Recency of Experience

Kim Johnson is our director of sales at RAB. Recently, her daughter had the dreaded wisdom teeth extraction procedure. With some trepidation, she walked into the doctor's office and the doctor said, “Are you nervous?” Kim’s daughter responded, “A little.” The doctor said, “Not me, I drank some bloody marys and watched some YouTube videos on how to do this, so I’m all set.” He was joking, of course.

Isn’t it comforting to know that doctors are required to maintain their experience and training? Similarly, lawyers and many other professions are required to have continuing education as part of their careers and licenses.

Sadly, this is not true in sales. There is no law requirement for ongoing training...

In Search of Learning Agility was a multiyear study done by the TR Clark Company. It was sponsored by the American Society of Training Development. The report is a comprehensive look at adult education and on-the-job competency.

According to In Search of Learning Agility, “There is no such thing as permanent competence or a fully developed skill set in either individuals or organizations.”

Here are four things ongoing training will do for you: It builds your confidence. The more proficient and competent you become at something, the more confidence you have in your ability.

It creates a better work environment. People who are invested in doing and becoming their best build on each other. This creates a team spirit, and it improves morale and job satisfaction.

It boosts careers. By consistently learning, you not only enhance your job security; you avail yourself to promotions, increases and greater responsibility. It is all because you are constantly growing.

It will give you personal satisfaction. For the reasons I listed and many others, continually training in your field will make a major difference in your life. You will enjoy increased intellectual stimulation, satisfaction and find greater reward in all that you do.

The great news is there is no shortage of resources to help. We have been amazed at the hundreds of salespeople who took advantage of our free RMP course offering. It’s exciting to see and be around people (even virtually) who have a passion for new learning.

I’m sure Kim’s daughter saw the humor in the doctor's reply, and the procedure went perfectly. Isn’t it nice to know professionals are required to keep learning and discovering what’s new in their field of study? While it may not be the law for us in sales and leadership, it’s certainly a good idea. Or maybe you’re still stuck on the bloody marys.

Happy Friday, what do you want to learn next week?

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.