Setting your own personal development goals

Continually throughout our careers, we are thinking through and assessing our personal development goals. You should be setting goals so that you can be a more proactive, especially for those considering moving into a management role. As a leader, thinking about your personal development goals is an important way to move into the next phase of your career. However, even if you’re not hoping to move up, personal development goals are always valuable.

Here are our best examples of personal development goals for work.

Cultivate a growth mindset

A growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, is one that approaches problems with the attitude that you can learn the skills necessary to overcome them. In short, a growth mindset believes change is possible. A fixed mindset, on the other hand, is the belief you’ve done all the growth and learning you’re capable of. Growth mindsets are an essential foundation for personal development goals at work because individuals with this mindset know that they can develop new skills, outlooks, and knowledge.

Develop your presentation skills

A skill that will stand you in good stead wherever your career takes you is public speaking and presentation skills. This is particularly true if you want to move into a leadership role, or if you want to simply build your confidence in the workplace. This is one of the best examples of personal development goals as it’s a challenge for many people but leads to a boost in self-confidence. Having great presentation skills can also open doors to new roles and promotions, so it’s a good skill to be able to demonstrate.

Aim for a better work-life balance

Yes, work-life balance is part of personal development. It can be a lifelong project to work out how to be as productive as you need to be at work while also taking the time to enjoy life, maintain your health, build and maintain personal relationships, and take part in your community.

This might involve learning to say no, becoming more efficient at work, changing your commute, taking up a team sport or speaking to your manager about your workload. Make sure you add it to your list of personal development goals at work, even if it might be about spending less time there.

Apply for a leadership role

If you’ve been looking to move into management for a long time but haven’t yet made the leap, perhaps it’s time to set a goal to do so this year. You can break the steps down into smaller actions, like updating your CV, talking to your manager, doing a management course or learning a necessary skill.

Whatever stage of development you’re at in your career, there’s always room to improve and develop your soft and technical skills and your leadership potential. If you are looking to progress your career, why not browse our career advice articles today. These can help you to better manage stress at work, and help you prepare for your next interview.