Two important questions: Are you professionally prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of whatever the future unfolds? What are you doing to enhance your ability to be more intentional and action- oriented about creating the future you find most desirable? j I worry sometimes that daily demands have become so insidious in most organizations that professional development and renewal have been relegated to something done every now and then instead of something institutionalized in the regular routine of an organization. The popular media has been awash in recent months with stories of harried professionals who feel they are too busy to take a vacation or too tied to work to cut the office umbilical cord when they finally take the time for a little relaxation.

We're not going to have the staying power necessary to create the futures we can envision if we aren't adequately updating both our knowledge and skills, as well as our stamina and capacity. If the classroom three R's are reading, writing, and 'rithmetic, then the career classroom three R's have to be: rethink, refresh, and recharge … and on a routine and regular basis. Rethink what success looks like, what programs, services, and efforts matter most, and what actions should be taken to achieve our goals. Refresh our knowledge of trends and tactics so our efforts are timely and relevant. Recharge our batteries so we have the energy and capacity to sustain ourselves appropriately.

Take Bite-Sized Chunks
We often fall into the trap of viewing professional development and renewal episodically (something we do in big blocks of time every now and then), which becomes overwhelming. But there are plenty of opportunities to make the three R's part of our weekly (if not daily) routines.

In my first association job, our phones were live from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, but the workday actually began at 8 a.m. with a daily all-staff gathering. It wasn't a formal staff meeting so much as it was a chance to connect with our dozen colleagues, to provide any updates others needed to know, and quickly discuss any priorities for the day. Frequently, individuals who had recently attended a class or conference would share ideas and insights. Other bite-sized professional development moments included a show-and-tell segment, article discussions, or speed brainstorming around our core value and major goals.

So while I am excited we have the chance to learn what industry leaders think about the future in this issue of Convene, I'm most interested in seeing how all of us can become part-time futurists in our own organizations and efforts. We need to stop lamenting the time we don't have to engage in our own development and renewal. Only have 15 minutes today? That's plenty of time to read a blog on industry trends, scan the latest issue of a trade publication, call knowledgeable colleagues and pick their brain on an issue, do some brainstorming on a particular program or service, or listen to a podcast.

Older computer screens and plasma television screens carried the ghosts of previously displayed images if the screens weren't refreshed regularly (that's why screen savers were invented). Don't run the risk of becoming a Plasma Screen Professional: Take every opportunity to rethink, refresh, and recharge.

°Jeffrey Cufaude is a former higher education administrator, meeting planner, and association executive. He currently writes, speaks, and facilitates on a variety of individual and organizational leadership issues.

Learn more about his work at www.ideaarchitects.org. To submit topic ideas and feedback on the Leading Learning column, e-mail jeffrey@ideaarchitects.org. Convene's Leading Learning series is sponsored by AVW TELAV. Visit its Web site at www.avwtelav.com.