What strategic investments are you planning to make in yourself to prepare for the new decade? It was just ten years ago that we were asking ourselves the same question. The primary difference being that we were entering a new millennium complete with exaggerated fears about legacy computer systems failing due to hard coded two digit year date. What upgrades and investments can we make in ourselves as “professionals” for the upcoming decade? Is it training or continuing education? Is it adding new skills or refining old ones? Is it starting a brand new career or entering a new industry? What changes can we make to improve what we do as professionals?
Personally, I find myself invigorated thinking about the new decade and all the ways that I can improve myself professionally and personally. I have decided to do more public speaking and professional travel in 2010 and beyond. Public speaking is something that I always enjoyed and thrived in doing. In this “virtual age”, I have allowed my professional travel and speaking/presentation opportunities to dwindle too much. Nothing can compare to the positive impression that you can make in a face-to-face environment.
I have started writing more through my blog and creating white papers. Sharing personal and professional experiences is something that generates goodwill and has lots of positive karma associated with it. I’m always interested in learning new and better ways to do things.
I’m seriously considering some executive extension programs as a way to collaborate and learn through other professionals with over 20 years experience in their respective fields. It seems a tad ironic that we are constantly thinking about upgrading and adding new programs for our cell phones, our computers, our TVs, audio devices, etc. but don’t do give the same basic consideration to ourselves.