The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Take charge of your developmen­t

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Feeling “stuck” in your current career is a common issue, but there are ways to get moving again.

Susan MacLennan is a senior organisati­onal developmen­t specialist at Robert Gordon University with extensive experience in leadership and management developmen­t.

According to her, it has never been more important for employees to be proactive about their profession­al developmen­t.

“In today’s volatile and fast-paced business environmen­t, it is crucial that people make the most of opportunit­ies in order to stay current within their field,” she said.

“Staff costs are the largest cost that most employers will face, and well-trained, effective and happy people are any organisati­on’s greatest asset.

“To attract and retain the best and brightest talent, organisati­ons need to be giving staff the opportunit­y to continuous­ly learn.”

Susan believes that for the “millennial generation” this is a basic expectatio­n.

“A report by PwC shows that profession­al developmen­t opportunit­ies are the first benefit millennial­s look for from employers, followed by flexible working hours and cash bonuses,” she said.

“So, it’s hugely important for employers to have a developmen­t programme in place.

“When I’m putting together such a programme, I start by introducin­g the topic of self-awareness.

“Being self-aware and having an understand­ing of the impact you may have on others is crucial in order to form effective relationsh­ips at work.

“Added to this, mentoring and coaching are integral to all developmen­t programmes.

“Matching more experience­d staff with those looking for support and advice is beneficial to both the mentor and the mentee.

“For the mentor it allows for the developmen­t of leadership and brings a sense of satisfacti­on from helping others.

“The mentee benefits from having someone who has ‘been there’ to learn from in terms of coping with change, career management and personal growth.”

For Susan, a common model for learning and developmen­t is the 70/20/10 model – with 70% of learning taking place on the job and 20% “near” the job, including coaching and mentoring, feedback and reading books and journals.

Only 10% of learning takes place off the job in formal classroom learning, online training courses and distance learning courses.

“The biggest piece of advice I can give is that it is imperative for you to take responsibi­lity for your own career developmen­t,” said Susan.

Susan’s top tips for career developmen­t include:

• Be proactive in seeking out relevant developmen­t opportunit­ies.

• Conduct a skills audit. For example, what are your strengths? What are the areas for improvemen­t?

• Have a clear vision or plan for the next three to five years and seek out developmen­t opportunit­ies which will help you get there.

• Be creative in your approach – job shadow, where possible, get involved in projects relating to your role.

• Remember the 70/20/10 model. Not all developmen­t takes place in a classroom.

• Have the right attitude, be flexible, adaptable and proactive.

 ??  ?? ADVICE: Susan MacLennan, organisati­onal developmen­t specialist at RGU
ADVICE: Susan MacLennan, organisati­onal developmen­t specialist at RGU

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