In today's episode, Dr. Ayers discusses personal development and the need to take charge of your own future. Never stop learning!
The Occupational Safety Leadership Podcast
Episode 165 - Professional Development - Never Stop Learning
Welcome to the Occupational Safety Leadership Podcast, episode number 165 and today we'll take a little step back from a lot of the safety talks that we've done and kind of talk about professional development. So I know for most of us out there, it's easier said than done. I have worked out a couple of orgs where when money was tight, there was no professional development and some people don't want to hear it, but you have to be in charge of your own future. The company loves you, they want you to work hard and all that, but in the grand scheme of things, they have to survive the same way you have to survive. So think about yourself, the areas that you need to shore up and then turn those liabilities into assets out there. So I have found that over the years, I used to set annual goals and I would work on a certain topic and subject and I'd say, "All right, I'm going to get better at lockout tag out, I'm going to really focus on the hazards, the sources of energy, I'm really going to learn all this stuff." And that was great and awesome, but I also found that over time, not that I would say that my motivation waned, but certain things were going to tug more. So almost think about professional development as a non-negotiable, doing it every day, just like we brush our teeth, we brush our teeth every day, think about professional development as just something that, "All right, I'm going to do it, it's important for my future." Just at the time, it's very hard to see a long-term goal in the short term and that's why that we take these steps, work hard in the short term, knowing that the long term is what's going to pay off for us then. So just to wrap things up, I think companies want to support us. I don't think that is it at all, I do think that when money is tight, one of the first things they get rid of are things like training and professional development and all that stuff and just hope to, let's not spend this money now and then next year we can go back to it again. So I don't think it's any intent like 100% to keep you from this professional development. I think it's that they have a hard time seeing the long-term gain also. Many times as safety professionals, we have to challenge ourselves. We have to assess our own, what we're good at and what we're not good at. Sit down and learn about this ourselves. Think about our own future and then what are your goals? Do you want to go from the coordinator to the specialist, to the manager, to the director, to the VP or is it that you're at a time and a season in your life where you're focused on family and kids and then after family and the kids or the kids that left the nest, you can really dive into things. So there's also a season to focus on your career more than your, I shouldn't say more than your family, but your priorities change as you get older. So at this point I think I'm just rambling on. So I'd like to end with just never stop learning. Get out there, take charge of your own future, make sure that you are ready for the future. Heaven forbid that you would just get laid off and you had grand plans and you never got around to it and you were going to do this and that but the timing just wasn't right. I've never found a time in right. Figure out your liabilities, things that you have to talk about, get better at and just dive in and do it. So 165 is complete. I did a very long rambling about professional development. Thank you for joining me today. My name is Dr. David Ayers. Thank you and have a safe day.
In today’s episode, Dr. Ayers discusses personal development and the need to take charge of your own future. Never stop learning!