Personal and Professional Development

Personal Development Plan

For my personal development, the following are items I would like to pursue:  seminars and workshops, a mentor relationship, a 360-degree review process, and participation in a community of practice.  Each of the items provide a different focus and can assist me in becoming a better employee.  In totality, each area can help provide balance and growth through the inter-connectivity of them.

Seminars, Workshops, and Conferences

Seminars and workshops can help provide additional views and methods to use in my position and future career path.  My position as a lean coach is not something that is offered in formal education classes, but professional development workshops typically provide information and real life experiences that help an individual grow and learn.  There are several seminars and workshops I am interested in attending, some sponsored by groups such as Lean Enterprise Institute, Lean Advancement Initiative, and MIT and U-Mich.  There is also a yearly workshop sponsored by my company that I would like to attend in the future.  I used to attend and present on a regular basis, but have been absent at the conference for the past 5 years.
Seminars, workshops, and conferences not only help attendees learn about new advances within the field, applications of principles and methods, how other industries are applying the concepts and lessons learned, it also helps build networks and connections with the field.  Interpersonal connections are extremely important, especially when looking for help or advice.  One of the best ways to learn is through elaboration, and networks established through workshops, seminars, and conferences can help reinforce learning.

Mentor

A mentor relationship would help by providing advice and guidance in not only my current position, but also for my career development.  They can also help point out areas for improvements and areas of strength that you should take advantage of.  By locating and working with someone who has had a similar career path as the one I would like to have, they can help motivate and encourage me through constructive criticism and help me identify development opportunities.  Also, the conversations will be beneficial and offer a learning and growth experience by sharing experiences and opinions.

360-degree Review Process

The 360-degree review process should be used outside of the official evaluation and performance measurement plan.  The 360-degree reviews will help me identify strengths and opportunities for improvement that I may not see for myself.  It will also help enhance discussions with my manager and mentor who may not see the day-to-day activities and happenings. Because my position as a coach requires trust and personal relationships with others I interact with, a 360-degree review is  a good way to learn how others perceive me.  The review process may uncover strengths that I didn't recognize in myself and also opportunities I can improve upon to be more effective.  It will also serve as the basis for future training and development opportunities.

Community of Practice

Lastly, I would like to be more involved in communities of practice for my discipline.  Virtual meetings and websites for lean practitioners exist that help develop and elaborate on learnings and experience.  Involvement in communities of practice would help me learn about other topics within my field that I do not get the chance to practice on a regular basis, and also keep me informed of best practices, changes to terminology, and various situations and applications the principles are being applied in.  Similar to workshops, seminars, and conferences, the networking and information sharing that occurs in this setting would be a great benefit to both my current position and future growth within the field.

References

Laureate Education. (2011). Employee Development [Web media]. Retrieved on August 9, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5364569&Survey=1&47=6323855&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.