Reading some of the threads and discussions on this site recently has prompted me to reflect on my learning. Even when employed I looked to spend about 10% of my salary on training - now of course much of that was supported by my employer at the time. One particular employer would let me take time off but would rarely pay for any training - unless I twisted the Chief Executives arm - but that was fine as I had to find innovative ways of gaining free or low cost development. Now as a freelancer I still aim to spend about 10% on my own development - and it seems to work. 'Spend' in the last 12 months has included the CIPD conference, several exhibitions, learning more about SEO and web promotion and marketing, was reassessed against 2 trainer standards etc. A wide range and valuable range of experiences - some costing others time and effort. How much time and money do you invest in your own development beyond what your employer pays?
3 Responses
sharpening my saw
Hi Mike, As a Freelance Training Consultant I set aside one day a month for personal / professional development. I don’t see it as a percentage of possible fees or income just as an investment in my greatest resource – my competence. I think that the cost of incompetence is far greater than the cost of competence.
Best wishes
David
Personal Development – never obsessive but never ending, too.
He wouldn’t be my first choice of heavyweight leadership thinker but Zig Zigler has occasionally come up with almost annoyingly appropriate and memorable quotes, as instanced in the following:
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
I think that personal development is one of those things you have to bear in mind just about all the time, without obsessing about it. It’s about new ways, challenging yourself and being open and eager for different viewpoints and angles.
And along with that flexibility there needs to be something to anchor it all down – or else we end up trying to live out the destabilising and inaccurate platitude that the only constant is change. My own research and practice experience tells me that this anchor can be in business ethics expressed as lived higher values.
Whatever, trying to sustain personal development either on the cheap or on the back burner just ain’t gonna cut it!
comments so far
Some great views so far-
you are reading so lets hear your view on this…..