Strategies and tactics for improving professionalism and gaining exposure to other departments
The strategy set forth aims to enhance professionalism and foster cross-departmental exposure within an organization. It involves creating a professional development plan, emphasizing skills identification, enrolling in relevant courses, and seeking feedback. For example, one action item suggests attending annual seminars, which could boost one’s knowledge in specific areas. Monthly professional goals assist in tracking progress.
Additionally, the strategy includes engaging in cross-departmental projects. By volunteering for committees or proposing collaborative initiatives, employees can gain insights into other teams’ operations, thus broadening their organizational understanding. Participating in such projects enhances adaptability and promotes teamwork.
Finally, leveraging internal communication tools helps in connecting with peers across departments. By updating profiles on internal networks and engaging in forums, employees can increase their visibility and share their success stories. This engagement also fosters a culture of recognition and collaboration, making cross-departmental communication more effective.
The strategies
⛳️ Strategy 1: Develop a professional development plan
- Identify key competencies and skills needed for professionalism within the organisation
- Research available courses or workshops that enhance professional skills
- Allocate weekly time for self-study and skill improvement
- Seek feedback from peers and superiors on current professional skills
- Set monthly goals for professional development progress
- Join a professional network or group related to your field
- Read industry-relevant books or articles weekly
- Attend at least one professional conference or seminar annually
- Prepare a presentation on a relevant topic for a team meeting
- Review and update professional development plan quarterly
⛳️ Strategy 2: Engage with cross-departmental projects
- Identify ongoing projects in other departments where skills may be applied
- Volunteer for cross-departmental committees or task forces
- Attend departmental meetings open to all employees
- Initiate informational interviews with colleagues in different departments
- Seek a mentor from another department
- Propose a collaborative project involving multiple departments
- Offer to lead a cross-departmental workshop or training session
- Regularly communicate with a liaison from each department
- Document and share learnings from cross-departmental experiences
- Reflect monthly on what has been learned from different departments
⛳️ Strategy 3: Leverage internal communication tools and networks
- Regularly update personal profile on internal networks like intranet or Slack
- Subscribe to newsletters or communication channels of other departments
- Share successes and insights on internal communication platforms
- Participate in forums or discussion groups within the company
- Recognise and respond to other departments' successes and milestones
- Initiate virtual coffee chats with employees from various departments
- Create a blog post or article for the company’s internal newsletter
- Actively contribute in companywide meetings or townhalls
- Request for an introduction to department leaders from your manager
- Track the impact of internal networking activities on professional growth
Bringing accountability to your strategy
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your strategy.
