When we can recognize that someone has something we want, we can watch or reach out to learn how they got it, whether it’s a skill, attitude, relationship, or material item. Taking the learning opportunity without jealously towards them for having, or resentment toward ourselves for lacking, enables us to continually better ourselves from a place of respect and joy.

Finding time for professional development is a big challenge. It feels indulgent to prioritize learning over getting a project done or serving customers. However, deprioritizing professional development may eventually lead to your team slipping below industry standards and producing mundane, uncompetitive work that erodes their reputation.