I'm not disagreeing with you. If its not a personal goal you are sort-of providing uncompensated value to your employer.

But I don't see it as bing HELD up as a personal goal. I read it more as IF it is your personal goal.

"Dev skills" are like a sport for some of us. You probably don't get paid to make three pointers on your friends playing basketball on weekends but would you find it so bizarre to work on improving your jump shot?

I was programming well before anyone was paying me to. I was just bored.