If you are a people manager, you know how important it is to keep your skills up to date in the fast-changing workplace. But what do you do if you feel like your skills are becoming outdated or irrelevant? How do you cope with the fear of losing your edge, your value, or your job? Here are some tips to help you stay relevant and confident as a people manager.
The first step is to identify where your skills gap is and how big it is. You can do this by comparing your current skills with the skills required for your role, your team, your industry, or your future goals. You can use online tools, self-assessments, feedback, or mentoring to get a realistic picture of your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know your skills gap, you can prioritize what skills you need to improve or acquire.
In the age of continuous changing technology and digitalization, it is not surprising to lack some new skills at given time. Your work experience will keep you sharp in dealing with difficulties but to keep your skills updated you must need to learn persistently. To keep your pace with, consider the following points 1- Be honest about yourself - self assessment is necessary to growing mindset 2- Do online research about latest courses and certification of required updated skills set 3- Attend webinars, seminars or online courses to stay relevant with the industry 4- Seek feedback from your peers or superiors to know about your progress 5- Be open to change, learning new techniques and accepting modern technologies.
If your skills are not up-to-date at work, try learning new things through training, online courses, workshops. Also, find someone to mentor you, work on projects related to your job, and keep up with what's happening in your industry to stay competitive.
As workplace demands evolve, staying relevant is crucial. Here’s how to tackle outdated skills: Continuous Learning: Invest time in learning new technologies and trends. Online Courses: Enroll in relevant online courses or certifications. Networking: Connect with industry professionals to stay informed. Adaptability: Embrace change and be open to acquiring new skills. Leverage AI: Use AI tools to enhance productivity and adaptability. Remember, growth mindset and adaptability are key!
If your skills are outdated at your workplace, take proactive steps to update them. This might include enrolling in relevant courses, attending workshops or conferences, seeking mentorship, or exploring online resources. Communicate with your manager about your desire to improve and ask for opportunities to gain new skills or training. Showing initiative and a willingness to learn can demonstrate your value to your employer and position you for future growth within the company.
Firstly, identifying the skill gap and how wide is it is necessary. Then, based on the need for the required position in the company and my interests, I'd consider shortlisting some courses/niches.
The next step is to find ways to learn new skills that match your needs and interests. You can choose from various learning options, such as online courses, webinars, podcasts, books, blogs, or workshops. You can also learn from your peers, your network, or your mentors. The key is to set clear and realistic learning goals, track your progress, and apply what you learn to your work. Learning new skills will not only boost your competence, but also your confidence and motivation.
To learn new skills you may have to unlearn. Consider a small example. You have driven a car that changes gears manually for four decades. Your feet hurt after driving through stop-go traffic, especially the left foot that depresses the clutch. Your family buys you an automatic gear shift car. To get used to not using the left foot at all is tough. To not work the gear lever is tougher. You need to unlearn in order to learn how to drive the automatic. And then once you've learnt and driven for sometime, it will be difficult to drive a manual car again. Learning a new skill means learning it so well that it becomes a part of you. Learn to unlearn, relearn and learn - all your life. Be a lifelong learner.
Allocate time for experimentation and exploration in your schedule. Don't be afraid to try new things and potentially fail along the way. Failure is often a valuable learning experience that can lead to personal and professional growth. Set aside dedicated time to play around with new tools, technologies, or approaches without the pressure of immediate deadlines. Embrace a growth mindset that views setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve.
Its more more intrinsic and you have to spark interest from within. One of the most important factors that can influence your interest in learning new skills is your purpose. Why do you want to learn something new? What are the benefits and outcomes that you expect from it? How does it align with your values and goals? Finding your purpose can help you clarify your vision and inspire you to take action. It can also help you overcome obstacles and setbacks that may arise along the way. Seek feedback and support, and celebrate your achievements.
Set aside time for learning on regular basis, don’t compromise, keep the time allocated. Set goal and if possible get the training / skill documented, preferable by a certification.
Start by exploring learning avenues that resonate with you. Dive into online courses, podcasts, or good old-fashioned books. Don't forget the power of learning from peers and mentors. Set achievable goals, monitor your growth, and put your newfound skills to work. It's not just about competence—it's about confidence and drive too!
Another step is to update your resume with your new skills and achievements. You want to showcase your value and relevance to your current or potential employers. You can use keywords, action verbs, and quantifiable results to highlight your skills and impact. You can also use online platforms, such as LinkedIn, to showcase your portfolio, recommendations, endorsements, or certifications. Updating your resume will help you stay ready for any career opportunities or challenges.
Update that resume with your latest skills and achievements. Use powerful keywords and concrete results to show off your impact. Don't forget platforms like LinkedIn to flaunt your portfolio and endorsements. Stay primed for whatever career adventures come your way!
If your skills are becoming outdated in the workplace, tap into your organization's learning and development resources. Communicate with your leadership team to identify specific skills needed for career advancement. Explore educational opportunities outside of work, such as LinkedIn Learning or Coursera. Self-reflection, gratitude, and patience are essential during this journey of skill development.
A crucial step is to seek feedback from others on your skills and performance. You want to know how you are doing, what you are doing well, and what you can improve. You can ask for feedback from your manager, your team, your clients, or your stakeholders. You can also use formal or informal feedback mechanisms, such as performance reviews, surveys, or polls. Seeking feedback will help you measure your progress, identify your gaps, and adjust your actions.
The final step is to embrace change as an opportunity to grow and learn. You want to adopt a growth mindset, which means that you believe that you can improve your skills and abilities with effort and feedback. You also want to be flexible, adaptable, and curious about new trends, technologies, or practices. You want to challenge yourself, take risks, and experiment with new ideas. Embracing change will help you stay relevant and resilient as a people manager.
Change is only constant. Upskill and Cross skill. And importantly speak out and interact more diversely. You will end up with fruitful results, if dealt with patience.
Embrace change like a chance to level up. It's all about having a growth mindset—believing you can enhance skills with effort and feedback. Stay flexible, curious about new trends, and tech. Challenge yourself, take risks, and try new ideas. Embracing change keeps you sharp and resilient as a people manager.
Dive in to a culture which promotes continuous learning Ensure you are part of an organisation which plans for the future and create a culture towards continuous learning as building it involves a lot of time as well as communication. Shift your mindset by being open to learning and developing continually - not just when there are skills gaps. One needs to feel that learning new skills is also as important a part of their role besides duties in the job description. Considering not just the current needs of the organisation, but what skills it will require in the future is essential. Focus on the future of the organisation's direction in the years ahead (long term) to equip with future job trends, and get trained with emerging trends.
Volunteering for new projects or tasks within your company is a great way to gain new skills and experience. This not only shows your willingness to learn and grow, but also allows you to learn from your colleagues who may have more updated skills. Additionally, taking on new challenges can help you expand your skill set and make you a more valuable asset to your company.