The Business Bulletin
We hear the phrase ‘personal
occurs through a process called self-
with a date becomes a goal. A goal
development’ in many areas of our
actualisation. As a manager, if you can
broken down into steps becomes a
lives nowadays and it is such a useful
see the potential of your own team,
plan. A plan backed by action makes
phrase that it can be adapted to
it’s a great way to help them see their
your dreams come true.” Be realistic
many scenarios. My own personal
own potential too – or, in Maslow’s
with your timeline and review on a
development might now be an on-
terms, their self-actualisation. This
regular basis to ensure you’re on track
line podcast or live or interactive
isn’t always easy, on either side of
and progressing at the right pace.
webinar about bee-keeping or from
course and takes time, dedication
a well-loved author; but it could easily
and strategy to establish the correct
be an aspect of something that
results. The best way to ascertain
relates to improving my interpersonal
reaching self-actualisation is to create
skills or being a little bit more mindful.
a personal development plan – a kind
Thankfully personal development is a lifelong process. It is a way for
of business plan for yourself. To begin, define the goals that
us to review our skills and qualities,
are really important to you. Whether
consider our aims in life and set goals
the goals are career-related or focus
in order to realise and maximise our
on something that will enrich or
potential at one end of the scale and
improve your personal life (starting
perhaps to just experience joy and fun
a new hobby/activity or learning a
at the other!
new language perhaps), it is vital
A popular model for describing and discovering personal development is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need which suggests that all individuals have an in-built need for personal development which
to understand that only you can determine what your goals are – it’s a personal plan so don’t let anyone else plan for you! Secondly, just like a business plan, set deadlines. “A dream written down
38 | Issue 16 – Strategy and Personal Development
As managers and leaders, we know there can be skills gaps in many of our roles – but which skills or knowledge will help you to achieve your goals? Until you know where the gaps are (in skills and knowledge), you can’t fill the gap. Once you’re confident that you’ve planned, it’s time to take action. The chances are every goal you have identified will require several actions to achieve it, which can be a bit daunting. It’s helpful to list the 3 most important actions to help keep you focused. Just make sure you read and pay attention to the list to make it all happen! We all know that completing a task isn’t the end of it. We have to monitor, progress and improve as we go. There will be
