Personal development goals are integral in nurturing a workplace environment, and instrumental in continuous improvement and professional growth. Personal development goals act as a guideline for people to improve their hard and soft skills, knowledge, and general abilities. Personal development goals not only benefit individual career progression but also the overall success and morale of the company.
In this blog, we explore how when we match individual ambitions with company goals, personal development transcends more than individual benefit. Rather, it becomes an inherent part of contributing to your company's wider objectives.
Making personal development a priority within your strategic business planning is vital. It makes sure that employees have the tools and resources to be successful in their positions and pushes your company toward its goals. In a nutshell, constant learning, and improvement benefits both the individual team members and your organisation as a whole.
Setting the stage: Personal development goals for work
Personal development goals at work could be loosely defined as objectives, whether job/task specific or personal competencies, identified as areas for improvement in a professional context. Personal development goals should not necessarily be related to improving technical activities but should be focused on life skills, which could include:
- Communication skills.
- Leadership qualities.
- Improving adaptability.
- Conflict resolution.
- Improving time management and scheduling.
- Developing decision-making processes.
- Working on emotional intelligence.
- Becoming more empathetic.
- Improving public speaking skills seems to be a popular choice.
Regardless of which personal development goal a team member identifies, it’s important for leaders and team members to develop a growth mindset. A mindset that motivates employees to welcome new challenges, and encourages commitment and persistence. In approaching personal development with this mindset, whilst keeping an eye on the eventual benefits of achieving their goals, employees have a greater chance of success.
Crafting and achieving your personal development goals
Initiating a personal development model in your organisation demands a systematic methodology that seamlessly merges into a team’s daily operations. One way to make sure that a goal is a good choice is by referring to the SMART criteria. The SMART criteria remind us that goals should be:
- Specific. The goal needs to be clearly defined and tangible so that it is clear what exactly needs to be worked on.
- Measurable. The goal must be measurable against quantifiable metrics so that we can understand what it is and how an individual is progressing.
- Achievable. Perhaps it is obvious to say that there is no point in working on a goal that isn’t possible. However, it’s important to find out if the resources to achieve the goal are available.
- Relevant. The selected goal should be relevant to the company’s goals and values.
- Timely. We need to be able to track progress against a timeline. A deadline must be possible.
Explore other Thomas blogs about SMART criteria.
Personal goals should be woven into the fabric of professional life. Opportunities to integrate developmental actions into daily tasks should be sought. This can be achieved by allocating specific time slots for conducting tasks that allow employees to build on skills. If a team member has the autonomy to choose which projects they are involved in, it would be logical to opt for projects that offer an opportunity to build on personal growth objectives in tandem. In aligning personal development goals with everyday tasks, team members can be sure that they will be working in the right direction, one step at a time.
As with any project, there will be setbacks, but it’s how we navigate these challenges that matters. Typical challenges can include:
- Time constraints. Set clear ‘to-do lists’ and stick to them. Slow and steady is better than long periods of ‘time off’.
- A lack of motivation. Support can be sought from team leaders and colleagues. Working on a personal development goal with someone else can keep you motivated and on track. Prioritise the important tasks and work on those during periods of low motivation.
By combatting obstacles directly and making sure goals are in line with SMART criteria, personal development goals will be achieved.
Measuring success and adjusting your path
How do we measure success in personal development? Feedback is one sure-fire way to assess progress and to tweak practices and objectives along the way. Four eyes are better than two.
Constructive feedback from colleagues, managers, and even friends from outside the company can bring up different ideas and viewpoints, recognising areas for improvement as well as different approaches. By making a habit of asking those you’re surrounded by for feedback, personal development goals become easier to achieve.
Milestones must be established to monitor progress. Setting short-term goals helps tracking, and will act to keep motivation high as steps are made towards success. Make use of practical tools, such as diaries, applications, and alarms to help you stick to your schedule.
You’re not the same person as you were 10 years ago, and you won’t be the same in the future. You change, as does the world and industry. Your goals might change over time, and it’s important to be prepared for this. Don’t be dogmatic in your journey, be flexible. Change and the discovery of new goals, or adaptation of existing ones, should be considered as an exciting discovery. Personal development fluctuates, as you do, and requires consistent assessment and adaptability. Don’t be dismayed and continue to push forward.
Thomas’ role in your development journey
Thomas has a wealth of resources and services to help you identify areas for growth, and how to go about it. Explore more of our blogs and read about four key steps that we have identified to support your continuous growth.
Consider one of our bespoke courses or personal development workshops, to upskill and become the best version of yourself. Click here to see the upcoming courses in a venue close to you.
Of course, if you’re still undecided, you can always pick up the phone to speak to one of our experienced team members about our assessments, courses, and platforms.
Moving forward: Your personal development action plan
Employees can realise their true potential through a commitment to their personal development goals. Personal development goals become all that more impactful and attractive when they are aligned with the vision of the organisation and its long-term objectives. Working in synergy, both the organisation and the individual can realise the true benefit of personal development action plans.
Thomas is here as an invaluable resource to help you build personal development plans. Explore our blogs or give one of our experienced team members a call. Equally, you can find a wealth of resources in our Thomas HR Guides.
Achieving even the most ambitious of personal development goals is within everyone’s reach. Well done for taking the first steps.
