Leading Through Continuous Improvement ? The Engineer Leader

As engineers and professionals, we are no strangers to continuous improvement.? Each of us have annual requirements to maintain currency in our fields of endeavor levied by state licensure boards or professional organizations.? These requirements ensure that we maintain a certain level of competence and that we are up to date in our professional knowledge.? However, when we undertake continuing education to do no more than check a box to fulfill annual requirements, we?re falling short of the power of continuous improvement.? Like eating candy when you?re hungry, doing continuing education without a plan may fill the immediate need, but it won?t add to your long-term benefit.

Leaders approach continuous education as more than filling the box.? They approach it within the larger context of a strategy of self-improvement ? leading themselves to the next level.? More importantly, they incorporate study outside their primary line of professional work.? They include other pursuits ? physical, mental, and spiritual.? The rationale: expanding knowledge in numerous areas will build enhanced knowledge in your primary field of interest.? For instance, learning a foreign language or music can enhance your ability to communicate through enhanced listening, expression, and creativity.? These are traits that are useful in any profession.

Build a strategy of continuous self-improvement by:

Identifying What You Need to Improve. List what you need to spend time on improving to meet your basic professional requirements.? It is more than just the annual PDH?s ? it may include enhanced writing, speaking and presenting skills.? Or how to put a proposal together for tender requests.? Be laser specific on what it is that you need to work on to kick your game to the next level on the job.

Identifying What You Want to Improve. Here you identify what you?d like to improve beyond your professional requirements.? This can include everything ? learning a new language, starting yoga, beginning a masters degree, or earning a real estate license. ? All of us have pursuits we?re either doing, or wish we were doing, outside our professional line of work.? Like above, be very exact in what it is you would like to improve.

Identifying Sources for Improving.? For each required and desired area of improvement, identify sources you?ll tap into to actually improve.? This may be a community college, mentor, or professional organization.? Or it may be self-study.? The amount of material available on every conceivable subject, either on-line or sitting in a library, is astounding. Do not discount teaching yourself and then relying on outside experts to fill in the blanks or answer questions you develop.

Improving.? You?ve identified what you want to improve and how you?re going to do it.? Now start.? And don?t delay.? There are a myriad of excuses that you can conjure-up to block you from starting.? Do not buy-in to these and begin your continuous improvement process now.? Remember?it?s continuous.? So by it?s very nature, it is on-going.

Identifying specific pursuits for your continuous improvement is an extremely empowering action.? Planning, doing, and then assessing the outcomes of our improvement efforts ensure we are making positive improvements in our capabilities.? As a leader, this is huge ? it also leads to increased confidence, credibility, and ability to lead and guide others.? Continuous improvement is one more key to unlocking personal and team success.? Begin today.

?Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing? ? Theodore Roosevelt.

Source: http://www.engineerleader.com/?p=540

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