In the 20th century organization, people did not have to give too much attention to their own personal

development. Line managers and job descriptions make tasks and responsibilities clear. If training was
needed, the organization provided it. career progression was simple,. move up the Ladder one step at a
time restricting yourself to organizations that were in the same field.

In the 21st century things are likely to be different. People will be mad inside a matrix organization- that
means having a variety of people to report to. Empowerment will replace control. People will not rely on
organizations to provide them with job-specific training, instead they will take responsibility for their
own learning and development. Career progression will be based more on merit, and people will move
more freely between organizations and jobs. There will be more jobs in security, but people will see
multiple career paths as being open to them- not just a straight, corporate ladder. Learning will be
continuous.

The nature of managerial skills is also likely to change. Imagination and creativity will become more
important. People skills, such as teamworking and influencing will become much more necessary. The
ability to cope with change and complexity will be important. Sensitivity to cultural differences and
diversity will play a greater role

All of these points in the direction,. Self-managed personal development and continuous learning. Of
course, this approach has these problems. the day-to-day demands of the job can sabotage learning
opportunities. Lack of support from the line managers make impede progress. There are difficulties in
measuring the effectiveness of the process, but nevertheless the trend towards lifelong self-
development as career management tool seems unstoppable.