I was on a Zoom meeting recently with someone in my network.
Both of us had a similar route into work at 15 or 16 with basic qualifications.
Despite that we both got professional qualifications and did alright in our respective careers.
One thing we spoke about was the importance of having others you can learn from.
You might view them as role models or maybe mentors.
I recall my very first boss. He was a pretty unique individual in 1980.
Not only did he take a genuine interest in helping others in their role, he actually went out of his way to help others succeed.
I can still remember him encouraging me to take a look at the local college prospectus with a view to getting an accounting qualification.
When I decided to go to night school he helped me to get the right practical experience.
I also watched how he handled different situations which helped me to start developing my interpersonal skills.
Throughout my career in accounting, I was always really keen to make sure that I learned from others who were particularly skilled or had really positive behaviours.
It’s only when you look back you realise how much you can learn from others.
Yes workshops, books, videos and conferences are great.
At the same time often our biggest learning comes from learning from others.
So ask yourself, who in your network could you really learn from?