skills
What critical skills do technical professionals need for future success?
So big question is this: how do technical professionals like us protect our future career and build our professional practice? You spend your early years being told it’s important to get a good education. As an aspiring professional, you study hard and get a qualification. You do well at college or university, which leads you…
Read MoreSelling is an important skill for professionals
Any professional knows that at some point, you have to sell. Not only private sector professionals such as consultants and contractors, but public sector professionals as well. But what if you’re not a “born” salesperson? Dan Pink, author of “To Sell is Human” presents the case that everyone is now a seller — someone who persuades others…
Read MoreHow You Should Invest in Your Professional Practice
Most professionals get a degree. To the world, that degree means you know something, but to some professionals, it means you are done learning. Your teachability index is how teachable you are at any given time. As a child your index is high, but after you think you know something, for some professionals, your index…
Read MoreHow to Read a Book!
But do you know how to read really well? Reading well is what How To Read A Book by Adler is all about. Adler identified four levels of reading: elementary inspectional analytical synoptical. Each of these reading levels is cumulative, meaning you can’t progress to a higher level without mastering the levels that come before. Progressing through…
Read MoreWhy you should be a life-long learner
You finish high school, go on to university, and maybe pursue graduate education – all with the plan of preparing yourself for a career. When you are in your early 20’s, school feels like a means to an end – you have been at school for 16 years or more. Once you have a few years in…
Read MoreFour principles of problem-solving
George Pólya in his 1957 book How to Solve It suggests the following steps when solving a problem: First, you have to understand the problem After understanding, then make a plan. Carry out the plan. Look back on your work. How could it be better? If this technique fails, Pólya advises: “If you can’t solve a problem, then there…
Read MoreWhat is micro-learning and why is it important?
Micro-learning involves courses with smaller chunks of content, which research showing much better information retention and overall comprehension. [1] There is a common misunderstanding that micro-learning is needed because attention spans are getting shorter. The “Goldfish Myth” states that the average human attention span is now just 8 seconds, which is less than the average…
Read MoreHow to find time for your professional development
You need to make building capability a priority in your life Do you want to become more marketable and be able to win that promotion or a new job or get selected for the best projects? Then you have to regularly take time to learn a new skill and develop your knowledge. But do you struggle…
Read MoreYour future career
A major challenge facing technical professionals is identifying ongoing opportunities for the development of their knowledge and skills and obtaining a recognised qualification. Most technical professionals currently learn ‘on the job’, being mentored by more experienced professionals and gaining experience over time. For example, related qualifications in engineering, planning, technology and the sciences are the…
Read MoreFive key problem solving skills for professionals
Problem solving is a key success skill for professionals. It is a skill that is invaluable to protect your future career, whether in the public or private sector, and your personal life. What are the five key skills that are needed to be a good problem solver? Analytical Ability – knowing how to gather data, articulate,…
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