I
recently attended a workshop on personal motivation. The recurring message in this workshop was, “if you want to be totally happy you must learn to take 100% responsibility for everything in your life.” While this is a simple concept, how many of us can truly say that we take 100% responsibility for our lives? It is easy to blame others for our circumstances or for our lot in life. It is easier to rationalize why we haven’t done something because of the actions of others, than it is to take 100% responsibility for our own actions.
I got to thinking about this after one of our recent board meetings following a lengthy discussion at as to why we can’t get new volunteers to participate in chapter management. This led to further discussions about why only a handful of our members come to monthly dinner meetings, and why more people don’t become certified.
Many reasons, (i.e. excuses) were identified, including: “Companies are not paying for membership in professional organizations anymore.” “People just don’t have the time to get certified.” “Employers don’t place a high value on certification.” “Everyone is just too busy at work to do anything after hours.” “The economy is bad, people just don’t have the money.” Etc.! Etc!
The real truth is that none of these reasons are about taking 100% responsibility. We can always good find reasons to support our bad actions. But reasons are not always “the truth”.
A dinner meeting speaker one time made a similar point, about taking responsibility for your own retirement. She pointed out that the government and our employers are no longer in the business of providing us with retirement. Company pension plans are a thing of the past and social security will not nearly provide us the kind of life we hoped for when we retire; traveling, playing golf, relaxing on the beach, or just enjoying our grandchildren. We can only expect this kind of life if we take 100% responsibility and invest in the future now!
The same thing is true with our professional careers. We can only achieve the career we want if we are willing to invest in it. To be recognized as a professional in Operations Management we need to become certified. If we want a promotion, we need to prepare ourselves for promotion. If we want a better job, we have to earn the credentials that are required to get a better job. We don’t deserve any of these things just because we work hard everyday. We have to work for them and be prepared to exploit each opportunity when it is presented to us.
Why should we expect our employers to be responsible for our professional development? The reason they hired us in the first place is for our expertise. If we want a better job, or a raise, or a promotion, we need to invest in it. It is great that some employers are willing to pay for, all or some, of our career growth through continuing education and participation in APICS, but we shouldn’t expect it. In the end, our career is 100% our responsibility.
BIO:
APICS is a voluntary organization. As volunteers, we do things because we want to not because we have to. Therefore, if we want to improve our skills and become more professional, it should be because we want to not because we have to.
Many wonderful opportunities are afforded to members APICS. Along with the benefits that come with being associated with a internationally recognized organization, our chapter provides professional development meetings with timely and challenging topics presented by knowledgeable speakers. They provide educational classes, workshops and seminars to assist us in attaining professional certifications such as a CPIM and CSCP. And, they provide an opportunity for us to hone our management skills as a volunteer as a member of the board of directors.
So the next time you receive an email or a flyer from APICS, education or membership think about what it means to take 100% responsibility for your own professional career. Do it because you want to not because you have to.
Jim Strong, CPIM, CSCP
VP Membership, APICS, San Fernando Valley