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Professional Development

Too often in the corporate landscape today professionals bumble around and take half-hearted attempts at their career progression. Their time is usually spent waiting for the next review or position to bid on that may advance them. Those who choose the path of accelerated growth are very deliberate about their professional development!

This network serves as a space for professionals at any point in their careers to discuss any aspect of their development.

Collaborating on best practices to overcome common obstacles in performing their job is priority one!

Network Leader: R. Stavros Bezas
Groups > Professional Development
 
TOP IDEA: Cameron Plommer I'm starting to realize that I don't need more information on HOW to do something. Instead what I find most useful is information (books, blogs, whatever) that inspires me to do something. Whether it's inspiration to learn a new topic, get in shape or be a better person. The How-to is only applicable at a low level because what works for one person may not work for another. With that said, what have you read or read regularly that inspires you?

52 weeks ago from Personal Development, Professional Development and Blogging Ideas1 more

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Steve: A wise older friend once told me "Before age 30, seek to be inspired. After 30, seek to be an inspiration." The wisdom of that has played out as ...MoreA wise older friend once told me "Before age 30, seek to be inspired. After 30, seek to be an inspiration." The wisdom of that has played out as I've networked with Gen Y folks a few years younger than me (I'm in my early 30s), and constantly been inspired by their energy and enthusiasm to tackle exciting projects.
33 weeks ago
Jacqueline M. Walters: Cameron Plommer. Please accept my invitation to join and log on to MoreCameron Plommer. Please accept my invitation to join and log on to www.talentmanagementnetwork.com to read some of my post. I am Jacqueline M. Walters. I strongly believe you will appreciate it.
1 week ago
 
Clay Forsberg Thoughts on the most idiotic interview question ever! "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" http://bit.ly/utMg3T - Please input either here or on the blog post.

11 weeks ago from Job Resources and Career Coaching, Resume Feedback, Career Changers, Professional Development and Entry-Level Young Professionals3 more

jlp1976: I have answered in recent interviews that it's impossible to know where you're going to be at such a distant time. So much can happen in that ...MoreI have answered in recent interviews that it's impossible to know where you're going to be at such a distant time. So much can happen in that time. I have said that I hope to be in a productive stable job where I can learn and grow. Not sure if that's a good answer, though.
4 weeks ago
 
Yosh Beier Want to understand what turns team players into team members? This free team effectiveness survey gets you thinking... http://collaborative-capacity.com

5 weeks ago from Professional Development, Ask A Coach and Management Consulting1 more

 
Brett Kunsch What book has most influenced your behavior in 2011?

9 weeks ago from Book Shelf, Personal Development, Professional Development and Work/Life Blur2 more

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Michel A. Legault: Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. A great book on Team Building, believe it or not.
7 weeks ago
Keith Marshak: The Zombie Survival Guide by American author Max Brooks. Are you prepared for the coming zombiepocylapse?
7 weeks ago
 
Al Smith, III Got your eye on the next promotion??? Follow these 3 steps to snag that role and hit the ground running!! http://wp.me/p1Xny9-x

10 weeks ago from Professional Development

 
Dr. Woody Starbucks Etiquette Violators! My article on those pesky patrons that can make working at Starbucks tough! Let me know what you think? http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/11/07/starbucks-etiquet...

13 weeks ago from Professional Development, Personal Development, Career Changers, Seattle Careerists and Brazen Careerists in New York City3 more

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JRandom42: Kate, perhaps they think you're rude for wanting them to move. I mean, WHY should they give up their space just because your laptop needs to be ...MoreKate, perhaps they think you're rude for wanting them to move. I mean, WHY should they give up their space just because your laptop needs to be recharged? Sounds like it's YOUR personal problem to me, not a rudeness issue. Get an external battery pack and be done with it.

.
12 weeks ago
Edward Antrobus: @Noel, I agree. I never know what I want when I walk into a cafe or fast food resteraunt, which is why I always stand to the side and look at the ...More@Noel, I agree. I never know what I want when I walk into a cafe or fast food resteraunt, which is why I always stand to the side and look at the menu first.

@JRandom & Kate, I've never understood the allure of bringing your laptop to a cafe to work. It's noisy and usually crowded.
12 weeks ago
 
TOP IDEA: Bennett Phillips Three-part question: What do you think of the credibility of online education? Would you hire someone with a degree from an online college if you were in a position to do so? Which online institutions have the best reputation?

62 weeks ago from Professional Development, Bay Area Bunch, Business Development and Inspiring Leadership2 more

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Cooper:
Some of them may have started out with good intentions but they have become for profit ventures with low grad rates who accept anyone, and they ...More
Some of them may have started out with good intentions but they have become for profit ventures with low grad rates who accept anyone, and they need increased scrutiny.

