Reference no: EM133206970

Question: Talk about employee development and lifelong learning. This week, we're learning about employee development and lifelong learning. First, we're discerning employee development from employee training. Training is focused on the present and gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to accomplish current objectives and goals. Development is focused on the future and gaining the experience needed to grow in a career. Employee development begins with a planning process that consists of four steps: self-assessment, reality check, goal setting, and action planning (Noe, 2020). Self-assessment is the process by which employees determine their own knowledge, skills, abilities, and career interests and evaluate their own attitudes, values, and behaviors. One of the most popular tools used is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) psychological test. Reality check is a self-assessment that employees conduct from the perspective of others, such as their supervisor or the company as a whole.

This is how employees know what knowledge, skills, and abilities they do not have and must obtain. It's also how they know if their own values are aligned with company values and how their own attitude affects others. Goal setting is the step at which managers usually become involved. Development goals should encompass both short- and long-term growth, and they should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (SMART).

So, development goals could be to gain additional knowledge, skills, and abilities for a current position, to qualify for a lateral move or promotion within the company, or to prepare for an external position. Action planning documents the steps to accomplish the employee's short- and long-term development goals. Action planning relies on the previous step and organizes those goals into actionable objectives that can be monitored and measured. Results are then fed back to the beginning of the development process, which repeats in a continual improvement cycle. Consider your own career management, starting with your own development as a current or future employee.

1. As a current employee or job candidate, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

2. share with the class 2 SMART (Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-specific) that you are or will be working on to achieve your career goals.