Learn by Doing, Teach by Example
Learn by
Doing,
Teach by
Example
One thing I appreciate about retirement is having the freedom to do the things I love most with those I love most. For me, one of those things is spending more time with family and friends. Another is teaching.
I enjoyed a highly successful 40-year career working in large global companies. What brought me the most joy in my role as a leader was helping my colleagues grow, develop and thrive. Knowing I played a role in their success and made a difference in their lives is what drives me to want to continue to teach. But, what kind of teacher do I want to be, and what do I teach?
First, I thought about the teachers I admired most throughout my life, including my professors at Caldwell University, and why I felt that way about them. The most admired teachers have a similar approach to how they teach. Here’s what Caldwell taught me by example, leading me to be the kind of teacher I strive to be.
- CHALLENGE THEM. Assign challenging work. Encourage people to push themselves beyond what they think they can accomplish. Guide them, cheer them on, but let them do the work, so they learn by doing.
- BE RELATABLE. Use real-life examples. Draw on your own experiences, so others see you as a real person, with real challenges, successes and failures, who does ordinary things just like them. The more relatable you are, the more likely people will listen to you.
- SET HIGH STANDARDS. Set the bar high and hold people accountable to those high standards. Mediocrity is not good enough if you want to be your best. It’s possible to be tough and demanding while being equitable, fair and understanding.
- BE AUTHENTIC. Demonstrate who you are, what you know and what you stand for. Don’t just tell people, show them and be consistent regardless of the situation you’re in.
- BE KIND. Treat people with kindness and respect. Apply the Golden Rule. Think back to how it felt when you were treated badly; don’t be the person who makes other people feel like that.
- DO MORE. Go above and beyond what’s expected. The teachers I admired most were a teacher and … a coach, an advisor, a sponsor, a volunteer at the concession stand. Doing more gets noticed and provides another way to connect with people.
Next, what to teach? As I was considering this question, I recalled the 4C’s Framework, a successful approach I created to lead large transformational-change communications programs at Bayer. I have used the 4C’s Framework (and still do) to change my personal situation and lead a prosperous life. That was the answer. These days, I teach the 4C’s Framework to others so they can make change work in their lives and prosper, too! The 4C’s are:
- CLARITY: Know and stick to your goal.
- CONNECTION: Engage and involve others in your pursuit.
- CARING: Care about the impact you have on others.
- COURAGE: Take the risk, do what’s right.
The first three C’s are not useful if you don’t do anything with them. Nothing happens if nothing happens; you need to act, and do so ethically, legally and with integrity.
Now, how does the 4C’s Framework relate to my experience at Caldwell University? Retrospectively, I realized that my professors used the elements of this framework without even knowing it. For example, my professors:
- Had CLARITY about their goal, which was to help me not only learn the subject matter but how to apply that knowledge in my work and life.
- Showed a keen ability to CONNECT with me personally, relating their professional experience in a meaningful, engaging way.
- CARED about myself personally, what I was looking to get out of my education, what my aspirations were, and how they could help me attain them.
- COURAGEOUSLY faced me and other students in the classroom every week and took risks on how to get me to pay attention and care about what they taught.
Using this approach, my professors helped this student become a productive, prosperous professional, making a difference in not only my life but every life they touch. For that, I am profoundly grateful.
One of the most important things I learned during my experience at Caldwell is the best way to learn is by doing, and the best way to teach is by example. It’s my turn now — and an honor and a privilege — to pay it forward. 🟥
— Mary Lou Panzano ’94 | Founder and Chief Enlightenment Officer, Panzano Enterprises LLC
