I have always been an advocate for personal development training (PDT) and I know it is not always easy to find the time to fit it in. That said, there are always small changes that can be made to ensure there is time. Although project work will always take precedence, I usually block a couple of hours out of my diary on a Friday afternoon to try and fit some PDT in.
Other methods are to use commuting time to read, watch or listen to materials. Now that we are in a world where hybrid and remote working play a bigger role, there is also that time that you would have spent commuting. It’s worth pointing out that PDT doesn’t have to finish with a certificate; it’s about taking learnings and being able to apply them to your work.
Below is some of the PDT training that I have completed that I think is worth sharing for anyone else looking for sources. If you have any other recommendations, please do let me know!
👨🏻💻 Training Courses:
LinkedIn Learning | https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
- UX Foundations: Information Architecture
- How to Have Productive One-on-One Meetings (Project Management Institution)
- Figma Essentials Training: The Basics
- Customer Experience Journey Mapping
- Customer Experience (CX) Strategy: How to Design an Organizational Approach
- Building a Journey Map: A Hands-On Workshop (Project Management Institution)
- Body Language for Leaders
- Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making (Project Management Institution)
- Be the Manager People Won’t Leave
IBM SkillsBuild | https://skillsbuild.org
- Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner.
In-Person Courses
- CPUX-F Certified Professional for Usability and User Experience course. This is a three day course.
📚 Books
- Brené Brown | Dare to lead
- David Travis & Philip Hodgson | Think Like a UX Researcher: How to Observe Users, Influence Design, and Shape Business Strategy
🗣️ Talks
Ted Talks | https://www.ted.com/
- Stefan Sagmeister | The power of time off
- Amy Cuddy | Your body language may shape who you are
- Brené Brown | The power of vulnerability
- Amber Cabrel | 3 steps to better connect with your fellow humans
- Melonie D. Parker | Advice for leaders on creating a culture of belonging
- Nithya Vaduganathan | 5 hiring tips every company (and job seeker) should know
- Mike Posner | 5 lessons on happiness — from pop fame to poisonous snakes
Other talks:
- Mandy Hickson | Former RAF Fast-Jet Pilot
– Author and Keynote Speaker. Mandy spoke at HSBC about her career and the perseverance needed to break the mould. To see Mandy’s specialist subjects click here.
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