Continuous Professional Expertise involves Self Commitment

Embracing continuous professional expertise is a full time commitment.

First, this self-commitment never takes the summer off.

Then, your level of self-discipline refuses to slack off after the end of the fiscal sales cycle.

Also, this process rejects focusing on professional development sporadically, when you feel like it.

Finally, continuous professional expertise does not rely on “someone else” (like your employer) to be responsible for your professional development.

As a result, you become an innovator rather than an order-taker, in your own eyes and in the eyes of clients.

Fine-tuning continuous professional expertise is a self improvement mindset which is active instead of passive.

1. Your focus not only involves keeping up with what is new and trending in your industry vertical. That tactic is yesterday’s competitive table stakes.
2. Rather, the pace and cadence of today’s global competitive ecosystem calls for professionals who are prepared to make hard calls: about themselves and their clients.
3. In addition, these decisions identify the relevance (or lack ) of the digital chaos which abounds in today’s business and operational space.
4. As a result, you jettison the distractions posed by the abundance of sensationalism and “flavor of the month” tools and tips. Instead, you develop enduring and substantial strategies and solutions for clients.
5. Consequently, you recalibrate your professional DNA and target your professional True North.

There is no room for professional complacency in cultivating continuous professional expertise.

In the midst of digital transformation, there is no room for professional complacency. Rather, critical thinking skills are involved.

Your playbook for continuous professional expertise becomes inclusive and holistic.

Consider that you will incorporate all the great things you already do. Ponder what happens when you layer new  insights and knowledge on all that you know. That idea should give you pause.

Sometimes you end up unlearning and relearning. Other times you retool and recalibrate what makes sense.

Maintaining professional expertise incorporates a continuous desire to stay ahead of trends so you rarely play catch-up.

As a result, you become more diligent and predictive regarding where trends may lead, not only you and your organization, but also your customers as well.

Targeting continuous professional expertise is achieved by going off the script, beyond the recipe, into that place where professional artistry resides. This strategy takes the training wheels off the boundaries of your profession. Instead, you sail out beyond the current horizon of your professional world-view.

Are you up for the task? Is this mindset and discipline part of your current professional development arsenal?

Ultimately, embracing continuous professional expertise is disruptive.

If this description makes you the slightest bit uncomfortable, you are not alone. All of us who pursue a strategy of continuous professional expertise are constantly moving outside our comfort zones.

This strategy is the only way to learn new concepts which catalyze professional self growth and business development. Executing this strategy calls for a coach who will ask you the questions that matter the most so you can make hard calls and achieve “aha” moments.

You already are extremely good at what you do.

However, you have this nagging feeling that there is “something more” for you to do. Also, you have this sensation that you are missing that “small thing” with big consequences that creates professional breakthrough moments.

If you are reading this blog, then you haven’t taken the summer off. Neither have I. Take the next step. Let’s have that long overdue conversation.

Babette Ten Haken is a STEM-trained catalyst, corporate strategist, storyteller and facilitator. Her focus? How collaboration revolutionizes and humanizes the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) value chain. The results? Increased customer loyalty, customer success and customer retention.

Babette’s One Millimeter Mindset™ programs draw from her background as a scientist, sales professional, enterprise-level facilitator, Six Sigma Green Belt and certified DFSS Voice of the Customer practitioner. Babette’s playbook of IIoT team collaboration hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon. Do you know the Top 5 Negative Customer Retention Scenarios? Find out here.

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