It is fact that there exists a large gap between the knowledge gained through a formal education system and the skill developed through experience. If we scan the situation properly, we may conclude by saying that the skills for getting a job and performing the first task assigned are different. To fill up this skill gap is often a daunting task for industries and corporates. One of the desired steps could be to put the fresher on the job under the supervision of an experienced guy. Such a guy need not be highly educated but must have sufficient hands-on experience.
Naturally, the question arises can the persons belonging to the lowest strata of the corporate pyramid be great teachers only because they have their ears to the ground and lots of on-hand experience? If so, your training guide, when you are fresher in a real sense in this complex industrial climate, need not be an educated guy so long the person has enough experience to handle emergencies and failures!
What sort of learning are we talking about? Id it Functional/Technical Skills or Managerial/Supervisory skills or both? So far functional skills are a concern, like erection and rigging, almost all of us would have a unanimous agreement of affirmation. But, what about managerial and leadership skills? Many of us might have reservations.
To get an appropriate answer to this dilemma, we conducted a survey with only one framed question with two options of answers. The statement used for the survey was –
“Learning effective and high impacting managerial & leadership skills is not difficult. Even the persons belonging to the lowest strata of the corporate pyramid can be a great teacher because they have their ears to the ground.”
Surprisingly, the survey result was –
Yes, I agree with the statement: 90%
No, not possible: 10%
No doubt, life is a learning experience, only if you want to learn. However, the question may arise time & again if the college/university certificate holder trainees would be comfortable to take lessons from such guys? This answer has to be ‘must do’ otherwise the learners will be losers. Keep moving forward. Greatness adores only the relentless learners.
As per Indira Nooyi, “Remain a lifelong student. Do not ever lose that curiosity. Always keep learning. Your life ends when you stop thinking about the great things ahead”.
Hence, we may finally conclude, the bottom of the organizational pyramid is not only the great powerhouse for innovation but also a great source of learning. Let’s tap this tacit knowledge up to its fullest extent. Never stop learning in your life and the source may be anywhere and from anyone.