The Sooner You Start a Continuous Development Journey, the Better

Editor’s note: This article is the last in a series of three written by emerging professionals for emerging professionals. The first article was about building a strong career foundation; the second was on creating your personal brand and networking.

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Embracing continuous development does not make emerging professionals unique. All professionals, regardless of their level of experience and tenure, benefit from doing so.

However, given the compounding principle and knowing when to prioritize development over execution (and vice versa), emerging professionals are more likely to benefit long-term from prioritizing continuous development than those whose careers have spanned decades.

Learning to Invest

Albert Einstein is credited with saying: “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.”

Although he was talking about the effect on financial growth, the same principle applies to the development of emerging professionals. (See chart below.)

The Dynamics of Compound Development

The essence of compound development is that the earlier you start being intentional or conscious about your development and the more you invest in it, the more likely you are to reach professional success.

There is always “earlier” and there can always be more; it’s up to you to determine when you start and how much is suitable for your goals and aspirations.

Development and Execution

Navigating the balance between development and execution can be tricky for emerging professionals. Over-prioritization of development can lead to a lack of trust in certain interactions or the inability to perform when push comes to shove. But an over-prioritization of execution can lead to short-sightedness or a lack of comprehension and application.

In the heat of the moment, like a negotiation with a supplier, you are likely to prioritize execution over professional development, as the situation demands accuracy and focus. But at other times, like when you’re working on a report that is due in a week, consider development as well.

Taking the time to ask yourself and others about the project’s context and variables, and why it’s important, indicates a clear development prioritization. Feedback (from others) and reflection (from yourself) are fundamental to your development.

It’s important to know when it is the right time to prioritize development over execution, or execution over development. You get bonus points if you find a way to effectively blend the two.

Development comes in many shapes and sizes, through (1) firsthand or secondhand experiences, (2) conscious and unconscious comprehension, (3) reflection, independently or with a peer, (4) direct application or (5) supplemental resources. A development mindset can help elevate all professionals to the peaks of their careers. For emerging professionals, the prioritization of development can help us achieve our full potential.

Flexing Communication Styles

Development also can extend to communicating effectively. In today’s job market, emerging professionals must have the ability to work cross-generationally.

Five generations are currently employed in the job market. Two of the most effective ways to collaborate across these generations are through strong communication skills and leading technological innovations in your workplace. The combination of these two skill sets will kick-start an emerging professional’s career.

Situational awareness is a key to being able to communicate effectively. Due to the variety of work environments in the supply management profession, there is no standard for communicating effectively within your teams. However, the ability to identify different situations and understand the tone and response required will set an emerging professional apart from peers. Working effectively across five generations starts with adapting how you communicate.

First, confirm a shared understanding for the topic and situation at hand; don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions. Then, take time to understand your colleagues’ preferences — get to know them personally, ask questions, listen fully and don’t just respond. This will help you pick up on the tone and speed in which they handle situations. Some colleagues value lengthy and detail-oriented emails, others respond best to brief updates via quick chats or instant messages.

Lastly, some colleagues may prefer to set up an in-person/virtual meeting or phone call. Regardless of the form, use clear, jargon-free language.

Most importantly, listen actively and ask clarifying questions. By flexing your style to the audience, you build trust, reduce friction and accelerate decisions — improving your impact on interactions with those around you.

Leading Technology Innovation

Emerging professionals can bridge generational strengths by championing practical technological improvements that solve real problems. Start small — don’t introduce a revolutionary technology on the biggest or newest project but gain trust through how fast you work.

Can you craft an email, slide presentation or spreadsheet that saves time or creates efficiencies? Once you do so, measure its impact on the quality or time it takes to do the work. Then, using your communication skills, train colleagues on how to do the same in their roles.

Ask your peers for feedback to understand their perspectives and uncover new opportunities. This will help build trust and will open the door to exploring new technologies.
Focus as much on adoption as on innovation — technologies you introduce should be proven, practical and easy for others in the company to learn. Otherwise, it will be difficult to gain support when you try to pivot or roll out something new.

By leading with clear outcomes, valuing others’ experience, and ensuring technology is accessible to everyone, you unlock team‑wide productivity and establish yourself as a credible change agent.

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By communicating clearly and effectively, you will earn the trust needed to build relationships in the workplace. Leveraging these relationships, you will be able to collaborate across generations in your workplace.

The key to standing apart as an emerging professional is to introduce time-saving technologies and leverage your colleagues’ experience to learn how to serve your team. Once you can communicate effectively and lead technological innovations within your team, you are on the road to a successful start as an emerging professional.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Mathisworks)