Introduction

In today’s fast-paced and competitive job market, it’s essential to continuously develop your skills and stay adaptable to succeed in your career. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, by 2022, more than a third of the desired skills for most jobs will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered crucial to the job today (1). This means that professionals must be willing to learn and evolve to remain relevant.

Lean principles, which originated in the manufacturing industry, offer a powerful approach to career development. By applying these principles, you can streamline your professional growth, eliminate waste, and achieve your goals more efficiently. In this article, we’ll explore how to apply Lean principles to career development and provide practical examples to help you get started.

Understanding Lean Principles

At its core, Lean is a philosophy that aims to minimize waste and maximize value for customers. In the context of career development, the customer is you, and the value is the skills and expertise you acquire. There are five key principles of Lean:

  1. Value: Identify what’s valuable to you in your career and focus on those aspects.
  2. Value Stream: Map out your professional growth process to visualize the flow of value.
  3. Flow: Create a smooth flow of learning and development by minimizing obstacles.
  4. Pull: Only acquire the skills and knowledge you need, when you need them.
  5. Perfection: Continuously improve your skills and seek feedback.

By understanding these principles, you can start applying Lean to your career development.

Applying Lean to Career Development

So, how can you apply Lean principles to your career development? Here are some practical examples:

Value: Identify Your Career Goals

Start by identifying what’s valuable to you in your career. What are your long-term goals? What skills do you need to acquire to achieve those goals? Make a list of your top values and prioritize them. According to a survey by Gallup, employees who have the opportunity to use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged at work (2).

Value Stream: Map Out Your Professional Growth

Map out your professional growth process to visualize the flow of value. What skills do you need to acquire to achieve your goals? What courses or training programs will help you get there? Create a mind map or a flowchart to visualize your career development path. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that employees who have a clear understanding of their career goals are more likely to achieve them (3).

Flow: Create a Smooth Flow of Learning

Create a smooth flow of learning by minimizing obstacles. Identify what’s holding you back from achieving your goals and eliminate those barriers. Is it a lack of time? Find ways to make time for learning. Is it a lack of resources? Find free or low-cost alternatives. According to a report by LinkedIn, the top reason employees don’t develop new skills is because they don’t have the time (4).

Pull: Only Acquire the Skills You Need

Only acquire the skills and knowledge you need, when you need them. Don’t waste time and resources on skills that aren’t relevant to your goals. Use the “Just-in-Time” approach to learning, where you acquire skills just in time to apply them. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that employees who receive training that’s relevant to their job are more likely to apply what they’ve learned (5).

Conclusion

Applying Lean principles to career development can help you achieve your goals more efficiently and effectively. By identifying your values, mapping out your professional growth, creating a smooth flow of learning, and only acquiring the skills you need, you can streamline your career development and stay competitive in the job market. Remember, continuous improvement is key to success in your career. What are your favorite Lean principles for career development? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

References:

(1) World Economic Forum. (2020). The Future of Jobs Report 2020.

(2) Gallup. (2013). State of the American Workplace.

(3) Harvard Business Review. (2019). What You Need to Know About Career Development.

(4) LinkedIn. (2020). 2020 Workplace Learning Report.

(5) Society for Human Resource Management. (2019). 2019 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey.