Education is a powerful tool for entrepreneurial growth. Professionals are always looking for ways to grow as individuals and team members. The opportunities for learning and development these days are limitless. The problem, however, is time. Everyone has the same amount of it, but not everyone maximizes it. Finding time for learning opportunities can feel overwhelming, especially with the burden of an already full schedule that often spills beyond just work. Taking the time to develop professionally can be a critical step towards furthering your career and taking a load off your crammed schedule.
At our latest community event, “Why Leaders Need to Prioritize Learning and Development,” attendees had the opportunity to ask three expert panelists about how they approach learning and development in their careers and lives. Featuring Julia Phelan, a learning design consultant, writer, and speaker; Teresa Scott, founder of Bleuprint; and Tiffany Whitney, CEO of Feed Your Brain LLC, these three women brought their unique perspectives about professional growth and finding the time to develop their careers.
Meet the Panelists
Julia Phelan, Ph.D. is a learning design consultant and expert in applying learning science principles to create effective learning experiences. She works with organizations to help build a strong workplace culture by improving training design, implementation, and outcomes. She frequently speaks, writes, and conducts training workshops on how to implement learning science-based strategies and techniques connected to how people learn.
Taresa Scott is a distinguished learning and development professional with nearly a decade of experience in designing and delivering impactful eLearning programs, talent optimization strategies, and engaging corporate training experiences. As the founder of Bleuprint, Taresa empowers organizations to build a culture of learning that maximizes employee retention.
Tiffany Whitney’s story is about ambition, expertise, and a heartfelt commitment to transforming lives and careers. With over 20 years of experience in the learning and development arena of a Fortune 500 company, Tiffany has dedicated her career to facilitating growth for individuals and organizations. As a Career Ownership Coach at The Entrepreneur’s Source and CEO of Feed Your Brain LLC, Tiffany empowers professionals to take control of their careers.
How to promote learning and development
- Many employees want the chance to learn and grow at work. Encourage employees to ask questions. Emphasize that you want your team to be open to learning. Additionally, create a safe space for experimentation and normalize mistakes. Mistakes are a part of life, and they are oftentimes a great learning opportunity.
- Leverage relationships and connections. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses as a professional. Reaching out to your network for advice can lead to several opportunities.
- Reach out to coaches and consultants who specialize in learning and development. Learning can be difficult, but coaches are meant to be a resource for you to improve, and they can often help plan around your busy schedule.
- Find a mentor, especially early in your career. If you’re starting your career, a mentor is a great person to have as a guide along the journey. This can be a more experienced coworker, a connection, or a coach. Additionally, if you run a company and don’t offer a mentor program, consider starting one. This builds relationships within a company and creates many natural learning opportunities that can occur without the need for a scheduled class.
Finding the time to learn
The greatest challenge many professionals face is finding the time to learn on their own. As a leader, it’s important to support your employees as they search for learning opportunities. Build some into the workday, or promote outside opportunities through company websites and forums. As an individual, carve out a set amount of time each week for learning and development. It doesn’t have to be much, but building a set time into your routine each week will build up over time. You can also sign up for events separate from company meetings. (For example, check out our annual Resource Guide for links to conferences and community groups!)
Remember that someone is always willing to help you. Take your time, find the resources you need, and remember to breathe. You’ve got this!
Be sure to watch the full recording to catch everything these wonderful panelists have to offer!
Additional panelist resources:
Julia Phelan
Taresa Scott
Tiffany Whitney
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