{"id":1258,"date":"2019-07-02T18:21:11","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T18:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sadlouskos.com\/Business-Consulting-Services\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2019-07-02T19:32:04","modified_gmt":"2019-07-02T19:32:04","slug":"essential-actions-for-professional-development-career-growth-planning-for-leaders-in-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sadlouskos.com\/Business-Consulting-Services\/leadership-coaching\/essential-actions-for-professional-development-career-growth-planning-for-leaders-in-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Actions for Professional Development & Career Growth Planning for Leaders in Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Neglecting your professional development and career growth planning? As a leader in higher education, you spend forty hours or more at work each week devoted to being excellent at your job.\u00a0You attend to critical tasks, build teams, and execute much-needed changes that ensure that the department or organization you lead thrives.<\/p>\n

You pride yourself on achieving superior results as a leader, but are you neglecting the one thing that will matter most in your career in the years and decades ahead?\u00a0 I\u2019m talking about the time and energy you devote to focusing on your career and professional growth.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s July and the year is half gone.\u00a0 Now\u2019s a good time to take a good long look at the career and professional goals you set January. \u00a0Or, if you didn\u2019t set goals in January, now\u2019s a good time review what you really want for your professional future.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been an Executive Coach in higher education for more than 20 years, and time and again I see higher education leaders work hard to thrive in their existing roles but neglect the key drivers of their own continued career success and growth.<\/p>\n

In this post, I\u2019ll review what you should be doing to ensure you don\u2019t lose sight of the big picture that leads to phenomenal careers.\u00a0 We\u2019ll review both the actual career search process and the professional development required to enhance your credibility and reputation.<\/p>\n

Job & Career Search<\/h3>\n

Whether you\u2019re hoping to make a move immediately or down the road, the search for your next role needs to be a priority today.\u00a0The seeds you plant now will yield the growth you want tomorrow.<\/p>\n

There are three main activities I recommend you take immediately to ensure your next career transition is as fruitful as you want it to be.\u00a0 The first is to begin expanding your network.\u00a0 The second is to create a plan for your next job transition. The third is to invest in professional development and enhance your executive presence; both are required to send your career soaring.<\/p>\n

Expand Your Professional Network<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard the adage that what you know is not nearly as important a who you know.\u00a0 There\u2019s more truth to that phrase than most people think.<\/p>\n

Creating a strong professional network is key to fueling the career of your dreams.\u00a0 I encourage you to think about what you have you done lately to expand your network. \u00a0Now, think about what new avenues you could pursue to expand the number and quality of contacts in your network.<\/p>\n

For example, if you are in a technical field, you need to be engaged with\u00a0EDUCAUSE,<\/a>\u00a0the largest community of technology, academic industry, and campus leaders advancing the role of information technology in higher education.\u00a0EDUCAUSE\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0is holding several upcoming events that will help you expand your network while growing your skills.<\/p>\n

SIGUCCS<\/a>\u00a0is another high-quality association to join if you\u2019re involved in information technology services in your higher education role.\u00a0 I will be conducting a workshop on building executive presence at the\u00a0SIGUCCS\u00a0<\/a>annual conference this fall.<\/p>\n

Other professional associations include\u00a0NACUBO<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0American Council on Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whatever your professional niche, it\u2019s important that you join relevant networks and associations where you network with others who can add depth and breadth to your current network.<\/p>\n

Also, online networking on LinkedIn and other relevant online networks should not be ignored.\u00a0Engagement will help establish your credibility and develop a strong professional presence in all forums that are appropriate for area of expertise.<\/p>\n

Develop a Job Search\/Career Growth Action Plan<\/p>\n

Creating a career growth plan complete with target dates for next role you hope to hold is essential to the process of driving your growth as a leader. \u00a0Your plan should consider the following questions:<\/p>\n

Where do you want to be in 18 months?<\/h4>\n