Some while ago I wrote an article on the fact that most managers spend more on their daily coffee than they do on their own management development. I thought at the time that this would cause a few raised eyebrows. I also hoped that people would realise that it does not take that much money to make a difference in one’s own development. Clearly I was wrong!
I have been doing some very casual research recently regarding how much people are prepared to spend. The general answer is very little. A rather more comprehensive review shows that the extremes are vast. I have met with people who are investing many $000s (these are the very rare exceptions, by the way) and many who consider it an cost and spend nothing at all.
I have also discovered that it is the people who are employed who spend the least. They have a mindset that it is their employers responsibility to ensure that they are developed well enough for the role they perform. In ‘transactional analysis’ language this is called a child:parent relationship, with the employee not taking responsibility for their actions. The ideal relationship is adult:adult, by the way.
I had firsthand experience of this a few weeks ago when I was attending a business seminar with about 200 other people. One of the people I met praised one of my publications saying how useful it is and it had really helped in his new role. I was delighted with the feedback and asked him where he had got a copy from. Apparently his manager had passed the publication to him. A few minutes later we were joined by the manager who had passed over his copy of the publication I had gifted to him a year or so before. I tease and remarked that in his new senior position couldn’t he have afforded to buy a new copy for his more junior colleague…..it is only £5.
Apparently their budgets do not stretch to this sort of expenditure, something I was rather shocked about in view of the size of the business. I also teased that he could have purchased a copy himself and passed it over……
Well, I am writing this article in a Cotswold tea room. The cost of afternoon tea is £7.95, not an unreasonable price in this day and age, and in such a beautiful part of Britain. I am sure many people think little of indulging in this short lived luxury. Sadly it seems that few see the £5 as a whorthwile investment in their mind. Interesting!
As Benjamin Franklin said “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”
So a thought or two to ponder:
- Is your afternoon tea more important that an investment in yourself?
- If your employer is not providing for your development, who is?
- If you are not developing yourself at what point does your value in the market place start to diminish?
- …..and at what stage do you start to be unemployable?
Some tough questions I am sure. You could mouse click here to have a peep at the growing range of publications all written to help in your own personal and management development.
Now anyone for tea?
My best wishes,
Peter
