A Journey in Life-Long Learning

One of the characteristics consistently discussed in the development of a 21^st Century workforce is understanding the need to embrace “life-long learning.”

It’s no surprise that the world of work is in a constant state of change, so it’s critical to stay on top of learning new technology, new trends, and even new modes of communication.

But I think life-long learning goes deeper than that. It’s about being “teachable” – willing to learn from others – and having an openness to mentors that will be part of the journey of your life.

Teachers are critical mentors on that journey. I was blessed to have really top-notch teachers, especially in high school. Without ever expressly stating it, they taught me that, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” Watching the miniseries, The Holocaust, in history class as a 9^th grader opened my eyes to a reality I could never have imagined – man’s inhumanity to man. Reading Alexander Solzhenitsyn in 10^th grade English class warned of the depravity of governments that showed no regard for their people. My world history teacher in 11^th grade assigned us research papers comparing characteristics of the Roman Empire before its collapse to things we could see present-day in the U.S. They were prescient in understanding that civilizations separated by time and space were really not so different.

My career journey started just a year later at Blue Bell Creameries as an intern. Men who are now recognized in the Texas Business Hall of Fame were my mentors. The first day of my public relations career, I learned, “Everybody needs an editor,” which helped me see that someone else’s input can always make you better. I also learned, “Never make a promise you can’t keep,” which is a principle for building and maintaining credibility that I cling to to this day.

My world really opened up when I moved into the foundation world in San Diego. My mentors there were the men and women of 20 different cultural groups, backgrounds, educational and income levels who overcame decades of division to revitalize their under-invested community. Working alongside a family foundation, I saw the power of art, culture, passion and commitment to transform blight into economic opportunity and an improved quality of life.

I learned the power of asking the right questions and then listening well to find areas of agreement and shared ownership of solutions. One of those amazing people taught me, “No one rises to low expectations.” Another who saw real issues in her the community said, “I used to think, ‘Someone ought to do something about that.’ What I didn’t know is I was the person I was waiting for.”

All that I had learned before ultimately became the foundation upon which The Bridge of Southern New Mexico’s board of directors and all of our community partners would later build. I saw the power of shared actions when community leaders came together as partners and peers to leverage their collective resources to make change. I learned how to look at things through multiple lenses to find “win-win” solutions. And, out of necessity, I mastered the art of “learn while doing.”

The young people I interviewed from that first class of Trailblazers at Arrowhead Park Early College High School taught me that just one college class could change the identity and the aspirations of a 9^th grader – “I thought college would be too hard for me. But now I realize I am a college student.” And I learned to seek “outcomes” for our work together, not just “outputs.”

What I’ve come to realize is that everyone has something to teach us … if we’re open and teachable. The second we think we have all the answers is the second we stop growing.