Implementation Plan
Since beginning MBA 530 Managing People in September, I have already started to implement some of the learnings into my professional and personal habits. I have realized the process behind this book writing assignment is one that should be continued indefinitely. At a high level, I plan to assess progress against my goals and plans semiannually in line with my company’s HR review process.
I have the opportunity to reinforce my development planning through my employer’s human resources processes. Conversations with management can happen at any time, however twice per year employees meet with their manager to discuss goals attainment and career outlook. This is a great opportunity to gain an outside perspective on development plan progress. I will critique not just my progress, also the approach. If I am not making the progress expected this is a good time to reflect and get feedback on my methodology. After all management’s opinion counts heavily whether it is correct or not – they are ones making the promotion recommendations and decisions!
Based on the work I have done so far, I like the idea of working on gaining skills in two needs areas and supplementing skills in existing competencies per development cycle. I tend to be impatient, shows in Chapter 2, so I expect and plan to do more than is reasonable sometimes because I am in a hurry to get to the end result. I will need to be more realistic and accept that perhaps only two competencies at a given time are all I can work on. That way I can gain a better mastery of each. I agree with using the Lombardo and Eichinger 70-20-10 model discussed in Chapter 3. To support the 70-20-10 effort, making management, peers, and subordinates aware of what I am trying to do will be a benefit. I have not done that previously. When others understand where I am focused, they will be able to recommend / approve special assignments or projects specific to the skills I am focusing on at the time.
During this process I have also discovered many of the resources available to me though my company that I did not know existed. This has proven an invaluable resource which I must continue to take advantage. For example I have access to:
· Getabstract.com – getAbstract offers a digital library of more than 5,000 business book summaries
· Business Book Summaries – Each entry contains 100, 300, 600 and 4,500 word abstracts and summaries from over 700 of the world's best business books. Summaries include chapter by chapter synopses in addition to key concepts and features of each book
· ScienceDirect –ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scientific database offering journal articles and book chapters from more than 2,500 journals and almost 20,000 books.
· Periodical subscriptions such as Harvard Business Review , HR Magazine, T+D, Research Technology Management, IEEE Spectrum, and California Management Review
· Lominger Career Architect and Development Planner
Another modification to my activities will be to actually read the full books that contain principle lessons, not just the book summaries. The summaries are a good way to screen many books – they are a means and not the end. I have always been an avid reader; I will be able to have a more focused effort rather than reading the “book of the month”. This is something I can do outside of work. There are still other employer sponsored resources available to me which I have yet to fully explore.
One of the most powerful tools I have found is the Lominger Career Architect and Development Planner (attached in Chapter 3’s references). The content of this book is extremely important to my career development and I will rely on this book heavily as the foundation of how I plan my future actions. Starting on page 3 of the book (page 24 of the pdf) the authors give some helpful tips to creating a development plan which includes using assessments to understand an individual’s needs. Once the needs are determined a universal development plan is recommended.
1. Get Specific
2. Create the plan
3. Learn from others
4. Read the Bible on this need
5. Learn from autobiographies and biographies
6. Learn from a course
7. Get a partner
8. Try some stretching tasks, but start small
9. Track your own progress
10. Get periodic feedback
The introduction section also provides guidance on how to determine when development is occurring or has occurred. This format provides a little more structure than what I had originally used for Chapter 3. I will plan modify my approach accordingly.
My semiannual assessment of my development needs will influence my MBA course selections. For example I am currently signed up for MBA 540 Operations and Supply Chain Management and MBA 610 Leading Teams. Both of these are listed as subjects I need to focus on in Chapter 3. In the summer and next fall I plan to work on core curriculum economics and accounting classes.
I have the opportunity to reinforce my development planning through my employer’s human resources processes. Conversations with management can happen at any time, however twice per year employees meet with their manager to discuss goals attainment and career outlook. This is a great opportunity to gain an outside perspective on development plan progress. After all management’s opinion counts heavily whether it is correct or not – they are ones making the promotion recommendations and decisions!
My main theme here and in chapter 3 is that I believe personal development to be an iterative process, a lifelong pursuit. I also need to remember to set aside time to continue to learn ‘how to learn’ more efficiently. Flexibility is also important; I do not want to be so driven with blinders on that I refuse an opportunity to participate in a project that will help my growth because that topic is not in the current cycle improvement plan. Every person can always do better in every subject, going back and refreshing on Strategy, two years after is OK, especially if an assignment is approaching.
