When you’ve only had a limited set of experiences, your viewpoint tends to be limited. Many of my colleagues are in this position: Their life experiences are limited to growing up, going through the ALERT program, and then joining staff. Frequently, they end up in two positions, both of which are lacking:
- They end up idealistic and oblivious. Without other experiences as a guide, they think “This is as good as it gets”, and they don’t see any of the problems or areas ripe for growth. This leads to stagnation and complacency; however, it is marginally better than the second outcome.
- They end up critical and discontent. Problems get magnified, successes dimmed, and other organizations or places look so much better than where they are at right now. This attitude, while often framed as desiring progress, usually sabotages real growth because it harbors doubts about the foundation of the organization and actively demotivates work.
Having a wider range of experiences helps to curb either of these extremes. You realize that every organization and place has problems, and you learn to work around these problems. You also realize that nearly every place has advantages and good things. This brings balance and perspective.
Gaining wider experience requires an openness and willingness to move beyond what you are comfortable with. It requires risk taking, a willingness to fail, and a desire to grow.
What has enabled you to gain wider experiences?