Education is important to technological and business evolution. At an early age, I developed a strong love for reading from my mother, who literally reads three books a week. She always encouraged my siblings and me to read as much as possible. And we were always encouraged by both parents to do well in school. This was just expected.
To me education comes in many forms: formal education, work, and life experiences. Through these experiences you learn how to interact with others, be a part of different communities, and to execute, whether it is a work project or charitable event that you are organizing.
Today’s world is fast paced with information at your fingertips. If you need something, Google it and get your answer. Smartphones and tablets will dictate a message for us without even writing it down. You can text a person a message and you can even put a smiley face in it to show emotion—but only the basics.
Technology is vital to business success. The challenge I believe we face is not losing the art of communication and how to actually talk with each other. Often career success will come from fostering and collaborating with people to pursue a common goal. Relationships are critical and need to be formed through multiple methods of communication.
It is important to learn the value of relationship building, something that can get lost in the communication provided by today’s technology. Sometimes a text or email can be interpreted as something negative, and it isn’t until you speak to someone directly that you realize that wasn’t at all the case. We have to be careful to not let technology take the place of interpersonal relationships.
Today’s educators need to understand that students require a different and more diverse set of skills to compete with the rapidly changing nature of the work environment, seemingly unlimited technology, and competition in the global job market. They must also instill the importance of traditional conversation.
When I interview a candidate for a new position, I want to ensure they have the appropriate education, skills, and experience for the job. Equally important is their character, personal traits, behavior, ability to effectively communicate, and collaborate as a team. A strong candidate will not only exhibit the above, they will be self-confident, exhibit innovative tendencies, show respect for others, and possess problem-solving skills.
