Turns Out I’m Not Done Learning

Good morning, afternoon, or evening! (depending on what time you're reading this!)

Another week complete, another week begins and here's what's been on my mind…

I've been doing myself a disservice when it comes to development.

Which is weird because this is what my whole life used to be about and something I spent pretty much all my time on, learning, growing, and developing.

Now this isn't to say I'm not currently growing, it's more that all my learning is somewhat reactive and a result of things I'm currently doing, as opposed to proactive where I'm intentionally investing time into my own development.

The reality is I've been so busy doing, I've neglected learning.

This is an absolute recipe for disaster, because it's down to all the learning I've done previously that I can do what I can do, but that moment that stops, things become stagnant, and as the saying goes: ‘If you’re not growing, you're dying'.

An example I can give you is around coaching.

This is where I started, and in reality is the foundation of all the work I do now, however since I became accredited I can honestly say I've invested minimal time into improving, almost as if my mindset has been ‘I can do that now, I don't need to learn anymore', which genuinely upsets me to write!

It's the same with my Head of People and Culture work.

At the beginning of that journey I spent so much time learning, developing and upskilling myself, and now I'm so in the flow of that work, I've not created the opportunity to look up and find some new and novel information that will help me.

I am realising that you either work with what you've got and eventually things will become stagnant, or you can continue to inspire yourself through learning which will keep things flowing in the best way.

The reason I would give you for not spending more time developing myself is that I'm busy, which is rubbish, it's just that I've not thought about it and it's not been a priority.

I've also recognised this in my personal life, and the easiest example is with my relationship.

Prior to my relationship I did so much personal development around relationships, ensuring I was ready when the right one arrived, however since I've been in mine, that same passion for proactively making things better has dwindled,  and I'm starting to realise that this idea of development is arguably more important during the relationship than prior to it.

It's not like it's hard to keep learning and growing because we have a wealth of resources around us like books, podcasts, seminars, 121's, and we are at a time where it's never been easier to access information.

I know that what I really need is my own PDP (Personal development plan), and the reason for this is because it will allow me to sit down, really think about where I want and need to grow and put a solid plan in place.

By creating a PDP, it also shows that I'm actually prioritising this, the next tasks just becomes sticking to it and ensuring it works alongside the doing of my actual job, because in all fairness, this work is a huge part of my job.

I mean I've always thought that anyone in a manager role should be able to utilise time in their working day to read leadership books, knowing how much value that can bring, however the expectation is that this is often left to be done in personal time, despite the fact it's clearly work.

In hindsight, I'm realising this could be a bit of a risky email to send as it makes it sound like I'm admitting that the work I do has been rubbish because I'm lazy and not bothered about growing, however that isn't the case.

I feel like I've caught this at the perfect time before any damage is done, but what I also know about myself is that I'm incredibly tough on myself, so I may be being a bit of a drama queen in how I describe my lack of development!

My plan this week is to ensure I've got a PDP in place, and I really encourage you to do the same.

Even if there's just one thing on it, it shows you want to invest time and energy in yourself to be better than you currently are, and that feels great. 

Good luck!

Quote for the week

“Personal development is the belief that you are worth the effort, time, and energy needed to develop yourself.”

- Denis Waitley

Recommendation

Underdogs - Narrated by Ryan Reynolds

Disney+

"Ryan Reynolds champions the underdogs of the animal kingdom. From pathetic animals with superpowers to nature's most ingenious con artists, Ryan uncovers many of Mother Nature's weird and wonderful misfits. With bizarre mating habits and shocking parenting strategies that involve being grosser than the next guy, it's clear these "weirdos" are the true heroes in the great saga of life."

This is a very funny and very easy watch, and I'm confident most of you will enjoy it.

It's your typical nature programme, but with the sarcastic and comedic narration of Ryan Reynolds, however the focus is as much on education as it is on amusement.

Something nice and easy for the evenings where you aren't sure what to watch!

Life Hack

Notion

'Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines note-taking, project management, and data organization into a single, customizable platform. It acts as a digital notebook, allowing users to capture thoughts, manage projects, and store information in a flexible and interconnected way. Think of it as a combination of a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database, all rolled into one.'

The reason I like this is because previously I was using so many different platforms for things that it was becoming a bit too chaotic, and this has brought everything together.

Before I was using Google Docs and sometime Microsoft Word for documents, I was using Notes on my phone, and I was using Asana for my To-do list.

Now, everything all sits neatly organised in one platform, even my personal stuff which is great!

It takes a while to get used to an is a bit of a time investment to set up, but it's absolutely worth it!

What do I do?

I’m Haydan, a people and culture specialist who helps teams grow, leaders lead, and businesses build great places to work.

Here’s how I support organisations:

🔹 Fractional Head of People & Culture - Strategic support for growing businesses, shaping people strategy, embedding values, and strengthening leadership and culture.

🔹 Coaching - I support a range of clients, from CEOs and business leaders to individuals on their own personal growth journey. This includes helping people develop their leadership style, improve work-life balance, build confidence, as well as start and grow their own businesses.

🔹 Workshops & Events - From leadership development to team away days, I create practical, engaging sessions that encourage reflection, spark ideas, and create real progress.

🔹 Motivational Maps - As a Motivational Maps practitioner, I support businesses to understand what truly drives their people. Maps reveal the motivators behind performance, helping leaders improve engagement, communication, and team alignment.

📩 Want to chat about working together? You can DM me or drop me and email at info@haydanfirth.com

I hope you have a fantastic week, and I'll be back in your inbox next week!

Haydan