The Teacher Is The Student

I’ve recently had the privilege and opportunity to share some knowledge internally with new employees at my place of business and externally at jewelry trade shows. One thing I’ve learned from these experiences is that I learn more from them than I share. When I share what I’ve learned I get much more in return. Here are a few things I have been reminded of, and taught, from sharing my thoughts with others:

I learn how much I don’t know. That allows me the craving and desire to learn more from those whom have different experiences, opinion and ideas.

While on a discussion panel, or training the new hire, I choose to listen and hear feedback of information which I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

I learn to go back to the basics. When someone new in our company needs a foundation in which to go by, I remind myself where I started and how important that is.

As I share what I did when I very first started in our company in 1996, I realize the important stuff. For one example: Getting to know the inventory by straightening and cleaning it. That is powerful stuff. When I walk into a retail store as a customer, and they know exactly where their inventory is, what they do or do not have, and can recommend suggestions as well, I am overly impressed.

I learn how much I get when I give it away. There is no simpler way to put it. If I try to do this all by myself, I have no chance of growing, evolving and advancing even further.

I call this “getting out of oneself”. I find it extremely gratifying to help others. Whether it benefits myself, our company or not at all makes no difference to me. Knowing that something you say or do can create a positive reaction in someone else’s world is the most rewarding feeling I think I ever experience in life.

I learn that I have my own voice, with a new twist on information I have gathered over the years and modified it to success (and failures) which have taught me so much. I can pass that on my own way, and hope someone someday does the same for someone else.

I suppose this would be called “coming into one’s own”. I had mentors come before me that taught me, gave me information, and wisdom in their own way and style. As I have had the experiences and consumption of it, and learning some along the way on my own…I get the privilege of putting my own spin on it for some else. Hopefully they pass part of me on, along with others they have listened and learned from, as well.

I learn that the learning process never ceases to stop. I can do so much and not take the time to share what I’ve absorbed.  I can cheat myself by not taking the time to pay it forward, and therefore not get the gift of starting the learning process over and over again.

Doing without sharing is not evolving and growing. Everything I share with others’ has the possibility of helping, teaching and even giving me differences of opinion I really need to hear. If I keep an open mind, I get the opportunity to take what I’ve learned and process what others input back, allowing growth leaps and bounds more that I could ever accomplish on my own.

I learn to listen. I can sure talk a lot. But, given the opportunity to consume more than I talk is something I cannot learn by myself. It is a social collaborative task and therefore must be practiced frequently. The hidden gems of information come from others, not myself.

I want to share with someone who talks more than I. Most of the time I get to be the student while teaching. I try to thought provoke, and therefore we have a discussion instead of a one way form of communication. Me spewing out data, facts and experiences is not the way for “us” to learn. I definitely think it’s a 2-way form of communication. Some I add value, some others do ten fold when the conversation gets ideas going.

So, as you can plainly see, I have learned several things by sharing my own school of hard knocks. Some are common sense and some are reminders, but in the end I have realized the more I have the ability to share, the more I get to be taught more back.

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments section down below about being the student as the result of sharing your knowledge. It is something I am starting to do much more of, something I am enjoying,  and it seems as though it is educating me more than I am it.

Thanks for your time. Looking forward to hearing your experiences and thoughts.

Appreciate you taking the time to stop by.
Respectfully,
DG

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