Focusing on Personal Development

Managers are responsible for helping employees meet business-related targets, but good leaders also want the people who report to them to achieve personal development goals. Doing so builds stronger workers and better teams, and seeing your employees succeed is one of the joys of middle management.

However, just as a manager needs to help employees create and follow through on career development plans, it’s also vital that managers do the same for themselves. Especially if you’re in middle management, your boss may not have the time to help you do this, so you need to take the initiative and make your development a priority. Here are a few ideas to help:

• Spend time thinking about your short- and long-term goals. What do you want to accomplish in the next quarter, the next year, and the next five years? What are other people in your position doing to advance in their careers? Think of someone who sets an example you would like to follow in your professional or personal life and consider the steps that person took to reach their position. That may give you ideas for goals you could set for yourself. Focus not only on what you want to do, but also why you want to do it. The “why” is vital because that’s what will motivate you when times get tough. 
• Include both small goals and big, stretch goals on your list. Your goals don’t have to consist entirely of items that require a huge investment of time, energy, or money. Set a few smaller goals, too. When I was going through this exercise a few years ago, I set a small goal of regaining some of my German skills through the daily use of a language learning app, and a large goal of returning to school to gain additional business-related education. This mix of both large and small goals should help you move toward where you want to be in both your personal and professional life.
• Determine what you need to achieve your goals. Should you change your career plan? Should you return to school? Should you find a new mentor? Or should you change how you use your time? Recognize that pursuit of your goals will likely require sacrifice of some kind. If you’re not ready to make that sacrifice, rethink your goal. 
• Write them down and make a plan. Once you’ve finished thinking about your goals and settled on a few you’d like to pursue, write them down. Getting them down on paper (or in a goal-planning app of some kind) will make them more real for you. In addition to setting out your goals, include a specific plan to help you meet them. Set deadlines and checkpoints for yourself.
• Talk to a boss, mentor, friend, or family member about your goals. This is for accountability. I’ve found that I’m much more likely to follow through on a development plan if I’m reporting back to someone who knows what I’m trying to achieve. Asking someone to check on your progress occasionally will keep you motivated and moving forward.
• Get to work. Hopefully, you’ll have support from others as you work toward your goals, but you should be prepared to do the heavy lifting on your own. Keep track of your progress and take time to celebrate when you hit significant milestones along the way. It’s important to give yourself an occasional pat on the back as you work toward your goals.
• Never stop! Continually reevaluate and reconsider your goals. As you achieve one goal, start planning the next. This will keep the process fresh and motivate you to continue learning and growing.

For further assistance in determining what kinds of goals to set, I recommend that managers seek out and read relevant books that interest them. Ask colleagues you trust to make recommendations. Also, take advantage of training opportunities from your company. Many organizations offer either online or in-person classes that could help you plan and meet your goals.

Achieving any meaningful goal is hard work, but it should also be fun and exciting. The key is to know where you’re trying to go and what you’re going to do to get there. Your development is your responsibility, so take ownership and make it happen.

What has worked well for you as you’ve tried to focus on your development while also managing a team? What suggestions would you add to this list? Please share your ideas in the comments, and let’s talk about it.