Intentional Growth
Becky S. Corbett, MSW, ACSW, Emily Tevault, MBA, and Nou Vang, MPA
Do you have a growth plan? Is it written down? Have you ever identified a personal or professional goal and never taken the actions necessary to accomplish it? Grow with purpose and own your intentional growth. The Tips and Techniques identified below will support you on your journey.
Grow with intention
Growth needs to be deliberate and purposeful to establish and reach your goals. Making the decision to grow is an important step in your journey. It is a gradual process that requires planning and practice. Be intentional about your growth by developing a plan. Ask yourself: “What do I need to improve? How will I improve? When will I improve? How will I measure progress?”
Identify where you are
In order to know where you want to go, you must first know where you are. What are your strengths and passions? What opportunities are presenting themselves to you? Acknowledging where you are, allows you to create the roadmap to where you want to go. Ask yourself: “What are my values and priorities? Who can support me?” Take the time to evaluate and reflect on all of your experiences.
Prioritize your growth
There are only 24 hours in a day. You cannot change the number of hours, only how you use them. Focus on what you can do today to contribute to achieving your goals. What can you do for 15 minutes a day to enhance your development? Every action counts.
Gain self-awareness
Each of us has personal preferences of how we obtain our energy, communicate, make decisions, lead, work in a team and how we approach conflict, stress, and change. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI), DiSC®, and Gallup StrengthsFinder can help you understand your strengths and preferences. Knowing your preferences allows you to better understand yourself, how you work best with others, and identify opportunities for growth.
Get Started
There is so much information available to us that it can be overwhelming to find resources to support your growth. Three steps to enhancing your knowledge: (1) Determine your potential area of growth, such as becoming a better speaker or increasing your leadership skills. (2) Identify the leading experts in that area and their resources. (3) Read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, and follow the professionals on social media.
Identify your goals and establish a plan
Setting goals is a valuable way to move yourself forward and be accountable. Achieving them does not mean you will automatically grow. Goals need to be realistic, challenging, and attainable. Identify your growth plan by focusing your goals around your priorities.
Increase your inner circle
Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who will help contribute to your growth. Ask yourself: “Where can I meet people who are experienced in the area I want to grow?” This includes friends, family, and colleagues. Seek the professional advice and expertise of a mentor and consider participating in a mastermind group.
Participate in learning opportunities
Most people have the opportunity to attend a one-day training event or conference at some point throughout their career. Ask yourself: Am I fully taking advantage of the learning that has occurred? Establish 1-3 ideas that you can move to action after the event, such as presenting an executive summary at an all staff meeting, writing an article for your organization’s newsletter regarding a nugget of information you learned, or incorporating a new skills/technique into your daily practice.
Work with an executive coach
A coach walks alongside of you and asks questions that bring awareness and clarity of your opportunities while offering accountability to identify and achieve your goals. Coaching provides you with the opportunity to look within to discover where you are and where you want to go in your personal and professional growth journey. Connect your potential with your performance and move your ideas to action by working with a coach.
Prioritize your intentional growth, grow with purpose, and be the leader of your personal and professional development. Purposeful growth includes commitment, action, and accountability. What is one step you are going to take for your intentional growth? Share your thoughts and experiences, join the conversation below.
“Develop the right attitude, learn more about your strengths, tap into your passion, become more in touch with your purpose, and develop your skills…so you can be all you can be.” — John C. Maxwell, leadership author
Resources BSC Tips & Techniques: Leading ME by Becky S. Corbett & Emily Tevault 3 Ways MBTI®(Myers-Briggs) Adds Value to YOU by Emily Tevault & Neale Edwards The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell Jump Start Your Growth...A 90-day improvement plan by John Maxwell
For more information about our leadership development and Strengths-Based Coaching services, reach out to us at Info@bscorbettconsulting.com, follow us on Twitter, and read our Move to Action blogs.