You should be intentionally working on two prioritized professional goals with detailed action plans. CareerTruth will provide suggested activities to create meaningful action plans with objectives and timelines for your chosen goals. You can also write your own action plans in CareerTruth. These plans are a commitment to development and not just to fill out the template to feel good about “checking the box.”
In building your action plans for your professional goals, you want to start where you are today and why it is vital to your improvement now – every goal should have a real reason to act.
These goals should include more than one action to achieve your professional development goal. You could take an online class or ask a peer for help if you want to improve a particular technical skill. You also should have an action that includes applying the new technical skill before you can declare your goal complete. Each goal allows you to create a series of steps and timelines to complete it.
In addition, you can’t honestly know you are achieving a new professional goal without support from others. In CareerTruth, you can assign someone on your Board of Advisors to your goals to assist as you plan or provide feedback. It is also best to inform your company and align your professional development to your company and direct leader. Getting direction, feedback, and accountability fuels your growth. You will impress them by showing that you own your development and asking leaders for support.
Once you realize why you should own your development, you will keep working on two professional development goals and refresh them with updates and new plans to continue improving.