a
seminar or go to a conference!
Our department is cutting our
budget……….. AGAIN!
Is it really that important?
Above are the excuses that often accompany invitations to
conferences, seminars and other professional development opportunities that
come your way every month.
Instead, the following questions are what ought to be asked
of yourself and your supervisor:
How can I improve my skills and raise
the bar in my job if I don’t add new skills to my ability to help my
department?
Would our budget allow for
necessary upgrades to technology? If so, am I less important than the
technology we use?
Am I working harder instead of
working smarter?
If you are a goal setter, what are your goals and how do you
intend to get there? If you’re not one of THOSE people, how do you go about
learning any new skill? Sometimes it’s online training, sometimes it’s taking a
class, right? As a kid or a parent, we’ve all said or heard the phrase “practice,
practice, practice.” But practice what? We had to learn it first, and that
meant getting the education we needed to understand what it was we needed to
practice and how. Why is it that when we become “adults,” we forget that very
fundamental process in learning and think we know it all when we know that no
one does know it all?
In 2012, Deloitte, a leading consulting company, did the
unthinkable in a downturned economy. They invested in professional development
tools for their employees despite the economic challenges in order to come out
on top in their field when the economy turned around. They saw it as necessary
as upgrading their security and technology.
You were hired because you are a valuable asset to your
organization. To remain a valuable asset, you need to consistently take stock
in what you have to offer and create a check list of skills to add to your
cadre of abilities. What is it that you need to learn to take yourself to the
next level? What is the next level? It’s okay if you don’t know. Find out
through professional networks and colleagues. That’s where networking pays off
in spades!
How do you go about getting AMPED? This is where no size
fits all. Don’t start with time and cost, because you will inevitably sell
yourself short and wind up with less than desired achievements. Rather, start
with the skill set you wish to develop and seek out the closest match to your
needs. Being aware of the fact that not all budgets are created equal, find
other resources for paying for more expensive AMPED opportunities. Remember the
adage “Where there’s a will, there’s a
way.” Now, more than ever, there are scholarships and work reimbursements
from HR and various other sources. Check them out! Many professional
development chapters offer scholarships and assistance to those organizations
that are struggling the most. ALWAYS ask about discounts! It never hurts to
find out if there are ways to use discounts to pay for things.
When you think about the opportunities that are offered to
you, keep in mind these questions: How can I personally connect to other
attendees and those who are educating me? Will there be time to network and
build my community of colleagues outside my office? How can I use the skills I
learn to assist my organization?
Building your community of colleagues is essential in
keeping yourself on the road to continual improvement. It’s like having a
swimming buddy. The deeper you get into
building your network, the more you’re surrounded by professionals and leaders
in your field and the more skilled you will become at navigating your future.
Once you’ve developed your plan of action and where to
invest your dollars to guide your future, step out and get…………………… AMPED!
Writer’s personal preference for getting AMPED:
- APRA International Conference
- APRA-Carolinas and APRA-VA chapter meetings that involve networking time as well as education
- One-on-one collegial meetings that happen ad-hoc
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