Belief-Based Professional Development

 

Professionals can improve their understanding of the impact of their beliefs about themselves, about others, and about work. Professional skills can be greatly enhancedby learning about the impact of beliefs on motivation, perception, feeling and behaviour.Professionals can work with beliefs to enhance their confidence, contribute more effectively, become more successful, and enhance their credibility.

 

The Beliefs that Promote Success​

 

There are some general “belief inclinations” that help professionals to be effective. These include thinking positively, accepting and valuing change, and seeing conflict as constructive. Professionals can develop these inclinations so that they can better accept essential changes, work more productively, and relate more effectively.

 

Defining Belief-Based Professional Development Opportunities

 

​A professional may benefit most from refining their beliefs about themselves, that is, byrefining their beliefs about their strengths, their weaknesses, what they want, what they do best, and what they are capable of. A professional may benefit most from targeting further development of their beliefs about others, that is, by targeting their beliefs about what motivates people, how people differ, and what people can change. Finally, aprofessional may benefit most from refining their beliefs about professionals and about dynamics in the workplace, that is, by refining their beliefs about how to engage,communicate, collaborate, and resolve differences with their colleagues.

 

Creating a Belief-Based Professional Development Plan​

Belief-based professional development will be faster, stronger, and longer-lasting.

Like all plans, a Belief-Based Professional Development Plan works best when based on the effective assessment of current skills, a clear definition of needs and related priorities, and specific goals and action steps including steps for gaining experience, securing training, and receiving feedback and coaching. Unlike traditional plans, belief-based professional development plans place an emphasis on the active ingredient for success. That is, they focus on the formation of beliefs that underlie and fuel success in the rapid and effective development of advanced professional skills.