When we were in school the goals and objectives were clear. We knew what was expected of us and what we needed to learn. Learning was rewarded with a grade and then we moved on to the next subject. The same does not apply in working life. There is no clearly defined finish line. If anything, it feels like the goal post keeps moving as we try to reach it.
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING
The reason that the goal post keeps slipping away from us is that the world is in the midst of constant and ever escalating change. And as the world so frantically changes, our career paths have changed. It is no longer “one job from now until the sweet relief of retirement comes and rewards you for your hard work”. Our careers are long and winding roads that demand that we constantly acquire new skills. My personal observation is that these days new skills age faster than many food products out there (a fact that beckons many, all equally important, questions – but let’s stick to the career related ones for now). The only way to stay afloat through all of this, is by continuous learning. And in order to know what we need to learn, we first have to take some time to catch our breath and reflect on where we are headed, or risk running around in circles, chasing our own tail.
KNOW WHAT TO LEARN
We live in a complex world and we are bombarded with impossible amounts of information every day. Therefore, solitary reflection, no matter how deep, will not get us very far. What we need is a trusted network of wise individuals, to help us sort out what is relevant and what isn’t. We need others to expose our blind spots. Our network becomes our mirror and our mentor. By reflecting ourselves against them, we see ourselves, our strengths and our challenges more clearly. We see what we need to learn.
KNOW WHAT IT MEANS
Taking a step back to reflect is also an important part of letting new knowledge find its place in relation to your previous experience. When we allow time for reflection, we combine the new information with our past experiences, thoughts, feelings and our knowledge of the current situation. This is how new information is given meaning, and by gaining meaning it becomes a tool that you can use in your everyday work.
Given the pace at which we need to reinvent ourselves just to keep up with the world, it is clear that we also need time for personal reflection. We need time to look around, to touch base with our network and to make sense of all the new insights we have acquired. The need for reflection is greater than ever, and therefore we decided to devote the entire fifth chapter of NMP to personal reflection. This new addition to the NMP programme is best described as a time-out, a rare opportunity to focus for three full days on creating clarity, meaning and direction for your future.
Annika Häggblom
Learning Coach for the Nordic Media Programme
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I look forward to seeing you at NMP24 in September! Read more about our programme here.