DEVELOPMENT
Of course , that sounds completely overwhelming because who ’ s got the time and energy , especially after the past few years , to embark on a regiment of learning ? But what if constant learning wasn ’ t a project or a one-off endeavour but a matter of consistent small steps ? What if the never-ending doctorate was a game of inches ?
Here are five places to start …
The never-ending doctorate
The truth is we don ’ t know everything and we never will . But improving yourself , advancing your career and being the best EA you can be is a sure-fire way to come close ! It just requires constantly learning , tweaking your skills and adding to your knowledge and experience , says Nigel Collin
THE EXPERT
Nigel Collin is a change and leadership expert helping people and organisations make change happen through small consistent steps . He is author of ‘ Game of Inches ’, an Internationally recognised keynote speaker and executive coach .
Over the years I ’ ve had the opportunity of interviewing hundreds of successful people from all walks of life – be they executive leaders , Olympians , community leaders , artists or EAs – and one of the common traits is that they understand the importance of continuous learning . I like to call it ‘ the never-ending doctorate ’ because you never get a piece of paper at the end . It ’ s not a formal degree – it ’ s a mindset .
Figuratively enrolling in the never-ending doctorate is about learning to do things better and learning to be better , both professionally and personally . There ’ s no formal enrolment or curriculum , just a desire to learn new things and to be open to new ways of thinking and new perspectives .
You need to be curious and inquisitive then ask questions and listen ( really listen ) to the answers . It happens through formal and informal education ; from the people you meet , the books you read and even the dance classes you take , on a daily consistent basis .
By doing There ’ s an amazing tourist destination in far North Queensland called Paronella Park . It ’ s a stunning property , once the home of Jose Paronella , and now an award-winning venue . However , Paranello Park is situated in a cyclone belt south of Cairns and owner Mark Evans has experienced a few . Each time he ’ s managed to get better and faster at cleaning up , rebuilding and reopening . I asked him once : “ How do you get through a cyclone ?” and he told me the only way you can get through a cyclone is to go through a cyclone . Top tip : It ’ s worth pausing and thinking about that !
By meeting people Have you ever attended a conference where the ‘ game-changer ’ learning didn ’ t come from the formal presentation and , instead , it came from a conversation with someone you met in the coffee line ? I ’ m endlessly amazed at what I learn from others – not just my peers or the people I know , but the people I just meet . Never underestimate what you can learn from a chance rendezvous with someone .
By devouring books , videos , podcasts and whatever comes next No doubt you ’ ve heard the expression that successful people are readers . True . However , in today ’ s world , you need to extend this idea from just books and journals to blogs , online platforms , videos and podcasts .
By formal education I ’ m a huge fan of formal , evidence-based education and , fortunately , advances in technology have made it much more accessible . Be it a postgraduate degree or a short course , there ’ s massive value in formal learning .
By learning something completely different Who said learning can only be about advancing your career and professional skills ? Why not learn something just because you want to , or for the fun of it ? And who knows , what you learn in a completely different sphere may help you as an EA . So , go on , enrol in that acting class or art class you ’ ve been tempted to try … S
www . nigelcollin . com . au
Autumn Issue 2022 | Executive PA 53