Education is for Empowerment, Never Examination. Get rid of the ‘diploma disease’
Get rid of ‘diploma disease’ as you pursue further education. One of the challenges of the current education system is that it is perceived as meant for employment and is finite. Most people go to school to get a certificate that will hopefully boost their chances of employment. Many others see a PhD as the peak of learning, after which they can heave a sigh of relief; “Phew! I’m done”. Mercifully, there is a handful that sees education for what it really meant for. That is, empowerment (not employment) and infinite (there is always room to learn something new). The progressive salesperson is among this lot.
Learning needs reinforcement.
Now then. Many employers will do their best and take the sales team for training or other professional short courses. This is commendable and is to be fostered. Learning, however, to be instilled, must be reinforced. We take the skills of reading and writing for granted but they took years of practice before becoming second nature. The progressive salesperson knows the importance of reinforcing learning. So he will not wait for the next training session, lamenting with the mediocre ones that, “We need to be taken for more training”. No.
He will expand his knowledge base considerably. He will understudy a sales person he admires in his team. And he will have a network of salespeople outside his industry whom he exchanges notes with on practical methods for sales success. In addition, he will have informal sessions with his customers to find out how he can improve. This seller will also scour the Internet for skills he can employ to boost his abilities. And finally, he will thirst for any trickling of knowledge like he would drops of water in a desert. He will get rid of ‘diploma disease’.
Continual enrichment enriches sales. Get rid of the ‘diploma disease’
You see, such knowledge deeply enriches the salesperson-prospect interaction. It adds untold value. Selling is a profession. And like any other profession, those who choose it don’t qualify, then practice, and then put on the brakes to learning. No. They study continually. Also, they attend seminars relevant to their chosen field, further, they train and subscribe to newsletters. In addition, these sellers read reports on the latest goings-on. Their learning is never ending. And why? Because, when we stop learning and practicing, the knowledge atrophies. Just like with the advent of the computer (and therefore typing) you and I find it harder to write at length with a pen. Yet this is something we did with ease BC (Before computers).
Adult education (training)
One of the challenges adult education has (training being an example), is this. The students’ frame of mind is set in a form of education that was meant for examination, not implementation. So notes are discarded after class ends. Some notes are even left in class and others discovered years later, when moving house, stashed on a dusty shelf. After all, there wasn’t going to be a CAT or national examination to test what we learnt, so why bother studying?! Certificates are quickly photocopied to supplement the next job application. And even quicker still, the title of the seminar is inserted in the CV especially if the training is from a reputable firm. Unfortunately, only a few generals emerge from this horde of soldiers and do what the seminar intended. That is, implementation of what was learnt. Another reason you should get rid of the ‘diploma disease’.
Without implementation knowledge is useless; Get rid of the ‘diploma disease’
New knowledge implies a different way of doing things; it means a replenishment of our reservoir of knowledge; it means remaining relevant. But only if implemented. Even we writers many times get our inspiration to do so from reading widely. Education is infinite and as cliché’ as it sounds, when we stop learning, we die. Not in the physical way, but worse still, the relevance way.
The realization that our childhood education does not dovetail adult education should move us to change and embrace learning for implementation-not examination. Education remains with you. It’s an investment in yourself whether you remain with your employer or not. Educate yourself continually.
You may also want to read:
Does the education system make the A grade
Your exam grade does not define you. You do.
Pass or fail is an event, not destination
What does an exam grade say about you? Nothing!
Stupidity takes you places in selling
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