Source: http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2013/05/16/put-yourself-in-uncomfortable-situations/
Penelope Trunk, the founder and CEO of Brazen Careerist, an online website that powers virtual events and career fairs for leading organizations around the world, helping people network, improve and innovate. On the side, she runs a blog with straight to the point advice about running a business as well as personal and professional growth during each of her experiences.
One of her recent blog posts titled: Put yourself in uncomfortable situations is not only relatable but humurous and realistic as she explains how much businesses and the internet has evolved. There is no need to memorize anything anymore as the information required is at hand at the click of a button. Instead, what’s more important is thinking critcially, from different perspectives, and being able to syntheszie that information as such that companies and firms can look at as innovative and use it for any aspect of the business itself. Boundary Spanning, which is essentially a networking ideas and collaborating with others in order to synthesize the information differently was one of the top five future leadership qualities most CEO’s will look for in a candidate. She believes that instead of sticking to what you know, and sticking with people you know. It’s important to go seek information in places you don’t fit, with people you don’t belong with (and potentially don’t like) and to be nervous from time to time as it can become a positive incentive for you to really get things done.
For starters, let me just say I completely agree with everything she has said in this blog
post. She is right, memorizing is no longer a quality that is an outstanding asset anymore. It’s all about having the information and finding out what to do with it. There is an abundance of it, and moving onto the more important thing is simply finding a use for it. Shaping it in a way so it will fit the needs of the company/firm. In order to synthesize any information most effectively it is important to be around people who aren’t so likeminded. I think one of the common misconceptions is that all business people are often likeminded individuals, and that is not true. They are all focused towards the same goal; their endgame is the same, not necessarily the way their minds work. After a class on Culture, People and Teams it’s safe to say that people being different is often not the problem, rather the problem is the treatment of employees and the attitude of the employees in itself. It’s important for everyone in a company to be somewhat open minded to other’s ideas and opinions because that’s what gets things going. That is what helps in creating a better synthesis of ideas. Take our profs, Paul and Jeff, business individuals both of them, but one of them is great with numbers (an accountant) and the other was made for innovation(marketing). And together, COMM 101 is unlike any other course there is at Sauder. It is clear their personalities are contrasting, but that’s what keeps things interesting. They literally make up the two parts of a brain, one is left (logical, analytical, likes hard facts) while the other is more philosophical, thoughtful and insightful. It’s not surprise that their chemistry works well, but it also helps them bounce ideas off each other and sometimes one of them may see an idea a certain way, or in a way their counterpart couldn’t. The idea of complementary pairings is over-spoken but underused in the business world.
Trunk mentions to not only work with people you don’t like, but also to make yourself
nervous once in a while. As strange as that sounds, I can understand it. When you are nervous to present, (not too nervous) or to share an idea with others around you, it gives you a bit of an incentive to try harder and do better. The idea is that putting yourself out there, and mixing with things and letting yourself be exposed to things you’re not used to or things you’re not necessarily a fan of doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all. If anything, it can be one of the most enriching experiences of your life, and also useful if you choose to apply these skills to your business.
