Continuous Learning - Staying ahead of the game
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last updated: 26 May 2009
Not so many
years ago I bought a top-of-the-range IBM laptop with the fastest processor
and largest memory on the market. I replaced it this April with
a machine that cost half the price.
The old laptop lacked wireless so I couldn’t write e-mails in the airport lounge; the battery died halfway to JFK; and I fell asleep waiting for Excel to load. More than suitable when I bought it, the IBM was no longer fit for its purpose.
Similarly, the skills that we acquire to perform in our careers also become obsolete. Last year’s highest-grossing sales executive struggles to manage her newly acquired team; the banker who excelled in London is not so sure-footed in Shanghai; and the star analyst downsized last week discovers that his sector is sadly lukewarm.
Indeed, the more successful you are, the quicker your job is likely to evolve, especially in turbulent markets. Skills, knowledge and strategies that in the past served well must be updated or replaced to satisfy new needs. Such upgrades have to be made continuously - and often in advance of actual demand - if competitive advantage is to be sustained.
Fortunately, one benefit of a cerebral cortex that resembles an over-sized pickled walnut is man’s ability to adapt. While the career needs and learning style of each individual differ, five manageable steps help you to stay ahead of the game:
About the author: Graham Millington is an executive coach. Specialising in the financial services industry, he enables senior managers to accelerate their personal and professional performance.
Similarly, the skills that we acquire to perform in our careers also become obsolete. Last year’s highest-grossing sales executive struggles to manage her newly acquired team; the banker who excelled in London is not so sure-footed in Shanghai; and the star analyst downsized last week discovers that his sector is sadly lukewarm.
Indeed, the more successful you are, the quicker your job is likely to evolve, especially in turbulent markets. Skills, knowledge and strategies that in the past served well must be updated or replaced to satisfy new needs. Such upgrades have to be made continuously - and often in advance of actual demand - if competitive advantage is to be sustained.
Fortunately, one benefit of a cerebral cortex that resembles an over-sized pickled walnut is man’s ability to adapt. While the career needs and learning style of each individual differ, five manageable steps help you to stay ahead of the game:
- Ask people you trust for candid feedback on your performance
- Enjoy your success, but don’t let it blind you to new opportunities
- Participate in professional associations and networking groups
- Read about your industry with an eye on future developments
- Be open-minded: sheep-farming may be more fun than sales-trading after all
About the author: Graham Millington is an executive coach. Specialising in the financial services industry, he enables senior managers to accelerate their personal and professional performance.
