WORKLIFE GUIDANCE TOOLBOX
Exercise: The tree of professional growth
Tree of professional growth is a simple tool to be used by career counsellors, managers, HR specialists and other key personnel involved in employees career counselling process. The purpose of the task is to recognize values, competences and achievements on a career path as well as enable and ease the conversation about the individual’s wishes and hopes about his/her career path in the future.
About the exercise
This is a simple drawing and writing task for the person to be counselled (client). This suits well for those in employment, but also for those in a transition phase of career. This tool is as it's best when used in one-to-one counselling session. The tool gives managers and supervisors courage to talk about careers with employees. The tree can work as a starting point to more profound career discussions.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the exercise participants will be able to:
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Identify own values, competences and achievements related to his/her career
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Formulate own wishes and hopes for the future
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Discuss the current situation and future development
Instructions
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Review the picture of the tree and explain the exercise (see PDF handout: The tree of professional growth)
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Give the individual an A3 paper and colour pencils. Ask him/her to draw a tree (you can give task paper as an example).
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Ask the individual to write down answers in the drawing for the questions addressed in the task paper. Allow enough time and space to consider and think things through.
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When the individual is ready, you can start asking questions about the drawing.
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Could you please tell me about 1) the roots / 2) the trunk / 3) the leaves of the tree, what have you written there and what are your thoughts about it? (If you know your client very well, you can point out things he/she has forgotten, in a way that he/she feels supported, valued and empowered.)
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Could you please tell me about the sun, what have you written there and what are your thoughts about it?
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Could you now please tell me about the top and branches of the tree: What have you written down, what do you think about it? What kind of hopes and wishes do you have in the near future, that could enhance your professional growth and development towards the sun, your dreams?
Case
A manager of a preschool used this task with her employees in a developmental discussion. The manager stated that the drawing and writing task gave an employee enough time to think about important issues at work and his/her career before discussing it with the manager.
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