Stop Chasing Interesting. Start Choosing Impact.

Ed Buchanan, Senior Manager, Faculty Experience & Professional Development, Strayer University

The Reality: Too Much PD, Too Little Time

Books. Browsers. Seminars. Webinars. Lunch and learns. Conferences.

Lifetimes’ worth of information surrounds us, every minute of every day. From those oceans of content, how do we decide what is valuable and what is just noise?

The truth: professional development is abundant; attention and energy are not. Without a simple filter, smart people waste hours chasing “interesting” and miss what’s actually useful.

The Method: Intentionality in Three A’s

After almost two decades moving people from novice to knowing, I rely on a simple system for selecting the best professional development. Use it, borrow it, or wholesale steal it. What matters is using a filter that makes your growth more valuable.

What’s the method?

Intentionality.

It’s not enough to say you’re intentional. You need a lens that helps you decide fast and guilt-free. Mine is the Three A’s: Access, Applicable, and Aligned.

Access

This is the easiest of the three. I start with two questions: Do I have to pay extra for this, or is it included (or even free)? Can I realistically commit the time to attend?

Mini-Scenario: Free webinar at 2:00 a.m. with no recording? That’s an access problem. Not the right opportunity. Move on, no guilt.

“Wandering around in “knowledge catching” mode limits your ability to get better, faster. Use the Three A’s—Access, Applicable, Aligned—to choose opportunities on purpose.”

Micro-criteria: Cost/coverage, date/ time fit, recording available, travel vs. virtual.

Applicable

Applicability is trickier. For intentionality, I ask: Is this directly useful to me A) Now, B) Soon, C) Someday, D) Who knows?

I use this sliding scale to separate “do now” from “do later” and to beat FOMO. Would I like to attend all the lectures and presentations? Maybe. Can I? You already know the answer.

Micro-criteria: Immediate task or project? Upcoming initiative? Long-term skill? Curiosity only?

Aligned

Alignment is twofold.

First: Does this fit my professional goals and direction? Or is it just shiny?

Second: Does this match my values and brand?

Alignment to goals keeps me focused on the knowledge, skills and abilities that improve my work or make it more efficient, so I can spend more time on strategy. But values matter, too. Is the person or organization someone I’m proud to learn from? Would I post about this on LinkedIn? Or hesitate because I question the source?

Growth needs to be harnessed. If you can’t proudly own the learning, you won’t get the impact you need from your precious time.

Micro-criteria: Role/goal fit, team priorities, culture/values match, “LinkedIn-proud” test.

Taking Action

Wandering around in “knowledge catching” mode limits your ability to get better, faster. Use the Three A’s— Access, Applicable, Aligned—to choose opportunities on purpose. Spend less time trying to squeeze usefulness out of everything, and more time putting the right learning into action.

Try the 30-Second Filter

1. Access: Cost? Time? Recording?

2. Applicable: Now / Soon / Someday / Unknown

3. Aligned: Goals? Values? Brand-proud?

If it fails any one, pass with confidence. Define what qualifies for each “A,” give yourself permission to skip what doesn’t fit, and celebrate the learning you’re proud to amplify.

Test