Life Lessons that Graduate School Reaffirmed

T-Minus eight months until graduation from my dual master’s program at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. Time flies when you work hard and play hard but through all the assignments, tests, interviews, networking events and more, there are a few life lessons that the entire experience reaffirmed for me.

“You have two ears and one mouth. Strive to use them in that ratio”

Wise words from my father. Thanks, Dad. People come from all walks of life, from different backgrounds and different schools of thought. Everyone always has something to say about something. The heavy emphasis on teamwork and networking in graduate business school reinforced the need to listen twice as much as to speak. I learned to listen and learn. One cannot fully understand the perspectives and opinions of others on a team or in a project setting unless (s)he listens and fully dedicate his/herself to learning.

But it is not only listen to listen but to actively listen. Another thank you to Jeff Lackey and my team at CVS Health over the course of my summer internship for furthering this life lesson. Engage in listening to the conversation in its entirety. Active listening means fully concentrating, understanding, responding and then remembering what was said and acting upon this information to enhance the relationship and accomplish goals together. It’s tough and something that I am still mastering. When I do actively listen to my fullest extent, I realize the level of detail I absorb and remember about the other person’s words, mannerisms and tone far more than if I was simply listening. Add this life lesson to the dynamic nature of graduate school and the result is the evolved way in which I interact with people on a professional and personal level. I’ve transformed for the better. 

How You Tell a Relatable Story is Everything

?Storytelling is one of the hot topics in today’s marketing world. Almost anything and everything can be transformed into a story with the right angle and spin. It’s the content, core message and the delivery method, however, that determines the resonation and impact of a story. Can the audience relate to the story? Can the audience visualize the story’s journey? Is the story sticky? Will the message in the story resonate with the audience?

These are all questions that need to be answered when telling a story. And the kicker is, there is no “right” way to do it. Each presentation I’ve given, each audience I’ve spoken to entails creating a different story scenario. Despite the intricacies and the requirements that go into business storytelling or even telling a story with friends, it boils down to is ensuring that you know your audience and how to best communicate with them. This, at times, means doing background research before giving a presentation. I do my “homework,” tell a story and see how it resonates. Wash, rinse, repeat and connect.

Involve Yourself in the Unknown and Uncomfortable

After six and a half years in the working world, I packed up my belongings, moved states and started up a new, unknown adventure in two graduate school programs. I decided to involve myself in this unknown situation that proved to be uncomfortable at times to expand my knowledge of business and technology and better my understanding of how the world goes ‘round. The level of discomfort and ambiguity might have been stressful in the short term, however, but looking back, in the long term, it fueled my curiosity and innovation. With discomfort and uncertainty eventually comes discovery and growth. There will be ups and there will be downs when you venture into the unknown but sooner or later life has a funny way of revealing the horizon in the end. 

Graduate school is one chapter is my book of life but I reflect on these life lessons and realize how powerful they will be when applied to future interactions, connections and problems to solve. Listen to learn more. Understand how to tell a good, relatable story to connect with people at a deeper level. And do not be afraid to be uncomfortable occasionally. It all means that the lessons are resonating with us and we’re growing.