Forward: Finding Your Power, Passion and Joy Being At Work
In 21st century organizations, much attention is being given to coaching and mentoring as a tool for improving performance and developing individuals in their careers. Most of that effort is driven by the organization or employer, and too little attention is given to the personal responsibility of individuals for their own self-development.
Self-development is the ability to take an accurate look at your own strengths and development needs, including the impact that you have on others. Self-development also represents a willingness to address those needs through self-directed learning, and by trying new approaches.
For successful self-development, you must routinely seek feedback from others --- including those who are likely to be critical --- and appreciate the need to learn and grow. In reflecting on your own performance, you learn what to avoid from less successful events and reinforce the positive gained from more successful events in your life. Having done this, annual improvement goals may be set.
In understanding the impact that you have on others, you must be aware of which behaviors and styles get the best results. Then you must modify your behavior in response to informal cues as well as formal feedback. Success comes from integrating results and personal development goals.
Up until now, there has been no set of guidelines or primer for self-development that individuals can turn to as a source of guidance. Finding Your Power, Passion and Joy Being at Work responds to this need by leading the reader through a set of messages, exercises and guidelines for self-development.
It begins by establishing the reality of self-accountability through a set of five messages about work and what it has to offer the individual. That is followed by an effort to help the reader understand how to build their own portfolio of stories that relates their work to their quality of life.
The workbook helps the reader get to know their characteristics, traits, life interests, behavioral tendencies, and personal beliefs. It directs them to exercises on how to recognize their talents, learn which organizations might be a good fit, establish their credentials, get to where they want to go and achieve their life purpose and dream work.
Anyone who follows these guidelines will not only meet but exceed the requirements of self-development, be an asset to their organization and improve their quality of life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels they need a coach, for that coach is themselves.
"It's never to late to be what you might have been." --- George Elliot
Foreword by Gail L. Warden, President Emeritus, Henry Ford Health System
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