Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Back to School!

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 12, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"A little learning is a dangerous thing."
~ Mark Twain

LESS IS LESS!
The beauty (and humor) of Twain's observation lies in its double-edged irony. On one level, it seems to suggest that a little learning makes us more formidable - more dangerous - than someone with no learning. Then again, it also suggests that the false sense of security that a little learning gives is, in itself, a dangerous thing.

In today's rapidly changing economy, just a little knowledge is indeed scary. The fact is we need education - early and often. According to economists, one of the best returns on an investment occurs when we spend for training and re-training ourselves. This investment in the future allows us to hone our skills, stay on top of changes in our profession, and adapt to changing technologies.

Take the recent trend in outsourcing. Many businesses have found it beneficial to send technology-related services to overseas operations in countries that have invested heavily in technology training. Like it or not, the companies save money, and the overseas employees doing the work are typically among the highest-paid in their communities. If we stop training ourselves, we lose out to those who appreciate the value of continuing education.

Perhaps most importantly for us, investing in ourselves also buys us some time for reflection and assessment. We can't find out where we're going if we can't figure out where we are. We need to commit the time and the resources to take advantage of continuing education opportunities. As retirement age rises and people work longer, we all want to feel good about our jobs. Expertise is often the edge we need. Quite simply, we're worth it.

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posted by The Office Grapevine at 2:35 PM  

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