I’ve spent quite a bit of money on personal development programs, and I am seeing this pay off for me in measurable results.
Some of you may know that I (John) also provide training on a contract basis for the Linux Foundation. I get to geek out on computer software (my first career). The first class I taught for them was really rough. I was nervous most of the way through. The students kept asking questions I couldn’t answer. I felt like a dork. But it didn’t take long before I got the hang of it. By the 3rd class, I was doing pretty well, and I was getting pretty good ratings on the evaluation forms (average of about 4 out of 5).
Then I started paying for high end personal development seminars, coaching, and other programs. I was engaged in personal development because I needed it for Simply Great Lives – to be able to speak in public, to engage with coaching clients better, and to sell services without being pushy and icky.
I didn’t expect that my personal development work would improve my Linux Foundation training evaluations. I was already doing pretty well. But my evaluation ratings for these classes got better too.
You might think that I just got better as I did more of it, but my delivery of the content hasn’t changed. I draw the same pictures. I tell the same jokes. Instead, what’s different is how I show up – things I’ve learned from personal development.
Here are 3 things that are different about the way I now show up:
1. I’m more vulnerable
This one is huge for me. Before personal development, I had a need to appear smart and be right. You’d think needing to be right is a great fit for someone who is an instructor, but it’s not. Instead, it creates a lot of tension. Having an attitude like, “I’m the instructor, you are the student. I know, and you don’t,” just doesn’t work well in any context.
Instead, today one of the first things I say is, “I have all these years of experience, but I still don’t know everything.” This takes the pressure off both me and the students. With this statement, I don’t have to pretend to know when I don’t, and if a student believes they know something I don’t, they don’t need to try to prove themselves to me.
I also usually share a story or two where I was making a mess of things and how I learned through the struggle.
Since being more vulnerable, the students feel more connected to me, and consequently, they take in the class material better too.
2. I’m more engaged with people
This year, I decided to learn my students’ names. Before I was telling myself that I’m horrible with names, and consequently I didn’t even try. But I decided to change my story around names. Now I am a “name warrior” learning the names of up to twenty in one day. With enough effort, I can learn everyone’s name.
This seems like such a small thing, but people really do appreciate it when I take the time to remember their name.
It used to be that by late Wednesday of a week long class, students were relaxing and joking around with me. Now this is starting to happen on Tuesday – much faster.
3. I’m more positive
Before I would share a lot of negative talk about corporate culture, project mismanagement, and how IT departments seem to have the purpose of preventing people from working. I didn’t think anything of it. This stuff is just a part of the software developer’s world.
Now, I am more conscious of the environment I am creating as the instructor. I can create a negative environment – probably one my students are familiar with, or I can create a totally different and positive experience for them. I just need to stop complaining, assume the best intentions of people, and thank people. Amazingly, it makes my experience of the class better too.
Does all this stuff really matter? You bet it does. Now my evaluation ratings from the Linux Foundation classes aren’t pretty good, they’re best in class. It’s not uncommon for me to get ranked all 5’s (the best rating) in all the areas related to my knowledge, presentation skills, and overall helpfulness. I’m pretty sure I am offered more classes to teach because of this too – which results in more money.
Personal development works.
