In an effort to enhance the value I provide to clients, I scheduled 4 out of the last 6 weeks for continuing education and development. This is the first year I have done this. In the past, I tried to read and catch development opportunities on a catch as catch can basis.

I found this new method of scheduling time for development to provide much more meaningful growth. During this time I completed a book proposal (yes, for accountability purposes, this is my public declaration that I am writing a book on servant leadership), read 4 books, developed an improved method for facilitating Leadership Roundtable Groups, and wrote some new curriculum.

During this time, I continued my executive coaching work, but suspended my on-site work with clients so that I could really focus on my personal development. This enabled me to be far more productive on my development activities.

Benefits of specifically scheduling blocks of time for development and continuing education include:

• Self-reflection
• Significant productivity of personal development
• True learning
• Provides a great model on the importance of personal development for those people within your sphere of influence
• Re-connects you with your personal purpose and values
• Enables genuine creativity and innovation and altered paradigms
• Re-energizes oneself
• Builds confidence and competency

Everyone’s role may not allow this level of flexibility, however I would still advocate for locking out blocks of time in your schedule for personal development. I have found, if it is not in the schedule, it will very easily fall down the list of priorities each day and does not get accomplished.

I invite you to answer the following questions:

1. How much time in the last six months have you devoted to personal development activities?
2. Where on your list of priorities is personal development falling?
3. If you are unsatisfied with your answers to #1 and #2, what are you willing to commit to, to enhance your personal development activities?

As servant leaders, we owe it to the people we are serving to be the very best we can be. The only way that will happen is by taking the time, effort, and energy to participate in personal development opportunities.

I encourage you to find an accountability partner, share your answers to the above questions, and work together to enhance your level of personal development.

Mark

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. Proverbs 3:13-14