Full Steam Ahead on YOU: A Talent Leader’s Guide to Self-Growth
As this is my last contribution to TWIT for March 2025, it’s time for me to Go Loco (motive). I’m pulling out all stops to share with you the strategies I’ve adopted to invest in self-growth during my professional career to date. What I have found quite surprising writing this, is that in fact my appetite for self-development and investment in futureproofing myself has really accelerated (some might even say at the speed of a bullet train) over the past 5 years. In saying that, it’s important to recognise that some goals are on the ‘express’ track and simpler to fulfill. Others may feel like you’re stopping all stations but when you get to the end of the line, it’s a great sense of accomplishment.
**Warning: my last article will contain as many train puns as possible…you are rail-y welcome**
It was only 4 short months ago that we found ourselves reflecting on the moments that really mattered, the railway crossings we found ourselves at, the obstacles we tackled head-on and the decisions we made that carved a path for us to move onwards and upwards during 2024. It was at this time, I found myself (as I do every year) thinking about my goals for the upcoming 12 months – they were all ambitious. Focusing primarily on financial prosperity, growing my professional brand, building capability by adding to my professional toolbelt, maintaining my current course on health, wellbeing, mindfulness and continued investment in personal relationships. By creating space and the opportunity to roadmap my moves has allowed me to re-energise, prioritise and strategise. 2024 was the closing of one chapter, one for the history books. 2025 is all about the thrive, strive and stay-alive (metaphorically speaking).
It’s time to Train the Train(er); Coach-up before you coach out
It’s time to have an honest conversation with ourselves – as Talent Leaders we need to evolve, or we might just go extinct (or not be as relevant – the less dramatic option!). We must never take for granted the role we as talent professionals all play in changing people’s lives and making their dreams a reality. AI has a place, but so does the right dose of human touch…now that’s the real magic! So if magic is how it all happens, we need to Train the Train(er) to learn new tricks; add new signature moves; uncover hidden talents and invest in our bad selves, that’s right – get a little selfish by putting ourselves first, before your team. It’s ok if the words “I think I can, I think I can” are coming to mind – this is not a derailment, this is simply an opportunity for you to take the lead in self-growth (coach-up to coach-out).
Consider how you might incorporate some (or all) of the below suggestions into your professional Individual Development Plan (IDP). But don’t stop there, have a think about how you might look to integrate some of these into your personal goals listing, you know, the ones you write down every New Years Eve as you sip (ha) on some Moet. The ones you have written down on post-it notes stuck to your monitor screen; the ones you have stuck on your fridge held down by your collection of overseas magnets. Focus on building competency, owning your worth, hold firm to your values and leverage your strengthened attributes.
- Attend industry events and meet-ups – these are where the brightest minds and souls come together with one common purpose – to invest and nurture our future talent capabilities in achieving organisation goals. Some of these are free, some might cost $. It’s worth the investment in time and $ – the take-aways, learnings and connections are the real mic-drop moments. We know times are a little rough and tough, company purse strings are tight – but consider the option of investing a bit out of your own pocket. Perhaps strike a deal with the boss – it’s called creative accounting! How you get the best bang for your buck is up to you!
- Sign up as a Mentor/Mentee – I’ve just embarked on this experience with my employer
- Who is your inspiration – make a note of the good, the bad and the ugly attributes of these inspirations, then hold yourself to account
- Undertake MBA studies – I completed one with my previous employer ‘Change and Renewal’; I’m ready to explore options with my current employer again
- Back-up plan or side-hustle – have you got one, considered getting one? Winning lotto can only get you so far… side-hustles are great for enhancing entrepreneurial experience
- Undertake self-assessment and self-awareness questionnaires – what are you seeking to understand and why? Once you know the what and why – focus on the when and how
- Spruik your strengths; acknowledge your short-comings – impart your wisdom, bridge any gaps
- Get uncomfortable by learning something new – Canva and Power BI are on my list of must-do (and must how!)
- Be bold, be brave – ask your employer for what you want (need) and detail how it will benefit them
- Get curious, think big, think practical, think again (yes, last year’s ATC 2024 theme, but so on brand for this topic)
- Self-growth can be either a promotion or lateral move; don’t rule out the value a side move can have
- Consider becoming an operator for a while, step outside the comfort zone of People, Talent and Culture; commercial acumen is king (just like data)
- Mix up your industry experience – become well-rounded and not pigeon-holed
- Consider the shift from TA to Talent Management to Talent Advisory – some great research and resources available from TQ Solutions – TA Maturity model
- Talent Acquisition professionals are really ‘Jack of all trades’ but have you nailed them all? Technology, marketing, sales, finance and customer experience, to name a few
- Be open about your development with your leader – your next move could be external – a good leader recognises and supports (they don’t hold you back)
- Talent marketplace – got one at work, sign-up, explore, get curious, embrace the possibility
- Sign-up as a volunteer – I’ve been extremely lucky to be part of the volunteering team for ATC over past 2 years. There is nothing more rewarding than giving back to the TA community, a community which has afforded me so many opportunities to grow professionally and personally.
- Take a career break – I did this in 2009, 12 months after moving to Melbourne – best decision I made
- Does your organisation offer an exchange program internally / externally/ domestically/ internationally?
- Consider secondments and higher duties on offer for opportunities
- Study assistance is available from some employers – seek to understand what is available to you and how subsidised further study might play a role in growing your careers
- Join a committee or board – become a non-executive board or committee member for a professional body, sports or Not For Profit.
What’s the journey to your final destination?
As Talent Leaders we are in the business for transforming the way we attract, engage and onboard talent. We are all thinking about new talent technology, automation and how we can deliver exceptional CX. It’s imperative in our roles to support our team in leading impressionable talent acquisition strategies and experiences that deliver on our organisation’s people strategy. Our teams need to be collaborative in the delivery of seamless, high-quality solutions leveraging contemporary and best-practice recruitment and selection methodology. To do this, we all need to be creative, agile, strategic, resourceful (more with less) and know how to thrive in complexity.
Without self-growth, the journey to your destination can be challenging. It’s important to pause, recharge and reset in order to move forward. Prioritise your development, take time to self-assess, be self-aware and leverage the support of your leader, mentor and inner circle. I’ve been fortunate to work with several leaders in my career who have all played an important part in my growth by creating opportunity, encouraging laughter, granting creative license and leading through empowerment. What I’ve experienced is infectious and it has allowed me to lead with character, drive, resilience, trust, respect and heart.
Come and ride the (development) train, come ride it. Come and ride the train – it’s (yours for) the choo choo (sing)!
