While good qualifications can open doors, experience teaches us what to do once we walk through them. Only real-world experience can help us to develop judgement, resilience and perspective – increasingly important skills in the workplace, that are difficult to learn in the classroom!

What can experience teach that qualifications cannot?

Qualifications demonstrate knowledge. Experience demonstrates how that knowledge works in the real world, for example:

• The principles of effective communication do not necessarily teach you how to handle a difficult conversation when emotions are high

• Risk management theory may not help you to know how it feels to make a decision with incomplete information and significant consequences (the kind of decisions leaders make at work all the time)

• When to speak and when to listen, how to prioritise problems and how to remain calm when it all goes wrong – the kind of lessons that are difficult to quantify

• Experience provides a reference point for decision-making. Having encountered similar situations before, people can recognise patterns, anticipate consequences and identify potential risks more quickly – the most effective decision makers will combine experience with current information and apply critical thinking skills

Perhaps most importantly, experience teaches that there is rarely a perfect answer. There are always competing priorities, uncertainty and human behaviour in the mix. Experience helps us navigate that complexity.

Why is perspective often more valuable than advice?

Advice tells us what someone thinks we should do. Perspective helps us understand what we are looking at.

An experienced mentor may not have the perfect solution to a particular problem, but they can help you see things from a different angle. They can put today’s ‘crisis’ into realistic context, challenge your assumptions and ask insightful questions that change the way you understand the problem at hand!

Good mentors therefore do not simply provide answers. They help you develop the ability to find better answers for yourself.

How can I avoid learning every lesson the hard way?

Experience is valuable, but we don’t necessarily need to experience every mistake ourselves. One of the most effective ways to accelerate learning is to learn from others:

• Actively seek out a mentor with relevant experience and skills

• Listen to tenured colleagues

• Study both successful and unsuccessful projects and decisions (your own and others) and ask questions like What would you do differently? What surprised you? What should I watch out for?

• Within your organisation, encourage a culture where people can openly discuss mistakes and lessons learned (when mistakes are talked about without blame or shame, they become a learning opportunity for the whole team)

How can mentoring accelerate my professional growth?

Leverage the experience of others or engaging in mentoring effectively compresses the learning curve: rather than going through the pain of learning each lesson, you leverage the battle scars of another’s experience.

A great mentor will provide context, challenge your thinking, share practical lessons and offer a positive sounding board during difficult periods. They will also help you to identify your blind spots!

If you’re new to leadership, a mentor can provide exposure to situations you may not have encountered yet yourself. Engaging with the right mentor for you, will provide a safe space in which to ask questions, test ideas and learn without risk.

One of the most important lessons that experience teaches us is that nobody knows everything. Successful leaders understand their inevitable limits and continue to seek guidance as their responsibilities evolve. No matter the challenge, it will always require reflection, judgement, a willingness to learn…and asking the right questions!