Last year I wrote a very popular blog about Personal Development plans for Category Managers. Here's the latest on how you can plan for your personal development in 2025.
Whether or not your business has a structured process for personal development, reflecting on your strengths and areas to build on is something that can be really valuable to Category Managers due to the breadth and scope of our roles.
Where to begin
Firstly you need to give yourself time and headspace to make a plan. Put some time aside to think about your skills and current strengths. Consider both your technical category skills and knowledge as well as soft skills. If you have a structured process, your manager may have some suggestions to build in and incorporate. Then consider areas you'd like to work on, that you could need for different roles, where you have gaps or things you really enjoy. The gaps could be something you have never been exposed due to the current nature of your work. Perhaps there is something you might like to learn more about.
It's not always about doing something new, you could take an area you excel at and decide to be even better at it. You could be great at presenting a shopper segmentation and want to make it even better. You could be excellent at range reviews but want to make them even more impactful. There's no reason why you can't take the approach of an athlete where you're already great and want to get even better.
How can you work towards your gaols? The 70:20:10 rule.
The 70-20-10 rule in learning and development is all about balance. It suggests that 70% of what we learn comes from on the job learning , 20% from interacting with others, and 10% from formal training. I would consider your development plan with a spread of these different areas. What can you learn from your job itself? Is there a project you could ask to work on that is new or different? What can you learn from someone in your team or wider business? What will you need to look outside your business to fill with formal training?
Books and Podcasts
If you enjoy reading, then books can form part of a development plan. Learning about the wider food system could be something you're interested to explore. I've previously made some suggestions on Sustainability and Food System books. Libraries are well stocked with business books and titles on the food system. I also tell people if you start reading a book that you aren't enjoying or it feels like its going to be hard to finish, you can decide to stop reading it. You are much better off finding the right thing for you. Audiobooks might be another route to explore if you prefer to listen to books.
If you enjoy podcasts, could find the time to listen to one about the food industry? Oh For Foods Sake covers a great breadth of food industry topics, often including personal development. There are also special guests with experience across the food industry offering unique insights. Car journeys, travelling, cooking, exercising or going to the gym are perfect times you could utilise your time to listen to a podcast (or audiobook).
Hot Topics - Sustainability, AI and Digital
Do you understand more about your category and the role it will need to play on the road to Net Zero? Do you know how AI is going to impact the ways of working in your role and your customers? Do you understand the growing role of social in decision making? Getting on top of what is around the corner in the food industry has real value. These topics would have value to the learning journey of a whole category or marketing team if you're in a large business but there is no reason why learning more about these areas can't be on your own development plan.
Formal Training and Category Upskilling
Is there a gap in your knowledge? Is that gap to do with a customer, a category, how to execute a piece of work? A data system? How to manage or approach a topic? Is it feasible for you to swap retail accounts with a member of your team or swap product categories? Could you work on a project? Would spending time with an experienced category professional help fill the gap?
Alternatively, are there courses that can help fill your knowledge gaps and offer structured learning about category management. These are typically one or two days of training in a group. If you work in a large enough business you may also have access to your own internal category management training programme.
What else could you do? Here are some other ideas:
Get closer to the factory to understand production
Develop soft skills and confidence through coaching, check out Fearless Foodies
Attend events and conferences such as IGD conferences or Trade Shows
Close Knowledge gaps through peer support
Data system refresh, your providers may provide online resources or offer one to one sessions
Working on a specific customer you've not covered before to increase the breadth of your experience
Curious Puffin Tools and Packages
I offer carefully curated training support based on my years' of experience in the food industry, to support your Category Management role:
Category Management workbook
The workbook has key templates and guides to support day to day work of Category and Commercial Managers with templates and one pagers to analyse and understand your market Range Review Masterclass
This is a self-paced course guides you through the essentials of conducting a Range Review, with five modules featuring several presentations.
Power Hours
These are completely flexible and tailored to your needs to focus on your specific learning or support needs.
Category Management Success Package
This money saving package includes the workbook, range review masterclass and five hours one to one support with me.
What now? Start on your plan
Click here to find a free template to download and print off to start thinking about your strengths and the areas you will develop in 2025.
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