You are not doing your job well if you keep your head down and are not knowledgeable about the world … [+]
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World events impact you and the work you do. Your work and your organization’s work is impacted by changes in politics, social norms, the environment and security. Successful professionals recognize that they must be aware of current events, even when it is not in their job description. Here are three ways to help you be aware of the world around you and advance your career:
1. Read.
The more you read, the more you know. Identify reputable news sources or platforms to read articles on what is going on in the world now. The world changes quickly, so you want to stay up to date.
To manage information overload, pick one or two sources to peruse once a day. Consider subscribing to a news aggregator that sends you a daily electronic newsletter. Select a time during the day that regularly works, such as breakfast time or your lunch break. Keeping up with the news is like brushing your teeth. It should become a task that you do daily without thinking and part of a healthy routine for your job and career success.
2. Engage with a variety of other people.
Get a sense of how people are reacting to current events and the news. Understanding what people are thinking and their perceptions. What people think about news events may be different from what is actually happening. And what one person is thinking may be different from another person. Engage in discussions with a diverse set of people about current events.
3. Think intentionally about what you have learned and how it applies or impacts your work.
If your job involves reputation or risk management, then you need to know how people are reacting to the facts. And nowadays, almost every role contributes to managing an organization’s reputation and level of risk.
In addition to roles in public relations, public affairs or communications, even the work of internally-focused engineers impacts a company’s reputation. If there has been a recent number of cyber-attacks from a foreign government or dangerous organization, you as the engineer need to be keenly aware of ensuring your work is not hacked by the latest method.
Whether you have a nontechnical or technical role, knowledge of current events will help you to be better at your job. You will have the information to think strategically, comprehensively and proactively to be ahead of what the future might hold.
Globalization requires professionals to be knowledgeable about the world around them. Read, engage with a diverse set of people and analyze the information to understand how world events impact the work you do.
How do you maintain your awareness of current events? Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn.
