Home
>
Success
>
Sharpen Your Saw by Continuously Learning

Sharpen Your Saw by Continuously Learning

What does a sharp saw have to do with lifelong learning? For all you Covey fans, you know Dr. Steven Covey coined the phrase "sharpen the saw" in his highly acclaimed book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. To me, I think about a saw sharpener as a complicated device that I would never be able to use. Doing an image search on "saw sharpener" on Google shows 423 different pictures of saw sharpening devices that require you to know various things and exert various amounts of effort to "sharpen a saw" in the traditional sense. Now there are probably close to this many ways we can keep our own saws sharp by continuously learning. I won't bore you with all of them, but I will outline a few of the ones I've found helpful below.

1) Join a professional organization and use their training outlets - You may already be part of an organization like Toastmasters, a local writer's workshop group, or something else of that nature. Perhaps there are other organizations out there that might also suit your needs? If you're not sure, ask someone how they've done what they do, and then do it!

2) Pursue an advanced degree - For some, an MBA or masters in something job related is what you need to advance up the ranks and to stay sharp in your current job. If this is you, there are so many different resources available to you now, some online, some traditional, some that blend the two, and definitely you can find something that will fit in your schedule if traditional schooling is for you.

3) Certification - For others, an industry-specific certification is all that's needed to stay sharp. Just like a traditional college, you can do self-paced study or take a class online to get the certification you need to move up.

4) Use your company's training - Many larger companies offer in-house training to associates once they reach a certain level. What have you got to lose by talking to your manager, supervisor, or HR department about the classes that might be available to you at your current level? If you're fortunate, you'll get a few different ideas, and your employer will probably pay for these classes and give you time to complete the necessary materials.

5) Read a book or a website that's topic specific to what you want to learn - If you're looking for a good book or for that perfect website, ask someone else you know who is an authority on what you need. There are so many books published every year, you're bound to find one or two that suit your needs. And the web is full of things to help you learn more about what you need to know.

6) Find a mentor - My last piece of advice is something you can do at anytime, and that is finding a mentor. Seek someone out in your company who knows what you need to know and ask them questions. Buy them lunch and pick their brain. Find someone in our organization who knows what you want to know and ask them if you can give them a call or have lunch together. Or look online and e-mail an expert. You'd be surprised at how many people are willing to help, if you'll just ask them. And maybe they'll even become a formal mentor of yours and be willing to invest some time in helping you advance your career and your life.

Phil Gerbyshak leads a team of IT help desk professionals in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component in his success as a leader and as a person. Phil's personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders' fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow." Read more of Phil's ideas at http://makeitgreat.org

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Sharpen Your Saw by Continuously Learning

Success