Making the Most of Your Professional Development Hour

As Agile Coaches, our main responsibility is to strengthen our team and simplify the work that needs to be accomplished. While these things are important, we should recognize the unique opportunity we have of working in a professional environment with skilled leaders and mentors. We are allotted one hour each week to utilize our circumstances by practicing and learning skills in our roles as Agile Coaches and to further our abilities in our future careers.

The main purpose of the Professional Development Hour is to enable each of us to expand on what we are currently able to do and be greater assets for our teams as well as improve ourselves for future opportunities. One of the best ways to make the most of this time is to create an overarching goal for the period of a few weeks or months, then direction your weekly hour toward helping you reach that goal.
 

For example, if your overarching goal was to be able to automate most, if not all, of your Excel spreadsheets, you might focus your weekly Professional Development Hours on step goals to reach the finish line. Here is how you might format such a plan:
 

 
Although a simple example, it demonstrates how you can turn your single hour each week into an opportunity to build upon yourself over a longer time period.
 

To help you get the most of your hour, the process outlined below can be a great tool to organize your thoughts and create a plan similar to the one above:
 

1. Set clear goals (SMART goals).

2. Prioritize and plan.

3. Explore diverse learning resources.

4. Network and collaborate.

5. Time management and consistency.

6. Measure progress.

7. Reflect and Apply
 

1.     Set Clear Goals (SMART Goals)
The best way to start is by envisioning what you want your outcome to be. Do you want to be more proficient at a certain skill? Maybe you simply wish to learn more about a specific topic, or even plan to overcome a trial your team is facing using new techniques or software. Whatever it is, make sure to outline it using SMART goal methodology (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely). SMART goals help keep the goal in scope and something we can actually achieve with a plan.
 

2.     Prioritize and Plan
Once you’ve outlined your finish line, decide on a few major points along your path that need the most attention. These will become the focus of each week’s hour so that you can dedicate enough time to the appropriate steps that will help you reach your goal.

3.     Explore Diverse Learning Resources
Either on the PMO website or through your own research, decide what tools will help you throughout each major step. Here are some examples of things you can do to utilize your hour each week:

- Update your resume.

- Apply for internships.

- Read a professional development book.

- Learn new skills on LinkedIn learning and other sites.

- Schedule a meeting with a professional in your field

- Take an aptitude test.

- Read some of the blog posts on the PMO website.

These are but a few of the endless options to help you make the most of your Professional Development Hour.

4.     Network and Collaborate
Who says you must work alone? Start a project with a coworker or another professional. Collaborate amongst other coaches to learn, support, and grow together. You could even collaborate on an article for the PMO website together. Take time to function better as a team and teach each other to reach a greater goal.
 

5.     Time Management and Consistency
Something that can help is to set aside the same hour each week to add it to your routine, so you don’t miss it. For example, you may take your hour every Tuesday at 3:00 PM. Make sure that your Professional Development Hour is just that: one hour. Use your time wisely! It can be easy to get distracted, but with only 60 minutes each week to dedicate to something greater, you need to make sure to get everything you can out of it. Set distractions aside and work somewhere private if needed.
 

6.     Measure Progress
Make sure to keep track of what you are able to accomplish during each Professional Development hour to ensure that you are truly making the most of your time. This can also help you adjust your goals if things are going quicker or slower than expected, as well as help you set new goals in the future to make sure you’re able to reach your overarching goals.
 

7.     Reflect and Apply
As you reach each finish line, reflect on what went well and how you could have done better. Adjust each week and cycle as needed so that you can make sure to make the most of your hour.
 

Hopefully this article has helped you understand the real impact that one hour of dedicated time each week can have. Again, this is a special opportunity for real growth that we are lucky enough to have included in our weekly schedule.
 

Happy growing!