My fields don't lean themselves to online degrees and I wold not hire someone with an online degree but I understand business degrees from some of these schools do ok.

Of course all the scandal regarding the industry in recent years hasn't made my opinion any better.


16 weeks ago
Catherine McDermott: This is a good question that you asked. I am a graduate with a BSB/A from University of Phoenix and am currently having difficulty finding a job ...MoreThis is a good question that you asked. I am a graduate with a BSB/A from University of Phoenix and am currently having difficulty finding a job in relation to my degree. I wondered if employers were hiring more people with a degree from a traditional setting. I worked very hard online and invested a lot of time everyday and received a high GPA. I wonder if employers even care about a GPA. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, in comparison to other schools its accredited much the same. If I were to do it over, I would have attended in a traditional setting due to the fact that online was relatively boring and I could have learned more from the experience of a college setting.
16 weeks ago
 
Al Smith, III BOOK RESEARCH: Please take 5 min. survey on Gen X/Y career advancement strategies... https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CareerAnatomy. Please post to Facebook/Twitter. I'm working on an important project and am on the hunt for quality DATA!!! I am 29 and have a very successful career, however many of my coworkers and peers can't say the same thing. I want to figure out what our generation is doing to get ahead and share that with everyone.

17 weeks ago from Professional Development

 
Carlee Mallard I work in customer support in the travel industry and so we have some down time right now until the holidays. Management wants us to work on training and development related tasks while we have the extra time. They've asked us for ideas. What do you think would be valuable? So far I've thought of learning new skills (i.e. foreign languages, programming, etc.), decorating my home office (for improved culture!), and starting an office library of books we can borrow. Anything else?

19 weeks ago from Professional Development

 
JenG Last night I did an awesome webinar with Leo Babauta called "5 Shortcuts to Finding Your Passion." We talked about how to tell if your passion is career material or just a hobby, anti-passions and why you can't ignore them, and so much more! We also answered live questions. The recorded webinar is up on Zen Habits. Worth watching! http://zenhabits.net/passion-webinar/

20 weeks ago from Career Changers, Creating a Life You Love, Entry-Level Young Professionals, Professional Development and Personal Development3 more

Borislava Slavova: Your presentation was just great! And your answers were right on spot!
20 weeks ago
 
TOP IDEA: Brett Kunsch I've read countless personal development books, but I always come back to the conclusion that a lot of times we don't seek out self-help books to help ourselves, we seek them out so they can do the work for us. As part of my coach training, I've had 3 coaches myself, and it seems the only thing that *sticks* is regular work with another human being who holds me accountable. Yet the self-help industry booms, while coaching is still trying to find a name for itself. Brazen thoughts?

59 weeks ago from GenYJourney: Tips, Insights, Experiences For Young Professionals, Professional Development, Productivity & Time-Management, Personal Development and Ask Penelope Trunk!3 more

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Regina Richardson: perhaps it comes down to a financial aspect...along the lines of the budget cannot support sessions with a human coach, but it can allow a ...Moreperhaps it comes down to a financial aspect...along the lines of the budget cannot support sessions with a human coach, but it can allow a one-time amount on a book that MAY help me find my way.
38 weeks ago
Noel Rozny: I think this is related to the points Tim Murphy makes in his great entrepreneurial article (to the right): sometimes reading such a book FEELS ...MoreI think this is related to the points Tim Murphy makes in his great entrepreneurial article (to the right): sometimes reading such a book FEELS like you're making a change or evolving, when you're really not doing the work you need to do. I know I'm definitely guilty of this.
38 weeks ago
 
Mike Ambassador Bruny What are the main Conferences that you attend. I'm making a change in the way folks network at conferences with "The New Art of Conference Networking: #Hashtags to Handshakes." www.theartofconferencenetworking.com . I'm going into pre-sale mode on the 8/25. Look at the brief video and I'd love your insight.

24 weeks ago from Ask A Coach, Networking Tips, Personal Development, Professional Development and Entrepreneurs3 more

 
Dr. Woody Is Incivility at Work on the Rise??? Check out my column & take our quick poll on incivility at your workplace! I'll share the results next Monday! http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/08/15/how-is-workplace-...

