Investing in yourself is one of the best things that you can do, and with a new year beginning it is the perfect time to make a commitment to it. When you take charge of your own personal development (whether it be for personal or professional reasons), you are taking responsibility for your own happiness and creating your own circumstances.
It doesn’t matter where you are in your life or career – whether you are new to the workforce or a seasoned pro, a student or retired – continual learning will help you grow, and feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment. It helps to keep your brain sharp too. Having a learning mindset will always keep you one step ahead of others who are determined to stay where they are and not learn anything new.
I am a big fan of online learning and MOOCS as it gives me the flexibility to learn in my spare time and where ever I may be (home, on the road or even at work). I love sharing great resources when I come across them too. The first course that I completed this year is called How To Function Above Entry Level from Concordia University Wisconsin. Best of all this course is free! (I love when I find great learning tools that anyone can use because cost should not prohibit anyone from learning and growing.)
This mini course is for everyone – regardless of your level or position. We are all considered ‘entry level’ in our lives and careers at various stages. If you are new to a job you are starting from an entry level position. Arguably even if you get a promotion or change jobs you are starting from an entry level position. Even if you have many years experience behind you when you take on something new that you have never done before you are at the ‘entry level’. This mini course is designed to help put you on the path to mastering:
(1) internal and external forces affecting how you think, recognizing;
(2) emotional intelligence and social intelligence factors giving you a better understanding of how you self-lead, and;
(3) examining 10 key areas in your life important in moving you above entry level.
This mini course helps you to create your own strategy to get from point A to B and achieve your goals, stand out and function above entry level.
This course takes about a week to complete, and is only an investment of 3-4 hours of your time. That is nothing…instead of binge watching the latest show on Netflix use the time to invest in yourself. The payoff is better!
Once you sign up for How To Function Above Entry Level, you will receive a welcome email and three lessons which are emailed to you, plus a thank you email once you complete the lessons. The lessons consist of essays, videos, interactive polls, and journals for you to download. All the content is taken from Concordia University Wisconsin’s 100% online one year Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Administration.
The course is designed to help you develop and master your own self-leadership and is broken down into the following 3 segments:
Lesson 1 – Emotional and Social Intelligence
Both emotional intelligence and social intelligence are vital in functioning above entry level. There is a circular relationship; a hermetical circle if you will, necessary for the commingling of these abilities, attributes, and skills. Social interaction enhances intellect; intellect enhances emotion; emotion enhances social interaction, and so on.
The other 2 lessons focus on internal and external factors that influence self-leadership.
Drive is a funny thing. We call it motivation. Initiative. Whatever moniker you attach to it, one has to realize there are influencers; internal and external forces driving and affecting what you believe and feel.
Lesson 2 – Internal Forces
This section goes through the four internal forces that weigh upon us as we go through life and make decisions about our future: Natural reward; Thought self-leadership; Emotion regulation; and Personality.
Lesson 3 – External Forces
The last lesson provides the understanding on how external forces contribute to your well-being. This involves recognizing training, leadership, and national culture.
Will you join me this year on a journey of self-leadership, improvement and learning? I encourage to take this mini course to start of the year and tell me what you think of it!
Learning never exhausts the mind. ~ Leonardo da Vinci
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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