Success requires continual growth and learning. But how do you know which development efforts will yield the best return? First, look for the overlap between what your organization needs and what will give you the most satisfaction. If you’re in operations, you might identify several business-critical areas for improvement — say, learning to better manage large custom client projects in order to significantly reduce cycle and delivery times. Next, think about whether you can excel at the capabilities you want to develop. If you’re already very organized, that bodes well for being able to learn complex project management. Finally, honestly assess how interested you are in the capabilities. The key is to focus on skills that will propel your organization forward, play to your strengths, and keep you passionate about learning.
Adapted from "How to Decide What Skill to Work On Next," by Erika Andersen
