By Jim Joyce

We are not unique in wanting/needing to improve ourselves. To achieve advancement, get a new job or feel better about who we are and where we're going, we all can use help in our approach to personal/professional development.

If we want to be successful, we need a plan.

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" asked Alice.
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where-" said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.
-- Lewis Carroll (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)

Definition:

A Personal/Professional Development Plan is an assessment of who/what/where we are; a determination of where we want to be; actions to take to get there; and measurements to ensure that we're on track.

1. Typical developmental areas.

Who are you and where are you in your life?

• Employed - happily and productively or .
• In transition (looking for opportunities)
• Retired

How did you get to this point in your life?

• Blessed/lucky/good career decisions/right "network"
• Unlucky/bad decisions
• Downsized

What is keeping you here?

• "Security", perks, $$$, work environment
• Unstable economy
• Fear, uncertainty, doubt

2. Potential areas of improvement

Where would you like to be/what does the ideal situation look like?

• Status/role, tasks, industry, work environment
• Rewards: money, perks, opportunity, security, image
• Location

Then, where SHOULD you be?

One way to find out is to take a Personal Assessment. There are many good "instruments" available, but not all are "predictive."

Some examples are:

Career-related

• The Strong Interest Survey
• The Holland Self-directed Search
• The Campbell Skill and Inventory Survey
• The Highlands Ability Battery

Non Career-related

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• DISC Profile

Which one is best for you? You will need to do some evaluating and/or get some coaching help to decide.

3. Developmental action plan.

How do you get to where you want to be? Via your Action Plan!

" The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you . find yourself." --Mark Caine

Components of your plan might be:
GOALS, ACTIONS NEEDED, MEASUREMENTS

One of your goals may be to improve your public-speaking ability (not much improves one's confidence more than the ability to speak comfortably in public - be it one-on-one, in small groups, or before large audiences.)

Some actions to achieve this might be to join Toastmasters International or enroll in a Dale Carnegie course.

Is a goal to get to know people who can help you (and, importantly, people you can help)?

Try networking. Look into Civic Groups like Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Chambers of Commerce, Business Alliances, professional organizations, leads groups, etc.

Do you need to increase your general business knowledge? There are self-help books/tapes/CD's, classes at Colleges, Universities, and Community Colleges, Computer-Based Training, the Internet, etc.

Perhaps you're looking at improving your job-hunting process? There are career ministries at many local houses of worship, Internet help sites like www.rileyguide.com and others (not just the job search sites), and of course you should have a "job buddy" to help manage your mutual efforts.

There are also coaches for Career/Life Planning/Success: professionals like Mike Thomas, Sally Curry, and Florence Gans. One-on-one counseling can be of great value.

4. Ongoing measurements.

You won't know if you're on the right track unless you have measurements in place - for big, long-term goals and also for small, short-term goals.

"A goal is a dream with a deadline. A dream without a deadline is a dream ." --- Leo Helzel (A Goal is a Dream ..)

Each planned action should have related measurement criteria: dates, names, events, places, etc. so that you can check off your progress and realize a sense of accomplishment.

Summary.

Creating a specific personal/professional development plan for yourself will help you achieve your goals and will also help to relieve daily stress and anxiety and make life more enjoyable.

"There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love;
there's only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen." - - Wayne W. Dyer

Good luck!

Jim Joyce is President of Sales Training, Inc.
He can be reached by e-mail at jpjoyce@salestraininginc.com
Visit his website at www.salestraininginc.com