25 weeks ago from Entry-Level Young Professionals, Professional Development, Personal Development, Personal Branding and Productivity & Time-Management3 more

Dr. Woody: Share your thoughts on Incivility at Work! Take the quick FoxBusiness Poll. No registration or sigh-in needed!
25 weeks ago
 
Yosh Beier Should you ... collaborate with a non-collaborator? Perhaps we are predisposed to collaborate - as Benkler writes in his recent HBR article ("The unselfish gene") - but how to deal with people who just don't play nice in the sandbox? --> http://collaborative-coaching.com/unselfish-team-collaboration/

25 weeks ago from Ask A Coach, Professional Development and Personal Development1 more

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Cameron Plommer: @Jason Just for my own curiosity. @Nicole Nope, posted it in a bunch of groups.
28 weeks ago
JRandom42: I got contaced by a senior HR rep at a major hardware manufacturer, who had heard of my previous company's aquisition and layoffs. She and I had ...MoreI got contaced by a senior HR rep at a major hardware manufacturer, who had heard of my previous company's aquisition and layoffs. She and I had worked together in a couple of previous companies, and knew of my situation, when she contacted me and notified me of an opening for a senior systems engineer that needed to be filled, and gave me the name of the hiring manager. I had previously worked with him during contracts with Microsoft, Intel and Starbucks. The rest was just formalities, filling out paperwork and going through the process.
28 weeks ago
 
JenG What does college or grad school really teach you? In the words of my former graduate advisor, "I learned I could teach myself anything." I love that. I also love fellow Brazen member Jenny Blake's book, "Life After College." Jenny and I talked about getting out of the achievement mentality that school often encourages and learning how to succeed on your own terms. Read the full interview here: http://bit.ly/gMjPeI. She's brilliant!

42 weeks ago from Education Conversations, Professional Development, Career Rocketeer and Career Changers2 more

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Teresa Potter: The biggest thing college taught me was WHERE to find answers to the questions I had. Electronic Databases, Google Books, how to actually use a ...MoreThe biggest thing college taught me was WHERE to find answers to the questions I had. Electronic Databases, Google Books, how to actually use a huge library, how to actually utilize your professional network and, most importantly, where to look for help when you don't know the answers.
30 weeks ago
Cooper: I think it depends on the field. I am pretty certain I needed grad school, but my graduate degrees are not in business.
30 weeks ago
 
Dr. Woody Richard Branson on Opportunity - Check out my Fox Business interview with Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group: The Opportunity of Unemployment! http://ow.ly/5BVA6 - Share your thoughts!

30 weeks ago from Professional Development, Personal Development, Young Professional Men (YPM), Young Professional Women (YPW) and GenYJourney: Tips, Insights, Experiences For Young Professionals3 more

 
JenG Having trouble getting recognized for your efforts? Following the most common advice for up-and-comers can get you stuck in your position for decades, until you're so beat down you stop trying. Once I developed more nuanced strategies, everything changed. Of course, by that time, I wasn't even sure a promotion was what I wanted. But I did know I wanted to set the direction of my career myself. Here's what I learned: 7 Lies That Undercut Your Chances Of Promotion http://t.co/CFQlvET

35 weeks ago from Gotta Mentor, Professional Development, Creating a Life You Love and Career Rocketeer2 more

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Marty Lake: This is really a very intuitive look at some sacred cows in the career growth industry. With all the self-help gurus out there, it really has ...MoreThis is really a very intuitive look at some sacred cows in the career growth industry. With all the self-help gurus out there, it really has become an industry!

Really well written and very genuine. I remain hopeful that people will start to wake up and realize what this whole thing is all about - that it was always about the music and we were supposed to be singing and dancing the whole time.

A big step IMO to living a more fulfilling life is to decide what life you want to live and then get busy doing it. Allowing anyone else but yourself to define that for you is setting yourself up for a life of unintended misery. I feel you really brought that out in a very clear and succinct way in this article.

If a McMansion is what drives a person, then this article will not resonate. However, in my own home, I can point to many things I've built myself, being totally free and creative, while the superstars were traveling the world working 16 hour days away from their families, looking for that elusive next rung on the ladder. I just prefer to build my own ladder. :)
31 weeks ago
JenG: Thanks, Marty. I think it's possible that someone out there could be fulfilled by a McMansion, and if so, great. Go for it. I completely agree ...MoreThanks, Marty. I think it's possible that someone out there could be fulfilled by a McMansion, and if so, great. Go for it. I completely agree that success is something you have to define for yourself, and there's no right (or wrong) answer. But so few of us spend the time really thinking about what it is we want (and how that feels--no experience makes it hard), it's easy to get sidetracked.

