Charles Darwin was a 19th century British naturalist who revolutionized the study of biology with his theory of evolution based on natural selection. His most famous works include Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. One of his key research findings was that, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Learning and personal growth is at the heart of an organization’s or individual’s ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The key question is “does our rate of internal growth exceed the rate of external change?”
True and lasting security comes from constant growth and development. We can’t manage change, but we can be change opportunists. The higher our rate of personal growth and development, the more likely we are to master the opportunities change unexpectedly throws in front of us. To master change and build a life of ever-deeper growth, we need to make learning a way of life rather than a phase of life.
In today’s hyper-speed workplace you may be like many managers who have great difficulty carving out time for personal growth and leadership development. This is especially true if you see learning and development as a separate activity — perhaps even rare down or quiet time — which you try to steal away from frenetic crazy busy days at work.
Jack Zenger’s been researching this issue and sees it as a false dichotomy. He’s found that work and development shouldn’t be treated as competing activities. In his October 23 webinar “Throw Away Your Old Plan! 6 New Ways to Build Leadership Into Your Job” Jack shows how to bring personal development and your job closer together. By following the steps he’ll outline you can constantly improve your leadership skills while doing your job. This is a real win/win where you, your organization, and your associates all increase your rate of growth to deal with our fast changing world.
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