Personal effectiveness means something entirely different for everyone, as everyone has different goals and priorities to work towards, and different challenges and obstacles to overcome. A coach needs to develop excellent listening and questioning skills. A salesperson may need to get better at networking and negotiating. An administrator may need the ability to manage conflicting demands and prioritize their work effectively.
It all starts with the insight that comes from reflection. The key is to first identify what you want to achieve in the short and the long term – your personal and professional goals – and then create a pathway that will enable you to get there. What is holding you back? What new skills do you need to acquire? What existing skills can be further developed? What kind of mindset will be most helpful? What do you need to learn? What behavior do you need to change? What resources and support do you need?
The final step is to decide how to invest your time and effort in your personal development in order to get the best return on all your efforts. Continuous learning is a key component of improving your personal effectiveness.
Taking strides to improve your personal effectiveness benefits you and everyone around you by helping you to be your best self.