Learning & Development - Design Your Own Degree!
Someone said “No one cares as much about your career as you do.” If you know who said this, let me know so I can credit them! The responsibility falls to us to manage our own careers. Growth and development require a constant state of learning. New ideas are always emerging in our industries. Technology is advancing faster than ever. To do your job better and demand a higher wage or title, one must stay up to date and prepared for trends, disruptions, and opportunities.
While reading Tim Ferriss’s Tools of Titans, I found this unique idea of his: Design your own degree. Instead of paying $60K and spending 2 years getting an MBA, he curated his own business education. He wanted to learn the stock market, trading, and angel investing in start-up companies. He gave himself a set amount of money to experiment with in these arenas. He sought advice from experts and cataloged his learnings.
Experiential learning is incredibly valuable and of course the most applicable! Instead of spending money and time on a Master’s Degree or a certification program, how can we spend our time and energy on an experience that teaches us the same lessons? Take it five steps further, how can we create an experiential learning plan that is more valuable than traditional coursework?
I am experimenting with this idea for my learning and development. I need to grow in my knowledge of corporate sustainability in the food and beverage industry. Here are some of the ideas I have to “design my own degree”:
· Attend sustainability conferences. Submit a proposal to speak at a sustainability conference.
· Join an industry group for Sustainability professionals
· Create a group for women in sustainability professions
· Message Sustainability leaders on LinkedIn and ask for virtual or in-person coffee or lunch dates – my treat!
· Start a blog about my sustainability learnings
· Read books, articles, and journal publications about sustainability in the food industry.
What is an area of your career that you want to dive deeper into? What are some ways you can learn more without enrolling in an expensive certificate program or getting a Masters Degree? I would love to hear about your learning path!
A very long read with some good nuggets. Not all suggestions are practical (install a $6000 sauna in your home), but there are some great ideas and stories too.