With thanks to all who are participating in my Weekend Polls, here are the results of this past weekend’s poll, which I’ve now closed. The focus of this past weekend’s poll:

What professional development opportunities have you undertaken in the past year?

The results: Blogs and professional associations topped your responses

… followed closely by magazine subscriptions and self-directed learning that is specific to respondents’ sectors.

It’s time for a little mea culpa; I failed to provide “yes” and “no” voting options for each aspect of professional development listed below, and so the results when you voted will have reflected the percentage of total votes any single aspect received, as opposed to the percentage of respondents who reported relying on that aspect of development. To try and provide a meaningful summary for you, I did the math the old fashioned way for each option … but I’ll recirculate this poll again in the next few weeks, with the opportunity to indicate “yes” or “no” for each individual option, to compare results.

Respondents turn to their peers, in the form of professional associations and blogs, to support their development

• 100% of respondents regularly participate in one or more professional associations
• 100% of respondents subscribe to one or more blogs

Also high on the list? Magazine subscriptions, self-directed or in-house learning, as well as workshops and conferences

• 93% of respondents subscribe to a magazine
• 93% of respondents engage in self-directed learning that is relevant to my industry or sector

• 86% of respondents participated in one or more workshops
• 86% of respondents participated in one or more conferences
• 86% of respondents read one or more books related to the profession
• 86% of respondents participated in in-house learning and development opportunities

A good portion of respondents are actively taking on leadership roles

• 75% of respondents facilitated one or more developmental sessions in-house or within a professional association
• 57% of respondents assumed a leadership role in one or more professional associations
• 57% of respondents served as a mentor or coach

When you consider that people from a number of different countries contribute to these Weekend Polls, an impressive percentage of respondents turn to social media and #adminchat for development. It’s right up there with certificate or other undergraduate studies.

•  33%participated in #adminchat
• 33% have been engaged in certificate or other undergraduate studies
• 27% have worked with a mentor or coach

Whatever the level of coursework, formal studies continue to play an important role in professional development.

• 14% have undertaken, or continued in, degree studies
• 13% have undertaken, or continued in, advanced degree studies
• 13% selected “Other” and commented, “Networking, business breakfasts, Twitter, LinkedIn, industry publication”