When we think of professional development we often imagine formal
trainings like conferences or workshops. Maybe you take a course then you end
up with a certificate for the knowledge you have attained. But what if we had a
bigger definition of professional development? Professional development is
about more than just skills. It also includes our values, mindsets, beliefs, and
actions. It's what happens every time you learn and grow professionally. There
are many different ways to own your professional development. You can engage
in book studies or book clubs and wrestle with ideas in-depth through
dialogue. These books don't have to be connected to your profession. Some of the
best innovation happens when you borrow ideas from other domains. You can also
engage in professional learning on the go by listening to podcasts or
audiobooks. This allows you to think conceptually and hear new ideas while
you're in your car or on a run there's also pajama PD, where you attend online
courses or webinars from home. These might be synchronous with scheduled
video chats or asynchronous with self-paced assignments. You might also
choose to engage in content curation where you geek out on different topics,
ideas, or strategies. Curation involves that overlap between having a critical
eye while also celebrating what you love. Curators know how to explore great
resources, organize their ideas, and ultimately share those strategies with
others. On a more social level you can join a community of practice where you
share resources and ideas and talk about your experiences. This might be a private
online group with virtual meetups but it can also be in-person at a networking
event or just with a group of colleagues over coffee.
Uou might attend unconferences where they have no keynotes and no lectures. Instead
members engage in open-ended small group discussions.
You can also set personal goals and monitor your progress for accountability.
You might create a mastermind group. A mastermind group is a closed group of
four to six people where each person has equal status. Members have equal time to
share their goals, their progress, their challenges, and their ideas. Some of the
best professional development might happen in your own building. It's what
happens when we observe one another at work and practice those strategies that
we see others model. In some cases we might engage in mentoring which can help
guide reflection, lead to paradigm shifts, and allow for an exchange of ideas.
Another option is action research where you pose a question, examine research,
experiment with a new strategy, analyze the results, and ultimately share it with
others. You might also engage in advocacy. Here
you could join a professional organization and help change the systems
or policies around you. Or you might create a blog, a podcast, or a series of
videos for other people in the field. By sharing your expertise you become more
reflective on your craft and you refine it to become better. Sometimes
professional development is simply self-care. When you go on walks or do
yoga your mind makes connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. When you
have creative endeavors outside your job you end up developing new skills
that you can use in your profession. Ultimately, professional development is
deeply personal and idiosyncratic. There is no single right way to do it.
You can own this process by being intentional and self-directed.