Are you more invested in developing new skills or developing new perspectives?  Many development professionals seek to acquire new skills.  However, developing new perspectives makes you a truly valuable professional.

Developing a skill may help you write a tighter, more effective phonathon script.  Developing a new perspective would encourage you to integrate your social media, direct mail, and phoning strategy.

Developing a skill might help you format a major gift solicitation proposal.  Developing a new perspective may give you the sense of when (if at all) the donor should receive the written proposal.

Skills help us complete tasks.  Perspectives help us better understanding what tasks we should complete and how we should complete them.

We develop new skills through formal learning opportunities – conferences, workshops, webinars are examples.  We develop new perspectives through relationships, typically with experienced mentors.

Mechanics are known for their skills.  Artists are known for their perspectives.  We need both.  But each serves different purposes.

Which do you want to be?