The Education Paradox

Dear Corporate Friend,

For some time now I’ve been feeling something is off. I thought I followed all the right steps but still...I’m not where I am supposed to be. And then I realized: it’s our education system! This is what I want to dispute today!

I’m not saying our education system is bad. I am actually a big supporter of continuous learning. What I am saying is that the way it’s presented to us does not prepare us for real life challenges.

I was a model student. I got straight A’s. I was the star that teachers always wanted to call to the black board and showcase the right solution to a math problem. While the teacher was walking through the classroom, presenting test results to each of us, my colleagues would ask: „What now? Another 10?” and I would shy away and say „No...I don’t think so” but then it happened...yet again.

I even found different ways of solving problems that the teachers themselves wouldn’t imagine. They would congratulate me with a dash of surprise...either feeling happy for me or sad for them...not sure.

I grew up like this. Knowing that if I am dedicated, I learn, I practice, I do...the results will be perfect. As expected.

What schools don’t prepare us for....however....is reality. Life.

In real life and especially in the corporate world where I’ve worked for most of my professional life, things couldn’t be more different.

So we learn, we perform, we reach the goal. We improve, we come up with ideas. We document, create procedures. All is well. The wheels of the business are properly greased.

And then we wait. We wait for the same proud moment we experienced when our teacher gave us that big A (or 10, whichever grading system you have)...big red A...on our test paper. That feeling when we get an A. We get more A’s. Our average is perfect. We win. We get into the best school of our choice. Happy end.

But then we wake up. Because in the corporate world, you „meet” expectations. The "3". The „meets” expectations grade. We all know it, we all hate it.

It’s not wrong. It’s just a different grading system that we were never taught. It’s not only based on what you do and how well you do it. It’s mostly based on networking.

We need to learn that networking is as important or perhaps more important than submitting a superb excel or drafting an incredible project charter. Nobody cares about those because they simply have no idea who you are.

Maybe it’s not the best power point slide. Maybe it’s not even aligned and those colors...yikes. But hey, it’s Dan! Dan made it. Dan is great! We all love Dan. Surely Dan’s pitch is the best.

Now you know what to do. The next time you have any doubt just think....what would Dan do?

From my cubicle to yours,

The D.