No, I am not talking about learning from the major motion picture starring Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott, as entertaining as it may be. I am talking about how important it is to learn and develop yourself based on the skills and attributes that others possess.
In addition to closing with a quote today, I will start off with one also. It was American theologian Tyron Edwards that said “People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves.”
First it is important to select those individuals who you feel are worthy of developing your organizational and leadership skills after. Be wary, for what may appear to be good leadership skills are not always the most effective leadership skills. What I am talking about here is brainwashing, rather than leading. An evidence to this can be seen through two different individuals: the Rev. Jim Jones and Adolf Hitler. Were they fighting for the right causes? No. Were they effective in acquiring a profusion of followers? Absolutely.
Next, decide what these individuals, or role models, possess that make them exceptional leaders. What kind of influence (positive, hopefully) do these people have on others? They may be in the fields of politics, coaching/mentoring, athletics, or film but they all must have something in common. Anyone who may be seen as a role model has something to offer, whether it be valuable experience, overall good leadership skills, great communication, or strategic organizational programs.
Learning from role models has another side to it also. Learning what NOT to do is often times just as important if not more important than learning what TO do.
There isn’t one person in this world who will never fail in their lifetime. Everybody experiences failures, it’s all about how you learn from them. Learn not only from your failures, but use role model’s failures to learn as well. By identifying failures and what made them that way you can learn what things not to do or what activities not to partake in.
In closing I will leave you with a brief run-down of what I have explained in this post:
- Learn from experiences of others to help develop your own experiences
- Take advantage of people who have already done things you may wish to also accomplish
- Pick the right role models; people that can help you
- Find the traits in role models that will help you be more successful in life
- Learn from not only your mistakes, but the mistakes of others.
- Have an open mind
English poet and dramatist Ben Johnson said that “Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.”
Guest post from Adam, Not Your Ordinary Intern
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