In America, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work, or about a quarter of his or her adult life. Job satisfaction, then, can have an enormous influence on quality of life. Unfortunately, many in the workforce will spend all or a portion of their work life feeling stagnant and lacking passion for their job. The choices organizational leaders make about staff development can influence the organization’s success. Being proactive and intentional about how professional learning opportunities are selected and incorporated into the learners’ professional lives will optimize the benefits for employers, employees, and the students, customers, or clients they serve. The topic of this book, proactive professional learning, is a way to create a rewarding, highly effective work environment that makes people want to get the most out of their work experience, and in doing so, optimize the effectiveness of the organization that employs them.

In America, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work, or about a quarter of his or her adult life. Job satisfaction, then, can have an enormous influence on quality of life. Unfortunately, many in the workforce will spend all or a portion of their work life feeling stagnant and lacking passion for their job. The choices organizational leaders make about staff development can influence the organization’s success. Being proactive and intentional about how professional learning opportunities are selected and incorporated into the learners’ professional lives will optimize the benefits for employers, employees, and the students, customers, or clients they serve. The topic of this book, proactive professional learning, is a way to create a rewarding, highly effective work environment that makes people want to get the most out of their work experience, and in doing so, optimize the effectiveness of the organization that employs them.