Leading Edge: How to out pace your competition

     Transitions happen in every organization. Consequently, the results include co-workers and leadership leaving to join new offices on a regular basis. Some call it staff turn-overs or others view it as "staying power" if you decide to not move on.

Sometimes when people leave to take on new opportunities, it is because they out pace the competition with leading edge in a specific profession. How is that even possible? A person can work all day every day in their field and omit the opportunity to keep up on new trends, technologies, training and methods. When we focus too much on the daily routine instead of our professional development, we may loose our competitive edge.

The usual suspects are to blame for a lack of maintaining one's skills:

• Avoid updates to your 5-year career plan
• Ignore the signs that your peers are out performing you 
• Too heavy a work load
• Reduced funds for training programs
• Lack of creativity in identifying best cost/no cost training programs
• Refuse to acknowledge your level of complacency 
• Lack of motivation

One of the most important ways to ensure you maintain your leading edge in your profession is through professional development. This allows you to make a critical business decision about your future: invest in yourself as well as your professional growth. When you  take the time to gain some refresher or new skill development through training, you are also acknowledging that life is more than just completing tasks in your in-box.