Learning is the New Black

A couple of months ago, I was approached by a colleague who is a senior leader in charge of the manufacturing operations. She was enrolled into a cross-function and cross-country project team for a new product launch and would like to get my help with the communications strategy.

I gladly agreed to help her out because she has always been a female leader that I admire and respect.

Following our initial conversations, we had a few 30 minute pre-scheduled meetings and a couple of casual lunch meetings to discuss her project progress and the challenges and bottlenecks that I could provide guidance with from a marketing communication perspective.

Throughout the process, what truly amazes me is her strong willingness to learn, to take ownership of the project and her eagerness to see the success of her team’s work.

When I first outlined the communication strategies for her, she puzzled and frowned because everything (including the framework and the terms) was new and foreign to her. As I explained in details and in depth, she started to smile and then felt relieved as she realized that she had greatly grasped the concept and now she could easily build a communications one-pager for the project all by herself.

So, here are the moral of today’s story and I’m sure you know it better than I do, because you are all brilliant readers out there. 👍😃

– Leverage resources. If you have a support system or network, find ways to use them. Everyone on this planet has something unique to offer. It’s a shortcut if you know how to effectively leverage other people’s wisdom and knowledge to advance your work, but do remember: you need to offer your resources and expertise as well. It’s never a one way road. Win-win solutions are the sustainable ones.

– Remember: no questions are stupid questions. So, just go ahead and ASK!

– To learn, you will need to get out of your comfort zone. It’s really easy to just sit in your own comfort couch and sip on a glass of wine, but let me tell you sister, if you don’t stand up and run to catch the next train, you will be forever left to sit in that couch. Step up, step out, and go see the external world. All you need is a bit of courage and curiosity.

– Share and recognize your progress. While you are making progress with your learning, don’t forget to pause and take a few minutes to share your joy with others. It’s a rewarding experience.

My colleague is exactly the type of individual that possesses all these great qualities. People like her are risk-takers, life-long students, high achievers and the poster-children for fortitude.

Tomorrow is the day to learn something new. Are you ready? 📚📖🔖