This dissertation examines the similarities and differences between professional development practices in non-educational organizations and educational organizations. Non-educational organizations were representative of the business and corporate world, including private and public organizations. Educational organizations represented primarily secondary public schools in the Metropolitan Kansas City area. The study identified and defined eight key components that are essential for effective professional development in both organizations. The key components were identified as: continuous learning organization, funding, collaboration, time, feedback, evaluation of strategies, purpose/direct relationship, and individual versus organizational needs. The study interviewed individuals from both educational and non-educational organizations and scored their responses utilizing a scoring rubric of positive, neutral, or negative in relationship to the definition of each key component. The results of the study reveal a significant gap in practices in the areas of feedback, evaluation of strategies, and purpose/direct relationship. Individuals in non-educational organizations reported a stronger alignment to the defined best practice in each of the three components than individuals from the educational setting. In non-educational organizations, there is a much stronger understanding and ownership to the organization's mission, purpose and goals than in educational organizations. The study supports that in order to reach each organizations' "bottom line", individuals must have ownership in the decisions regarding their own professional development, professional development must be relevant to the individual's job they do and their must be a system in place that provides feedback on the new strategies, skills, techniques, or programs implemented.