Vision-Setting and Professional Development – Session II

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Getting started with your vision

GOALS

Understanding the concept of vision-setting, and its contribution to career advancement.

Going through key steps in the process of formulating a vision statement.

In this training, you will work in groups to go through the process of developing a personal development plan. The process includes 4 steps:

1. Defining your vision

2. Defining your current reality

3. Defining your key strategy

4. Defining your plan of action

Session 2 will focus on the first step. Vision-setting is essential for professional growth and career advancement, and something that most successful people have in common. Vision-setting is very important as it will:

 Guide you in identifying what steps to take next;

 Motivate you and make you more productive at work; and

 Make you feel responsible for your own professional growth.

Remember, it is important not to rush when you create a vision for your career, and to regularly go back and review the vision to ensure it stays adequate. Make sure to keep your vision nearby so that you can read it often and be inspired in your everyday life.

8 questions to better understand what matters to me in my career

As a group, read aloud the eight questions in the table on the next page to make sure everyone understands and then;

1) Individually write down the answer to each question that first comes to your mind.

2) As a group, discuss your responses and whether it is important to consider these aspects when planning your career or not.

THINGS THAT MATTER TO ME IN MY SCHOOL LIFE:

1. What academic activity do you love most about your school?

2. What are simple things that you do every day that make you feel satisfied in school?

3. What keeps you motivated on a day-to-day basis at school?

4. When was the time that you felt most successful about school?

5. How would you define success in school other than getting good grades?

6. In your studies, who do you admire most? Why?

7. What kind of student do you want to become?

8. What impact would you like to have in your career?

What else matters to me in my career

Continue as a group and discuss what other aspects matter to you when planning your career, e.g. work life balance, family. Do you think that you need to consider these aspects when planning your career?

On my graduation day

Imagine it is your graduation day and your school has organized a graduation lunch in honour of the students that are graduating. During the lunch, several of your friends will stand up to say a few words. Think about their speeches. What would you want them to say about you?

1) Individually, list at least five things that you would want your friends to say about you and your high school years.

For example, “Carol has truly been a great teammate”.

2) Share the list with the rest of the group and explain why you want your friends to say those things about you.

Creating a vision board

Below, you can find examples of a vision board. A vision board is a tool used to build a collage of words and pictures that represent your goals and dreams. In this step, you will work individually to complete a vision board that captures what you want your own career to be like.

1) Use a blank piece of paper and available material such as pens to draw pictures and write messages, pictures from magazines, etc., to complete your own vision board on the paper.

2) Make sure to interact with the rest of the group and discuss the vision boards throughout the exercise. Think about the previous exercises that you have done as part of this session and the insights that they have given you!

a) When you have all finished, take turns and share your vision board with the rest of the group. Explain the different pictures and what they represent to you.

If you want to, you can also take a picture of your vision board when you are done and share it with the ILO. Just send it in an email to visionboard@ilo.org.

Novita IBM