Associate Blog | Education & Self-Improvement
By Andrew McCabe
You can't improve yourself without learning. To learn is to gather new insights, transform your perspective, and redefine what something means to you. When you educate yourself, you seek to improve your ability to understand the world. And even though the unknown can be uncomfortable, it is always a worthwhile endeavor. It allows you to understand what you do know, and more importantly - what you don't know.
One of The Resource Group's top priorities is Associate Experience. This includes providing space for growth, education, and self-improvement. Through skill development programs, career growth courses and mentorship opportunities, The Resource Group is a place for exploration and learning. Hear from one of our associates, Andrew, on growth and self-improvement at The Resource Group!
Why do you think self-improvement is important?
If you lose the passion and drive to educate yourself, you'll inevitably lose the energy and purpose behind improving yourself both personally and professionally. I believe one has to recognize their strengths and areas of opportunity to be effective in the workplace. Without self-improvement, stagnation occurs. Focusing on improving my skills allows me to ensure that I'm in touch with how I'm bettering my ability to drive value.
Do you feel The Resource Group offers opportunities to self-improve?
Yes! The Resource Group offers many courses, programs, and resources for its associates to expand their knowledge and expertise through an internal skills development program called 'Accelerate U'. I've found significant benefit to joining Accelerate U courses that teach tactical skills (Negotiation & Presentation Building) and those that are focused on soft skills (Discover Your True North & Lead From Where You R).
What is really wonderful about all the courses offered is that they provide opportunities to learn from your peers. And because of this setup, unlike a typical class, I've learned more practical knowledge that I can apply in my day-to-day. Additionally, this setup pushes associates outside of their comfort zone without the pressure of being perfect.
It seems like you are naturally inclined to take advantage of self-improvement opportunities. Do you have any advice for those who struggle with this?
I do find that my curiosity drives me to uncover the unknown. But I've had moments of plateau in my self-improvement endeavors, especially when I lacked motivation in other areas of life (example: college). However, in these moments, I find an acute awareness of ourselves allows us to welcome misalignment as an opportunity to better understand what we need.
A great starting point for anyone struggling with making room for self-improvement/continuous education to hone in on passion within their hobbies (aka, find the sparks in your life)! Because bettering yourself shouldn't ever feel like a chore. Do you enjoy taking photographs of the sunset? Watching The Weather Channel? Cheering on your daughter at her basketball game? Those are examples of sparks, and learning what they are is the first step in being able to fuel them.
