Professional Development: Starting from Strengths, Not Deficits

Development doesn’t always need to start with a problem

We often think about professional development in terms of what needs to change.

What could I do better? What do I need to work on? What might be holding me back?

But our development doesn’t always have to begin with identifying a problem or something that needs fixing. Sometimes it begins with understanding and accepting ourselves more fully as we are.

I see this often in my work with leaders. Some of the most interesting developmental conversations aren’t prompted by a problem at all. They begin with curiosity about what is already working, what someone is learning about themselves, and how they want to develop from here.

Looking beyond gaps and weaknesses

A focus on development can easily draw our attention towards gaps and weaknesses.

Of course, there are times when we need to recognise that something isn’t working or that we need to approach a situation differently. But if we only look for what needs improving, we can overlook an equally important part of development: understanding our strengths, values, motivations and aspirations.

Recognising what we already do well isn’t complacency. It can help us understand the conditions in which we are at our best, identify strengths we can draw on more intentionally and make better-informed choices about where we want to develop.

Equally, accepting ourselves as we are doesn’t mean deciding that there is nothing to change.

Greater self-awareness will inevitably mean encountering aspects of ourselves that we might prefer were different. The challenge is being able to look honestly at our strengths, limitations and patterns without making self-judgement the starting point for development.

How self-compassion can support development

Self-compassion can support us in doing this.

When we are less preoccupied with criticising ourselves for what we notice, there is often more room for curiosity, perspective and learning.

We can acknowledge what is already going well, accept what hasn’t gone as we would have liked, and still choose to do something differently next time.

This can create a different starting point for development: one that allows us to recognise strengths and possibilities while also being honest about the areas in which we want to learn, change or grow.

A simple reflective practice for professional development

One simple reflective practice I’ve developed and often suggest in my leadership development and executive coaching work can help bring some of these ideas into everyday working life.

At the end of each working day, take a few minutes to reflect on:

1. Three things that went well at work — We can spend a great deal of time thinking about what didn’t go well or everything we haven’t yet managed to do. Deliberately noticing what went well helps to create a more balanced picture of the day.
2. One thing that could have gone better — Rather than dwelling on it or becoming self-critical, focus on what you can learn from it. If you were faced with the same situation again tomorrow, what, if anything, would you do differently?
3. One thing you’re grateful for — Try to choose something different each day. It might be something another person did, an opportunity you had, or simply something about the day that you appreciated.

The aim isn’t to ignore difficulties or focus only on the positive. It is to see our experience more fully: recognising what went well, acknowledging what didn’t, learning from it and noticing what we value.