My eight year old Granddaughter Shelby is obsessed with weather. She is visiting from her home state of Tennessee with her parents. Shelby started asking me questions about the clouds, rain, thunderstorms and tornados, all recent events back home. Was the thunder louder in Colorado than Tennessee? Do we have tornados? Would she see hail? All these rapid fire questions as I read the morning newspaper. I answered as best I could. “I want to be a Meteorologist,” Shelby said as she asked if she could read the weather statistics in the paper. Then, once finished reading the numbers, Shelby asked if I would turn on the Weather Channel to see what was happening back home. After breakfast, Shelby wanted to go the local library because she NEEDED to get some books on weather. Off we went.
We checked out several children’s books and DVD’s on the subject. Once home Shelby devoured the books by reading one after the other to me. Then we watched the DVD’s. My little sponge began absorbing all the knowledge she was acquiring for these sources. Shelby’s thirst for knowledge and her willingness to learn and be taught about things she did not understand was fascinating to observe. Shelby’s curiosity about how nature works and interacts with the environment got me thinking of how adults often lose this same trait and why they need to figure out how to get their enthusiasm for life-long learning re-started.
Often in business we believe we know it all. We have, been there and done that, so why learn anything new? Or, perhaps we are the pro or the go to person at work when others want to find out about something. Yet, in my many years in business I know of only one constant, that is change. The only way I can stay up with this change is to constantly be learning. I am curious how things work as well and how they interact and what my role or place is in their function. Shelby’s quest for weather knowledge reminded me of the following;
Always ask questions - How else can we learn? Asking questions does not mean you’re not smart. It means you want to learn and understand more. Ask lots of questions. The only question I have ever found to be not well received is the one not asked.
Look for the source - Seek information whether it is at the library, on-line or from an expert. Others have come before us and have more experience or know where the sources of information are. Be a life-long student and the teacher will appear.
Ask for help - Find a mentor or seek a person who is willing to show you the way. Don’t be fearful of asking others for assistance. Done with humility, they will jump at the opportunity to help.
Stay curious - Always be willing to learn something new. It engages your brain and keeps one mentally fit. Look for new ways of asking and learning. Put two dissimilar things together and see what happens. Look at each day as a new adventure.
I am looking forward to today as Shelby and I learn more about the weather at the museum. I can’t wait until her first, “Hey GrandBrad how come….
We checked out several children’s books and DVD’s on the subject. Once home Shelby devoured the books by reading one after the other to me. Then we watched the DVD’s. My little sponge began absorbing all the knowledge she was acquiring for these sources. Shelby’s thirst for knowledge and her willingness to learn and be taught about things she did not understand was fascinating to observe. Shelby’s curiosity about how nature works and interacts with the environment got me thinking of how adults often lose this same trait and why they need to figure out how to get their enthusiasm for life-long learning re-started.
Often in business we believe we know it all. We have, been there and done that, so why learn anything new? Or, perhaps we are the pro or the go to person at work when others want to find out about something. Yet, in my many years in business I know of only one constant, that is change. The only way I can stay up with this change is to constantly be learning. I am curious how things work as well and how they interact and what my role or place is in their function. Shelby’s quest for weather knowledge reminded me of the following;
Always ask questions - How else can we learn? Asking questions does not mean you’re not smart. It means you want to learn and understand more. Ask lots of questions. The only question I have ever found to be not well received is the one not asked.
Look for the source - Seek information whether it is at the library, on-line or from an expert. Others have come before us and have more experience or know where the sources of information are. Be a life-long student and the teacher will appear.
Ask for help - Find a mentor or seek a person who is willing to show you the way. Don’t be fearful of asking others for assistance. Done with humility, they will jump at the opportunity to help.
Stay curious - Always be willing to learn something new. It engages your brain and keeps one mentally fit. Look for new ways of asking and learning. Put two dissimilar things together and see what happens. Look at each day as a new adventure.
I am looking forward to today as Shelby and I learn more about the weather at the museum. I can’t wait until her first, “Hey GrandBrad how come….
