Campus to Corporate (5/7): Networking is the key to Lifelong learning

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In continuation with my previous article on what it takes to make a successful transition from Campus to Corporate i.e. Networking. Your ability to grow continuously in your career is entirely dependent on how updated you are on new practices, technologies and trends in your area of work. So where do you get this updated information from, as you are already out of campus and even campus education curriculum is not updated with the same? Lets understand how can you do that with networking with the following:

a)????Bosses/Seniors as teachers: While a boss can teach you domain knowledge and time proven successful practices, the most important learning they can impart is how and why they failed. It leapfrogs you through time as you can cut short your trial and error method. Their journey serves as a great strategic tip sheet to ease our own journeys. Please refer to my previous article to understand how to make your boss have your back!

b)???Peer Learning: From tactical standpoint, your colleagues and others in the industry are your best bet to help you take critical decisions. Very often you will wonder what to do in a given project/situation where your Boss wont be able to help as we are in a fast paced business / technological environment and it has been time since your boss actually managed such a situation. In such cases reaching out to your peers and building on their experience will always help. E.g. you cant expect your 50 year old boss to know much about artificial intelligence or data analytics or IOT devices and therefore you need to seek your peers help. You need to socialize with your peers for them to help you when it is not their job to do it. Peer learning is a two-way street and the more you help others more they will help you. Going to canteen for lunch together is not about gossiping, it is a brilliant way to exchange notes on successful tactics and grow together at a fast pace.

c)????Junior Teachers : Identify the most intelligent juniors in your organization/circle. Make it a point to interact with them to understand what they are working on and what are the latest trends. Learning new trends, practices and technology is something which is best learnt from this group because both your peers and your boss will be clueless on this front at worst and have very little knowledge at best. The risk appetite and the free time that your juniors have to try new things, puts them into an excellent position to help you accelerate your learning curve. In return what they get is your experience as a senior/boss on domain and time proven practices.

d)???Self Learning: Lay your hands on as many consulting reports as you can and read and discuss the same with all the 3 above. It helps you to not only have a consistent method to learn but it will help you to network much better as you will be able to contribute to them while they help you learn.

The above channels complete a cycle of symbiotic or mutual learning which helps run Corporate or Organizational learning as a well-oiled machine. Pareto’s principle of learning 80% in just 20% of time is possible only if you use all 4 channels above which will help you have a long and successful career.

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This article was published by Sakal Media Group in their daily newspaper in Marathi on 28th June 2023. Link for the same is given below: