Painful Urgency of Growth.

Developing a Career-Defining Skill is no longer optional.

For decades, workplace learning was seen as a nice-to-have.

Today's big announcement of nearly 2 Million government employees given the option to resign with 8 months pay if they do not want to participate in the new "enhanced standards of suitability and conduct" has had me up past my bedtime. So I decided to write this article.

Not from a political perspective, but from a Talent Development perspective.

I guarantee a vast majority of these government employees could be "A" player superstars if given the right tools, systems, and processes to MASTER career-defining skill sets FAST.

And if they were "A" player superstars, would there be more flexibility in work arrangements?

Unfortunately, most employees (private and public sector) are never even given the chance to grow and become MASTERS of their craft.... then they get laid off or fired due to incompetence or performance.

It is really painful for me to watch.

Maybe I should make a play to become Head of Learner and Business Outcomes for the Federal Government.

For now, I'll stick with that title at my current day job at Interplay Learning.

And unfortunately, the private sector has the same problems as government. I speak with some of the top employers in the world every single day.

Guess what.

They are also complaining about the skill sets and performance of their employees.

And you don't even have to take my word for it.... there is some brutal statistics out there.

• Half of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. According to the World Economic Forum, automation and changing job requirements mean that 50% of workers must learn new skills to stay employable.
• A staggering 87% of companies say they already face a skills gap. They simply cannot find workers with the skills they need (McKinsey & Company).
• Two-thirds of employees feel unprepared for future work demands. A study by LinkedIn found that most workers feel their skills are becoming outdated faster than ever.

We are entering a unprecedented times.

I personally believe 2025 will be the year where growth and learning in the workplace is no longer a luxury. It is a urgent necessity.

Massive shifts in technology, automation, and business (and government) needs have rapidly changed what’s expected in the workplace. The demand for new skill sets is relentless. If we aren’t actively growing, we are falling behind.

And what does that ultimately mean?

If we are not actively developing the right skills and delivering results in our careers, we could be unintentionally making ourselves replaceable.

Most of us want to grow but struggle to prioritize it. Common excuses include:

• "I don’t have time."
• "I’ll start when work slows down."
• "I don’t know where to begin."

Here's a secret.

There will never be a perfect time to start.

The market won’t wait for you to catch up.

Instead of thinking about learning as something “extra", we need to make it a consistent habit every day.

The trick is we need to be incredibly focused and intentional in order to reap the rewards of learning.

And we need a strategy.

So I ask this question.

What if, in just 90 days, you could develop a skill that makes you irreplaceable?

In my recently released book, Master a Career-Defining Skill: A Proven Framework for Growth, Confidence, and Success, I break down exactly how to do this.

The key is to approach skill mastery with intention, strategy, and daily action. Your ability to learn quickly and apply what you know is what separates thriving professionals from those who struggle to keep up.

You may be saying.... hey Dan.... what the heck do you mean by a "Career Defining Skill"?

Here's my perspective. A career-defining skill is one that:

1. Sets you apart. It makes you uniquely valuable in your role or industry.
2. Has long-term relevance. It won’t become obsolete with the next wave of automation.
3. Increases your earning potential. It’s a skill that drives promotions, leadership opportunities, or career pivots.
4. Creates leverage. It gives you control over your career, allowing you to choose the opportunities you want rather than just taking what’s available.

Some examples of career-defining skills include:

• Communication & Public Speaking: The ability to articulate ideas effectively is crucial across industries.
• Project Management: The skill to execute and deliver results is invaluable.
• Sales & Persuasion: Whether you sell ideas, products, or services, this skill ensures career longevity.
• Data Analysis & AI Adaptability: The ability to work with data and emerging technologies is a must-have.

We need to take control of our own skill development now more then ever. And if we lead teams, we need to prioritize growth and learning now more then ever.

Our career is built on the skills we develop. The most successful professionals aren’t just working... we are learning every single day.

Just when i thought my own fire was lit..... it is now a 10x stronger.

For those of you who don't know, I just published a book titled Master a Career-Defining Skill in 90 Days: A Proven Framework for Growth, Confidence, and Success. I might be biased, but this book is really, really, good. You could take any of the above topics and leverage this book as a guide to Fast Track skill development.

And now I know I need to go even deeper.

I just mapped out all the content for the first 5 books in a skill specific book series that I am going to write ASAP. I'll share with you now for accountability.

1. Project Management Mastery in 90 Days: Learn, Apply, Lead
2. Public Speaking Mastery in 90 Days: Speak with Confidence & Impact
3. Teamwork Mastery in 90 Days: Build Stronger, More Effective Teams
4. Sales Mastery in 90 Days: Close More Deals & Accelerate Your Growth
5. Customer Service Mastery in 90 Days: Elevate Experiences & Build Loyalty

All of these will leverage my simple yet incredibly effective F.A.S.S.T. Career Growth Model.

Check out some of my previous articles in this newsletter series (now over 100 articles!) where I dive deeper into this model.

My only goal today is to share with you the true, painful urgency of skill development.

The workplace is evolving at breakneck speed.

Today's Action:

1. Commit to Daily Growth. Even just 15 minutes a day can compound into mastery.
2. Don't just read Step 1. Actually do it.

I appreciate your moments today. Just taking the time to read articles like this already tells me that you are ahead of most people. We as leaders need to inspire growth and learning in the workplace now more then ever. I promise to write fresh, actionable articles week after week. And apparently I just promised you that I'm going to write another 5 books ASAP too haha. Thank you for subscribing and spreading the word!

Your Friend,

Dan