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Crossing Over to the Personal Side

There comes a time in your career when cross over to the other side. I am not speaking about changing jobs, companies, or industries. I am speaking about that moment when you cannot develop professionally without personal development.
 
In the land of workforce, we are always talking about developing those hard core skills for ourselves and our job seekers. We spend time figuring out the best technical skills to learn, what education and training to obtain and how those things transfer from one job to the next. In the land of service to business, we provide tangible services, information, and people all based on those hard core measurable things. The feeling is magical.  
 
Somewhere along the line, we apply our wisdom from workforce ages and sages and we blossom and grow. Like climbing vines, we creep along the wall, expanding our knowledge, gaining education, certifications, and experience until one day we hit the ceiling. We are stuck and cannot move.
 
Why can’t we move? What is holding us back? It turns out we cannot grow our professional selves without developing our personal selves also. Imagine you are sitting in a performance review. As a top producer, you receive fantastic scores and comments about your how you exceeded your goals. You would expect as a top producer to be promoted when the next opportunity comes up. When the opportunity finally comes, you do not receive the promotion.
 
Turns out the top skills we really need to get to the top are not the skills of a mountain climber. It turns out those little things will keep you in your current position. Are you comfortable with communication and having difficult conversations? How about organization and time management? Do people have to accommodate their expectations because of your methods of managing yourself? How do you show leadership?
 
Even if you are determined to develop at work, the hard work on your soft skills does not end when the day ends. Like playing the piano or training to be an Olympic athlete, you need to practice, practice, and practice. This means you will not only need to figure out how to organize your desk at work, but your closet at home.  If you are having issues with time, you will need to start every day with a schedule and routine.  If you are working improving your communication with your colleagues, you will also be practicing with your family and friends. For many, this takes courage.
 
Professional development is all about self-awareness. The key to your true career growth is the courage to step out of your professional comfort zone and into the place where you are developing you.  A better personal you makes a better professional you.

~Karen Cirincione
Email: kcirincione@gmail.com
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/karenjcirincione
Twitter:@kcirincione

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