{"id":26607,"date":"2023-03-07T11:36:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T11:36:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/?post_type=resources&p=26605"},"modified":"2024-09-04T11:02:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T09:02:50","slug":"5-ways-to-drive-your-career-development","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/5-ways-to-drive-your-career-development\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Drive Your Career Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning<\/a><\/em>, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Feel like there\u2019s no way to advance at your company? Or like your boss doesn\u2019t support your development? Are you unsure where to even start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are more opportunities to progress in your career than you might think \u2014 especially if you\u2019re willing to drive the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Explore where you want to go next in your career.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Many people assume that there\u2019s only one way to develop \u2014 moving up a clear hierarchy for your role from less advanced to more advanced. But there are many ways to grow, including by changing up the type of work you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To identify possibilities, start by thinking through what you\u2019re most interested in pursuing. You don\u2019t have to plot your entire future \u2014 though it\u2019s fine if you do. Just get a sense of a skill you\u2019d like to build or a role you\u2019d like to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To spark ideas, ask yourself questions like:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • What new skills would I like to learn? What existing skills would I like to master?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What type of work would I like to do and in what kind of environment?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What difference would I like to make and for whom?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What level of responsibility would I like to have?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Who does work I find fascinating (inside and outside my organization)? What skills are important in those roles?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How could I bring even greater value to my organization through my own growth? What skills are in demand here?<\/em> (Ask if you don\u2019t know.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    You can also connect with others to learn about possible growth paths and opportunities in your organization (and beyond). Ask peers and mentors in roles you find interesting how they got to where they are in their careers. Ask your manager or HR about various ways people can advance in your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As you choose a goal to pursue, keep in mind that you\u2019ll be more likely to get support if your goal dovetails with team and company needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Write out your specific development goal and potential steps to meet it.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Your development goal might be a single skill that will take two months to build or a coveted promotion that will take two years (or something in between). Regardless, you can\u2019t achieve it without clearly defining your destination and the steps it will take to get there. And you definitely can\u2019t rely on your busy manager to articulate all of that for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Write down your goal. To help you flesh it out and see the path ahead:
    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • List where you are now (in terms of role and skills) and where you want to be using the formula \u201cfrom \u2026 to \u2026\u201d<\/strong> For example, your goal might be a promotion \u201cfrom sales associate to senior salesperson.\u201d That transition might require building your skills to move:\n
        \n
      • From using your team\u2019s new sales software to mastering the software.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • From helping to close enterprise-level deals to closing them on your own.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • From deepening relationships with existing customers to attracting new ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • List steps you might take to get from your current state to your goal state \u2014 including any support you might need.<\/strong> You may not know all the specific steps yet and that\u2019s OK \u2014 you still need input from your manager. But you can sketch out possibilities, such as:\n
          \n
        • Cross-train with Michael in IT to learn advanced functions of the new sales software.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Write a pitch to a prospective enterprise customer, with a round of feedback from your manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Represent your company at an industry conference where you can gather new sales leads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          3. Talk with your manager to shape your development plan \u2014 and align on what success looks like.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

          Plenty of people feel nervous about bringing up their development to their manager, wondering, What if they think I\u2019m not happy with my job? Or What if they don\u2019t want to help me \u2014 or don\u2019t think I\u2019m capable?<\/em> But most managers do want to help and will be open to a conversation if you frame it as a chance for you both to gain something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Let your boss know ahead of time that you\u2019d like to meet about your development in a way that signals you don\u2019t expect them to lead the conversation (e.g., \u201cIn our next 1-on-1, I\u2019d like to get your input on some ideas I have for my professional development and how I can make an even greater impact\u201d<\/em>). Depending on your comfort level with your boss and how much they know about where you want to go, you could share your notes from No. 2 in advance or talk through them when you meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          During the conversation, write down everything you and your boss discuss and decide on, including:
          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Your goal and required skills:<\/strong> Does your boss think your goal is realistic? Do they support it? Are you aligned on the skills you\u2019ll need to reach it? Where do they think you are with those skills \u2014 and where do you need to be in order to advance? Adjust your goal and skills as needed based on your boss\u2019s input.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Steps and milestones:<\/strong> Share the step ideas you wrote down in No. 2. Ask your boss, \u201cHow would you change what I have? What actions are missing?\u201d<\/em> and adjust accordingly. Also, see if you can identify milestones for you to meet \u2014 or at least a first milestone to work toward \u2014 to help you build momentum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Expectations:<\/strong> For example, you and your boss might have different ideas about what it means to \u201cmaster\u201d your sales software or to close a deal \u201con your own.\u201d Leadership coach Maria \u201cSully\u201d Sullivan says, \u201cI see this all the time: You think you\u2019re exceeding expectations, and the boss thinks you\u2019re doing the job. Neither of you has taken the time to really dive into what \u2018great\u2019 looks like.\u201d Don\u2019t make that mistake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Opportunities and support:<\/strong> What opportunities does your boss see on the horizon for you to step up for the team while also building your desired skills? Support could include funding to attend a conference, time to fit software training into your schedule, your manager making time to review proposals you\u2019ve written, or the chance to shadow a senior-level peer to learn more about an area where you\u2019d like to improve.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            What you\u2019ve written down is the substance of your development plan \u2014 and now you\u2019ve got your boss\u2019s buy-in! Agree on when you\u2019ll follow up next to gauge your progress on the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            4. Continuously ask for performance feedback \u2014 and track your progress.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            By definition, you don\u2019t see your own blind spots. And it can be tough to objectively gauge your progress on a goal as you passionately work toward it. So take advantage of your boss, peers, and other colleagues to help you gauge how you\u2019re really doing and steadily improve at the skills in your development plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            If you just ask \u201cHow am I doing?\u201d you\u2019ll likely get an unhelpful \u201cFine!\u201d Instead, be as specific as possible in your request for feedback. For example:
            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • \u201cI\u2019d love your input on my revised sales pitch. Will it do enough to grab people\u2019s attention? I\u2019m most concerned that something is missing in the data visualization \u2014 what could I be overlooking?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • \u201cI struggled on the call to address all of the customer\u2019s concerns. How could I have handled the conversation more effectively?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Document all the feedback you receive in a place where you can easily review it. Look for patterns in where you tend to do well and where you struggle so you know where to focus your efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Also note the steps you took and the development milestones you reached \u2014 to help you see what you still need to accomplish to get to the next level and to help you communicate your progress to your manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              5. Set regular reminders to talk with your manager about your development and agree on next steps.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

              It\u2019s easy for you and your boss to let development conversations fall by the wayside when things get hectic. But staying in sync is critical \u2014 so you can follow through on your plan or course-correct if things aren\u2019t going as expected. Check-ins are also a good chance to be sure your manager is giving you the support they said they would (and to discuss new opportunities).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Review your development plan together in 1-on-1s or in dedicated meetings, and take notes to record details of the conversation that you both can refer back to. Explain the progress you\u2019ve made since your last check-in and ask your manager questions like:
              <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • \u201cHow much progress have you seen from me in these areas?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • \u201cWhat are the biggest things still holding me back?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • \u201cHow have our team and company needs changed since I drafted my development plan? Am I still working on the right things?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • \u201cWhat would make you feel totally ready to advocate for me to take on more responsibility?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Then, map out next steps you\u2019ll take, as well as actions for your boss (e.g., getting you access to more training or planting the seeds for your advancement with higher-ups).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. Feel like there\u2019s no way to advance at your company? Or like your boss doesn\u2019t support your development? Are you unsure where to even start? There are more opportunities to progress in your career than you might think \u2014 especially if […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-26607","resources","type-resources","status-publish","hentry","type-newsletters"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Ways to Drive Your Career Development - FranklinCovey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. 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