Level Up Your Resilience: Professional Development That Pays Off. Invest in Growth with TRI This March.

What if professional development didn’t feel like a box to check but something that lived in the rhythm of your workday?

As leaders, we often say that people are our greatest asset. But it’s one thing to say it… and another to intentionally create everyday opportunities that allow our teams to grow, thrive, and contribute more meaningfully.

I’ve seen firsthand how a culture of intentional learning not only makes work more fulfilling but also contributes measurable outcomes that ripple into retention, innovation, productivity, and even the bottom line.

One specific example comes to mind.

Years ago, a team member who worked as my assistant approached me with a goal: to transition into emergency management. She asked how she could begin building her skills and what educational pathways she should pursue. Instead of giving her a generic answer, we built a development plan together.

She attended FEMA training academies. We shifted responsibilities so she could take over management of the company’s Building Emergency Team program. She applied what she learned in real time.

Watching her growth was personally rewarding, but what was even more powerful was the organizational impact. She built a strong, engaged volunteer emergency response force that significantly enhanced our crisis readiness. The return on investment was substantial: improved preparedness, increased employee engagement, and stronger internal capability, all from a relatively small investment of time and resources.

It was a true win-win.

Why Investing in Growth Pays Dividends

Investing in training and development isn’t a “nice extra.” It is a strategic business decision.

Research supports what many of us intuitively know:

• A Harvard Business Online analysis found that companies investing in employee training experience 17% higher productivity and 21% greater profitability compared to those that do not prioritize development.

• Forbes recently reported on the Association for Talent Development's research, which found that organizations with comprehensive training programs report 218% higher income per employee and 24% higher profit margins than organizations that spend less on training. Finally,

• Gallup research consistently shows that organizations that prioritize employee development and engagement experience lower turnover and higher performance outcomes. Employees who strongly agree that they have opportunities to learn and grow are significantly more likely to remain with their organization.

The data is clear: professional development is not an expense line item; it is an ROI-positive investment that strengthens organizational resilience and long-term competitiveness.

Important to note: when employees see that their growth matters, that their workplace supports skill-building, advancement, and stretch opportunities, they are more likely to stay, innovate, and contribute at higher levels.

Everyday Ways to Build Development Into the Workday

These practical and simple strategies make professional development easy to weave into everyday work:

• Microlearning Moments: short, focused lessons, like a 5-10 minute video or reading during a break, can build skills without disrupting flow. This bite-sized approach to learning is gaining attention because it fits seamlessly into work lives and improves retention. Think about sharing a daily industry insight or a short tool tip morning message. These add up over time without overwhelming anybody.

• Reflective Routines: encourage team members to keep a lessons-learned journal, jotting down one insight or improvement idea each day. This simple habit turns everyday challenges and wins into professional growth moments.

• Lunch & Learn Sessions: set up informal learning during lunch once or twice a month. Invite internal speakers, share best practices, or explore career development topics, all while breaking bread together.

• Peer Learning & Mentoring: pair more experienced team members with those newer to a role. Mentoring builds skills, creates community, and translates tacit knowledge into everyday capability.

• Scheduled Learning Time: block out just 30 minutes a week for optional professional development. Whether it’s listening to a podcast, doing an online tutorial, or reading a relevant article, consistency matters more than length.

• Learning Goals in Check-Ins: during your regular one-on-ones, invite employees to share a learning goal, big or small, and check in on progress. This reinforces growth as part of work, not separate from it.

Kick Start Your Employees’ Growth:

In March, TRI is sponsoring two excellent opportunities to kickstart your employees' growth.

1. Critical Infrastructure and Protection North America Conference, March 10–12, 2026 • Baton Rouge, LA

TRI is excited to be an Executive Sponsor of this vital industry event focused on infrastructure protection and resilience. As part of the TRI network, enjoy a 20% discount on delegate registration. Use code RESI20 when booking. Connect with peers, explore cutting-edge technologies, and engage in critical conversations shaping the future of resilience. Our Board Chair, Joseph Threat, and our President & CEO, Andrea Davis, will share TRI’s insights on public-private partnerships and preparedness; you won’t want to miss it. Register here: https://ciprna-expo.com/

2.  The Resiliency Academy, March 25 & 26 • Virtual

Deepen your team’s resilience skills with practical, applied learning through The Institute’s Resiliency Academy. This two-day immersive development opportunity is designed to equip professionals with the tools and strategies to thrive in complex, real-world challenges. Enter friends&family at checkout for 25% off. Register here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-resiliency-academy-march2026.

Closing Thoughts: Growth Is a Practice, Not an Event

When development happens in the flow of work, it becomes part of who we are and how we perform. It builds confidence, improves performance, strengthens engagement, and contributes to a more resilient organization that can adapt and thrive.

At its best, professional development becomes a shared journey, one that leaders and teams travel together.

Happy learning!

— Andrea