Your skills and strengths help create opportunities. This is why building these is one of the most valuable investments you can make in yourself.
When applying for a job, you spent time identifying your skills and strengths for your CV, application form and interviews. Those helped you secure the opportunity.
As you gain experience, you have the chance to build on your existing strengths and develop new skills that will help you progress in your career. The more skills you develop, the more value you can bring to an employer, business or community. Many employers hire for potential, but they promote people who continue developing.
Think back to the 'X model' of high performance we looked at in 'Applying for jobs' and the skills, knowledge, attitudes and relationships of high performers. Some of these you may already be strong at, others less so. Some of these may be more important to you than others in your current role and what you might want to do in the future. Rather than trying to improve everything at once, focus on the ones that will have the biggest impact on your future and success at work.
Ask yourself:
You should also speak to your manager or colleagues to get their views on areas where you should focus your professional development.
Some people think that success comes from talent alone and there are some skills they just don't have 'naturally' so won't be able to develop. In reality, all of your capabilities can be developed, no matter what your starting point may be. Hard work and effort makes you much more likely to develop your capabilities and succeed.
If you're serious about building a capability, then you need to be proactive.
One of the greatest advantages of being in a workplace is being surrounded by people with valuable skills, knowledge and experience.
Pay attention to how the most successful people work and notice:
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most people are happy to share their experiences and advice with someone who is eager to learn.
Learning from others can help you develop skills much faster than trying to figure everything out on your own.
If you decide to start your own business, developing your abilities and building experience becomes even more important.
Unlike employees, entrepreneurs cannot rely on large teams for support and often have to take responsibility for many different areas such as:
Whilst you don't need to be a master at everything immediately, you should be prepared to continuously learn and build skills quickly, adapting as your business grows.
The quicker and stronger you build these capabilities, the more prepared you will be to overcome challenges as they arise.
One of the best ways to accelerate your development as an entrepreneur is to find a mentor.
A mentor can provide guidance, share lessons from their own experiences and help you avoid common mistakes. They can also challenge your thinking, introduce you to new opportunities and offer support when you face difficult decisions.
Mentors can often be found through:
Try reaching out to your network on LinkedIn, speaking to local business owners, or contacting a school, college or university to ask whether they know someone who would be willing to offer guidance.
The most important thing is finding someone whose experience and advice can help you learn and grow.
Take a moment to think about your answers to the following questions. You may find it helpful to write them down.
Mabedi Mufahothe, Senior Manager, MTN Group