Thanks for the kind words on the post, Marty. Appreciate it. Hope you'll join me at Everyday Bright from time to time. I'm always looking for luminaries (what I call my readers, which is fitting because they're so smart and thoughtful!). :)
31 weeks ago
 
TOP IDEA: JenG You hear a lot about the importance of innovation. Because I work in science and technology, many of the organizations I work with or for have specific "innovation" programs. But I started to realize there are actually many cases where imitation may be preferred to innovation. What do you think? How do we erase the stigma of imitation and put it to good use, both personally and professionally? http://su.pr/1cbjqL

87 weeks ago from Career Rocketeer, Consultants R US, Productivity & Time-Management and Professional Development2 more

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Raquel Elle Bell: @Jonathan - That is they key in your last sentence. Do you understand enough about the work that you are imitating to improve it. It is extremely ...More@Jonathan - That is they key in your last sentence. Do you understand enough about the work that you are imitating to improve it. It is extremely even more frustrating when someone takes bits and pieces and expects it to work as intended usually resulting in a poor product and that makes your product look bad as well.
87 weeks ago
Jonathan van de Veen: @Raquel: Exactly.

In software development we have a name for people who take pieces of other peoples work, slap them together and expect them to ...More@Raquel: Exactly.

In software development we have a name for people who take pieces of other peoples work, slap them together and expect them to work. They're called script kiddies.
87 weeks ago
 
Jamie Nacht Farrell The Secret to Becoming a Sought After Consultant. Easily simplified...50% Track Record, 50% relationships / networking. Part 1: Breaking down the "track record" piece...What do executives look for in a track record? Success? What kinds of success? Does it matter what type of companies you've worked for? http://bizrelationships.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/the-recipe-to-become-a-...

90 weeks ago from Professional Development, GenYJourney: Tips, Insights, Experiences For Young Professionals, Inspiring Leadership, Entrepreneurs and Consultants R US3 more

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: I would also add that on top of people liking you (which is very important), you have to have a unique voice or perspective that they trust. How ...MoreI would also add that on top of people liking you (which is very important), you have to have a unique voice or perspective that they trust. How do you develop this? Give advice away for free and help them solve problems. I can't work for free all the time, but with people that I am just starting to build relationships (or even old high school or college friends), I often will give them counsel and help them work through issues long before they start paying me. Once they feel comfortable with my level of expertise and they know I can get things done, the relationship usually develops to a paying one.

The central premise of relationship selling is that you do what's best for the relationship........period. Above all, everything you do in an interaction with another person should be with an eye towards how XYZ will impact or mature the relationship. Again, the book "Go-Givers Sell More" is a must for anybody in consulting or sales.
88 weeks ago
Tony Deblauwe: Networks are key - word of mouth can make or break potential opportunities.
86 weeks ago
 
Jamie Nacht Farrell Has Anyone else had experiences with companies / executives at companies that use "WE" instead of "I" when speaking? I contend it creates its own positive culture: The power of "WE" versus "I": http://bit.ly/cw7klf

91 weeks ago from Professional Development, Personal Development, GenYJourney: Tips, Insights, Experiences For Young Professionals, Inspiring Leadership and Consultants R US3 more

Jennifer Koren: Great Post Jamie and I 100% agree with this. It’s really interesting to see companies that don’t buy into this or don’t really see how creating a ...MoreGreat Post Jamie and I 100% agree with this. It’s really interesting to see companies that don’t buy into this or don’t really see how creating a team environment where there is only a ‘we’ instead of a bunch of ‘I’s’ is more beneficial to the succcess of the company.

The first thing that I did for the last job that I worked in is weeded out all the ‘I’s’ and focused on the people that would buy into the ‘we’. Our department became a unified team and we stood out to other areas of the company as being able to work together and produce great results. It was however, difficult to maintain this all the time since the rest of the company did not follow this guideline so we continued to hit negativity walls. But in the end, no one could argue with how our team performed together and we became a power house of knowledge and creativitiy that was able to implement lots of changes that were beneficial to the entire group.

Great post and glad to hear that there are companies out there that understand the value of creating a team environment.

91 weeks ago
Rebecca Thorman: I always try to use this language - especially with Gen Y and younger works who are extremely team-oriented (and I'm talking about myself here), ...MoreI always try to use this language - especially with Gen Y and younger works who are extremely team-oriented (and I'm talking about myself here), hearing "we" vs. "I" is super important.
91 weeks ago
 
Cameron Plommer Just graduated? Trying to find a job or just got hired? Here's what I learned from my first position out of school working full-time http://ow.ly/5jvgC

34 weeks ago from Brazen Undergrads, The Career Hot Seat!, GenYJourney: Tips, Insights, Experiences For Young Professionals and Professional Development2 more

 
JenG I love hearing stories about people fighting for their dreams, esp. those willing to take a big risk. I recently got an opportunity to play a minor role in such a story. Thought you might enjoy reading about it: Help Cara Stein Quit Her Job http://t.co/5SgwiJk

33 weeks ago from Personal Development, Professional Development, Career Changers and Creating a Life You Love2 more

JenG: Thanks for thumbs up. Cara is the one who really deserves it, but I'm happy to share. Cheers!
33 weeks ago
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