Learning from different people
Learning from different people involves assessing the skills they possess and using interactions with them to learn from them so that you acquire those skills. People in your workplace bring unique and context-specific knowledge that can positively impact your personal and professional development. They bring skills which you do not have that you can benefit from having. Some individuals are also highly experienced.
Different professionals are at different stages in their careers and have been exposed to different situations that have developed or enhanced some of their skills. Some are highly experienced whilst others are still at entry level or somewhere in between, some are occupying high positions while others are at lower levels; some are entrepreneurs whilst others engage in freelance work. Within these groups, you can identify yourself; those in a similar levels to where you see yourself in the future and people in these levels who can assist you. It is important to identify mentors and coaches who can transfer knowledge through constant interactions. Your profession may require you to register with a professional body and there are probably Continual Professional Development points that need to be acquired through training. During these trainings, professionals do not only acquire professional training through the facilitators but they get also to meet colleagues who can add value to their professional development.
Another way that can help you get contact with others for lifelong learning is to position yourself appropriately to be selected to be involved in varying types of work assignments so you can practice the skills that you have learned or develop new skills. Make sure you get maximum use out of it. If you have been retrenched and have a skill, share the knowledge that you have learned with someone to empower them and yourself at the same time.
The benefits of learning from others include an increased openness, increased potential, increased productivity and comprehension, increased self-esteem and improved progress towards goals.
