Personal development: To Build or not to Build?

In today’s workplace it’s very easy to get stuck up in the stereotypical cycle of repetitive work without actually taking a moment to stop, think, and actually ask yourself, why am doing this; the why naturally would revolve around making enough money to survive, and if you’re lucky enough to live well above need and actually afford the finer things of life. Another question we may forget to ask; where is all this headed?. And then the golden question rarely asked, how do I improve myself? Hmmm.

If you plan to grow in your career or business then personal development is a must. According to Wikipedia “Personal development consists of activities that develop a person's capabilities and potential, build human capital, facilitate employability, and enhance quality of life and the realization of dreams and aspirations”.

A lot of people today don’t see the value in personal development; some see it as another non-necessity that puts pressure on their already limited funds. Oh well. Who said it’s a must.

But the reality is this, the growing demands of your job, new tech realities, and todays volatile, fast paced, quickly evolving workplace requires you to keep evolving(to keep up) and building yourself, except you plan on becoming redundant in the not so far future. In other words, He who falls behind is left behind.

In my many years working as a HR manager I’ve watched employees go on and on about how costly it is to improve one’s self when it costs little or nothing to “befriend” Google; Google is indeed your friend if only you would let her. Start from the free courses you can take online, and then work your way up towards certifications with recognized industry bodies.

Personal Development is an investment in yourself. Yes! Be selfish about personal development. Don’t wait for your employer to mandate you to take a course before you do. Knowledge is one thing no one can take away from you. Your capabilities are yours to hone and own, to give to the highest bidder at whatever price you see fit. Only then can you demand your weight in gold and actually negotiate salaries because you know your worth and the value you bring to the table.

There is the popular misconception among some people that when you go through the stress of taking a training course or a certification, it’s the employer that gains; maybe because your salary doesn’t go up right away, more value for same pay. Oh please, this is so wrong. Do it for you and not for them. Take your career in your own hands and do it for you. The perfect opportunity at a better job placement will surely come; all you have to do is be prepared when it does show up. Just-keep-Building!!! Brick by brick until one day you realize that you have become an edifice.

So my advice? Soak up relevant knowledge online, take that course, go for that training, get certified, get that masters. It might pinch your pocket at first but trust me, it’s always worth it in the long run I promise you.

To build or not to build? That is the question.

Written by

Imade Osanuyimen Osaghae MBA, ACIPM