I have the opportunity to reinforce my development planning through my employer’s human resources processes. Conversations with management can happen at any time, however twice per year employees meet with their manager to discuss goals attainment and career outlook. This is a great opportunity to gain an outside perspective on development plan progress. I will critique not just my progress, also the approach. If I am not making the progress expected this is a good time to reflect and get feedback on my methodology. After all management’s opinion counts heavily whether it is correct or not – they are ones making the promotion recommendations and decisions!
Based on the work I have done so far, I like the idea of working on gaining skills in two needs areas and supplementing skills in existing competencies per development cycle. I tend to be impatient, shows in Chapter 2, so I expect and plan to do more than is reasonable sometimes because I am in a hurry to get to the end result. I will need to be more realistic and accept that perhaps only two competencies at a given time are all I can work on. That way I can gain a better mastery of each. I agree with using the Lombardo and Eichinger 70-20-10 model discussed in Chapter 3. To support the 70-20-10 effort, making management, peers, and subordinates aware of what I am trying to do will be a benefit. I have not done that previously. When others understand where I am focused, they will be able to recommend / approve special assignments or projects specific to the skills I am focusing on at the time.
During this process I have also discovered many of the resources available to me though my company that I did not know existed. This has proven an invaluable resource which I must continue to take advantage. For example I have access to:
· Getabstract.com – getAbstract offers a digital library of more than 5,000 business book summaries
· Business Book Summaries – Each entry contains 100, 300, 600 and 4,500 word abstracts and summaries from over 700 of the world's best business books. Summaries include chapter by chapter synopses in addition to key concepts and features of each book
· ScienceDirect –ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scientific database offering journal articles and book chapters from more than 2,500 journals and almost 20,000 books.
· Periodical subscriptions such as Harvard Business Review , HR Magazine, T+D, Research Technology Management, IEEE Spectrum, and California Management Review
· Lominger Career Architect and Development Planner
Another modification to my activities will be to actually read the full books that contain principle lessons, not just the book summaries. The summaries are a good way to screen many books – they are a means and not the end. I have always been an avid reader; I will be able to have a more focused effort rather than reading the “book of the month”. This is something I can do outside of work. There are still other employer sponsored resources available to me which I have yet to fully explore.
One of the most powerful tools I have found is the Lominger Career Architect and Development Planner (attached in Chapter 3’s references). The content of this book is extremely important to my career development and I will rely on this book heavily as the foundation of how I plan my future actions. Starting on page 3 of the book (page 24 of the pdf) the authors give some helpful tips to creating a development plan which includes using assessments to understand an individual’s needs. Once the needs are determined a universal development plan is recommended.
1. Get Specific
2. Create the plan
3. Learn from others
4. Read the Bible on this need
5. Learn from autobiographies and biographies
6. Learn from a course
7. Get a partner
8. Try some stretching tasks, but start small
9. Track your own progress
10. Get periodic feedback
The introduction section also provides guidance on how to determine when development is occurring or has occurred. This format provides a little more structure than what I had originally used for Chapter 3. I will plan modify my approach accordingly.
My semiannual assessment of my development needs will influence my MBA course selections. For example I am currently signed up for MBA 540 Operations and Supply Chain Management and MBA 610 Leading Teams. Both of these are listed as subjects I need to focus on in Chapter 3. In the summer and next fall I plan to work on core curriculum economics and accounting classes.
I have the opportunity to reinforce my development planning through my employer’s human resources processes. Conversations with management can happen at any time, however twice per year employees meet with their manager to discuss goals attainment and career outlook. This is a great opportunity to gain an outside perspective on development plan progress. After all management’s opinion counts heavily whether it is correct or not – they are ones making the promotion recommendations and decisions!
My main theme here and in chapter 3 is that I believe personal development to be an iterative process, a lifelong pursuit. I also need to remember to set aside time to continue to learn ‘how to learn’ more efficiently. Flexibility is also important; I do not want to be so driven with blinders on that I refuse an opportunity to participate in a project that will help my growth because that topic is not in the current cycle improvement plan. Every person can always do better in every subject, going back and refreshing on Strategy, two years after is OK, especially if an assignment is approaching.