by Shawn Theesfeld, application development manager, for the Resolutions blog series
Anyone looking to grow personally and professionally can learn a lot by following thought leaders for new perspectives and ideas. I find exposure to new ideas energizing, and it fuels my enthusiasm to continue seeking more.
If you attend industry events or professional meetings, they usually provide multiple opportunities to hear from thought leaders. Do you attend these presentations? I encourage you to seek them out. There’s usually inspiration you can draw from the speakers’ experience regardless of whether you’re a market leader or smaller company.
I also suggest you look for similar opportunities in your own community. I think we forget that there are local thought leaders that we can learn quite a bit from. Think about how much more relatable the perspective of a local leader may be. Not only is that person able to provide insights that can be on a scale closer to your own (versus a keynote speaker at an industry event who may be on the level of Richard Branson, for instance), but you also can interact with them either after the presentation or perhaps at a later date since you are from the same area. Having a one-on-one connection is even better!
Another favorite of mine is hearing from entrepreneurs that have started a business from the ground up. Their enthusiasm and drive motivates me. Many times they have risked everything to create and offer something unique and even ground-breaking. Whether their business offers a grandiose solution or meets a niche need, I learn something from the ideas that they share and challenges they have faced that I can apply in managing my team or in the development, evolution, or innovation of the products and services HRG provides.
Getting outside perspective is important. If you don’t seek other viewpoints your growth may be limited. Talking to others in your industry, in your profession, and in your community, can provide insights that you just might not otherwise be exposed to. Even if you feel you have been successful, or your company is doing well, there’s always something to be learned.