Practise these 3 arts to become better at what you do!
In this article, I will talk about probably the only 3 topics you ought to know in-depth to master your trade and become successful.
Based on all my observations, experiences and learnings of the living world until this moment in various contexts and situations, I have learnt that the whole human experience of existence can be condensed into these fields of study although I prefer to consider them as arts. Why? Because firstly ‘fields’ sounds way too technical and secondly, they actually bring forth the very human nature of creating something meaningful.
Supplement your education/professional expertise/skills with these arts at a broader level and you can create great opportunities and ideas in your life.
So here we go!
ART OF SELLING
No matter what our profession is. We are always selling irrespective of our job descriptions. Either its products you make or services you render or simply your talent/personality/ideologies/ideas.
I learnt this during my initial days of working for my first company. I realised that it doesn’t really matter if you are working in sales department or the legal department or any other function in the organisation, you are always providing a SERVICE.
And hence the person/department/organisation that you are providing the service to is your CUSTOMER. For example, legal counsel is providing you a service of timely advice and support in getting crucial agreements vetted. HR is providing you a service of supplying with the right talent and training. And so it goes for every function.
And I find it true about every institution as well. A teacher is not just dissipating knowledge to his/her pupils but showcasing quality education standards of the school to the parents. If that’s not the case, you tend to see drop-outs.
Many a times, we do our work unbeknownst of the fact that we are always selling. And when you as a leader/manager introduce this thought into a group/team, there is great accountability. People tend to take ownership of their actions and the quality of work is enhanced further.
So, get to selling better. Learn about your customers and provide the right services and more importantly create value. After all, its a transactional world we live in and to get through, we have to buy and sell. If you can’t sell, you can’t survive.
ART OF MANAGING THE HOUSEHOLD
That’s the very definition of the word — Economics!
All the while, we hear people talk about how inflation is on the rise and how its pinching our savings. We are particularly keen on knowing how the country’s budget is going to impact us once it’s out. But do we really know what’s going into all this? What’s really causing inflation? What made the government take those decisions in the budget? Most of the times, no!
I think economics is a fascinating topic to learn. It gives you a glimpse into the mechanics of how the very world we live in works. What you earn, consume, spend on is not in silos with what’s happening somewhere else on the planet? Its this beauty of how all of it is connected (even in the slightest of manners) that makes economics very special. And extending this to the evolution of the subject from a very crude trading based phenomenon into this complex science that makes governments rise and fall is even more fascinating.
What’s in it for us on a daily basis? You are better at budgeting for your livelihood with the understanding of the macro-economic events and in many instances, even making wiser decisions on your next career move. You save for the future because you know there is a slow down on the horizon. You have better returns on your investments because you know that the businesses are bullish on the economy.
Here is a list of books published by Financial Times. You could pick one based on the theme and go from there.
ART OF KNOWING WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
And finally, Pyschology! By far the most important of all studies which encapsulates everything.
You might have come across many studies in the fields of behavioural sciences and cognitive research on a regular basis. These have made breakthrough developments in the field of consumer marketing, healthcare and many others. While there have been many credible research papers written on psychological patterns of human actions in the past, these are in great demand today because they have the potential to give businesses an edge over competition.
Since I started reading books and materials on psychology and its impact on global economics, geopolitics and medicine, I have a greater appreciation of how crucial its role is in shaping the world.
Why learn psychology? If you know what’s in your customer’s mind and how he/she tends to think, you sell better. If you see trends and patterns emerging from global securities markets (which is predictably irrational at times), you extract a better know-how of what’s the next big thing that’s going to affect the economy and therefore you.
To conclude, these three arts (and the art of learning what suits your ways of life) are by far the most important for us in today’s world. Its just not enough to be really good at your trade or profession while being oblivious to the dynamics of the world around us. You risk being left out.
Hope you found this helpful.
See you in the next one!
