January 2026 | The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine 17
Part 1:“ Sharpening the Saw” – Not Just for Lumberjacks
Faced with constant challenges, changing technologies, and a fluid environment, executives must continually broaden their perspectives and strive for continual professional executive development. Continuing( or Continuous) Professional Development can be broadly defined as any type of learning that is undertaken which increases your knowledge, understanding and experiences of a subject area or role. It is the means by which professionals maintain the knowledge and skills related to their professional lives. It helps keep an individual aware of advances in their profession and enhances their knowledge and capabilities. It also helps the individual advance in their career paths and gain knowledge in certain areas over a span of time.
Perhaps the most famous champion of continuing professional development was Dr. Stephen Covey. Habit # 7 in his The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is called“ Sharpen the Saw.” Covey writes of meeting someone who has been sawing down a tree for more than 5 hours. When it was suggested that they take a break and sharpen their saw so the job might go faster they tell reply they do not have time to sharpen the saw because they ' re too busy sawing. While the“ Sharpening the Saw” concept goes beyond professional development per se, Covey’ s concept of self-improvement can be described as a never-ending upward spiral of‘ Learn, Commit, Do’.
By the way, this is not just for those“ on the way up” the ladder of their profession – it is equally true for professionals with many years of experience in the workplace. Continuing professional development is important because it ensures you continue to be competent in your profession. It is an ongoing process and continues throughout a professional ' s career. It keeps you at the top of your game. You owe this not only to yourself, but also to your employer, as well as all of those you serve, protect, and lead.
The critical importance of professional competence in an organization’ s leaders is not confined to any particular industry or field.
For instance, not long ago, leadership development consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman published the results of a study they conducted on the skills that leaders need to succeed in their current positions.