What gets measured gets improved!

By Ghadeer Habash

Internationally Certified Career Trainer

As we approach the end of the year, let’s get ready for 2020! If you are part of a team, it’s about time to start the annual evaluation to check what you achieved so far.

Before official management appraisals take place, it can be useful for every team to assess their team performance, including how many goals have been fulfilled. You still have the rest of November and December to meet unfinished objectives. 

Once you’re done with your assessment, you can start writing down your vision for 2020. How can things be better? On the work level and the personal level, what are the things that you want to achieve next year? 

Gather your team and start putting the road map for next year. Training is one of the most important factors that impact personal development as well as the outcome of any business process. Well-trained employees can improve the process and results. It’s good to start with some Training Needs Analysis (TNA), getting to know what every team member needs to do a better job. TNA helps in designing the training plan and identifies who is going to attend which training courses.

Evaluating the skill-set of everyone on the team is essential as it gives you direction-a clear training mission that can be properly planned and scheduled on the 2020 calendar.

Personal development

The same applies to personal goals. Evaluation of your annual performance is quite helpful, and you have until December to catch up and complete unaccomplished tasks. 

If you are not part of a team, you can think on the personal level what skills you need to acquire to do a better job. Design a training plan for yourself! This includes the areas you would like to develop your skills in and where you can find them — this requires some research on the best places that offer this kind of training and at what cost.

What if I don’t know what my training needs are?

Here are some tips to identify your training needs: 

• Using a good skillset assessment test; many are available online

• Talking to your supervisor or direct manager 

• Talking to a close friend who is familiar with your work and your capabilities

• Never approaching those who would react with “What?! You don’t need any training; you know it all!” Everyone needs personal and professional development

Keep in mind that if you keep doing what you’re doing in the same way you’re doing it, you will always get what you’ve always received: no better outcome. Better outcome requires some effort.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine