True Confessions
I have spent the day at a Tom Peter’s seminar (I am sure you will be hearing more of that in my blogs over the next few days – weeks/years). He gave me a lot to think about, but one of the most important personal things to happen today is that he has enabled me to come clean about a dark moment in my past.
I am a bit of an academic, I must admit. It comes easily for me. Its a natural talent that I cannot take pride in, or claim responsibility for. It is a gift, rather than anything I have worked hard to deserve. So, studying comes easily to me. Just 2 weeks ago, I received my fifth degree, a PhD in Business Administration. It did feel good, especially since I received it with distinction. I have a Masters (in Diaconology – a cross between sociology and theology) (cum laude), an Honours in Theology (cum laude), a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) and a Bachelor of Commerce. I have enjoyed getting them, and am sure that I have not yet finished my studies. I enjoyed school as well, ending my final school year as dux scholar. I say all these things, not to boast, but to give context o what I am about to confess.
Sitting in Tom Peters’ session today, I cringed. He adamantly instructed that you should “never again hire anyone with academic qualifications”. Ouch. “The type of people”, he explained, “who would make a success of an academic career where those who worked inside the system, who never stepped outside the lines”, etc, etc. I get his point. But I had always thought of myself as emminently hireable.
Then he redeemed me somewhat by explaining that research he had seen on Physics and the Sciences was that most of the people who received PhD’s had failed or done badly in their undergraduate studies. The type of people who would push the boundaries of science back – who would bend the rules of the universe to see what happened – were not the type to do well at undergrad level. Again, I got his point.
So, now to my confession. I failed final year of my first degree. I had never failed anything – not ever – not even a class test at school that didn’t count. I got 18% for Accounts 3! That was first time round. Second time round I failed again, but this time it was my last subject, and I was within the range of being granted a supplementary exam. I had to get 50% on that exam to pass the year, and get my degree. I am forever grateful to my wife who forced us to cancel our holiday plans, and got me studying to get through. I finally did.
Thanks, Tom, for helping me to come clean. I want to be known as a great post-grad student, who is creative, savvy and pushes boundaries. As of today, I am also proud that I have certified proof that I didn’t fully fit into the under-grad model of excellence.
It made me wonder about what criteria we use to decide which people to hire, and which to forego. Talent is an interesting thing – it certainly does not fit into the box.
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How do I say this nicely – it is deeply satifying to know that you’ve failed something (and that’s your SORDID past!?)
You see, your post reminded me of so many “pearls of wisdom” that have been passed on to me since leaving school. “A degree is the only key to a succesful career”, or “you must have something to fall back on”, or even, “you’re white – there is just no way you’ll ever get a job without a degree.”
I was sharing with Barrie at the HRDA conference how I’ve never been able to finish anything. Ok, I got through Matric ok, but in the six years since have started two degrees and quit both after six months. I’ve changed jobs five times, bought and sold three homes and am about to take delivery of my fourth car. The only constant, other than change, is my marriage (which is now in it’s third year – applause please…).
I carry huge baggage over my unfinished tertiary studies. I’ve always wondered whether I quit because I was lazy, or whether it was always foregone conclusion. I do not study well – I only understand short-term rewards, instant gratification and prefer action. I hated the fact that I was financially dependent on my parents while studying – I wanted to earn my own money.
So, is it ok to just resign my “failure” to my quintessentially Gen Xer personality, or have I just been slack? Where is the balance between constant change and consistent discipline? I seem to be doing ok without any formal tertiary education, but deep down inside, I would love to have a string of impressive letters hanging off my name.
You’ll forgive this largely personal reply, but I guess I’m asking larger questions as well. Are there smart, talented young people (not that I’d ever presume to be one) out there who are not served by the current tertiary education system? What does this say to the new generation of OBE learners graduating from secondary education?
Take heart, Mike. According to Tom Peters, you are the most qualified person to bring innovation to an organisation. OK, so you might not be the CFO (big loss?), but what about the CCO (Chief Creative Officer)?
Who do you think will be the most money of these two positions in the next few years?
Or even the CA (Change Activist).
Frankly though, this is where TomorrowToday.biz and organisations like it add value to my generation. The knowledge and learning you share alters outlooks. It de-polarises vision. My failures don’t look like failures anymore, but more like stepping stones. I don’t feel that I’m incurably non-committal anymore.
What demographic would you say the predominance of your presentations are aimed at? Are you speaking to the Boomers in need of a change in mindset, or the BYT’s that need a fire lit under their bums? Or both?
We are pragmatic about our presentations. Boomers are still in charge (and pay our invoices). So a lot of our stuff is aimed AT Boomers ABOUT Xers (BYTs – see http://www.tomorrowtoday.biz/byt). But we also have quite a lot aimed at Xers as well.
For sure. I guess the question contradicts my earlier statements, anyway. I am going on about how the presentations have spoken to me and into my situation, and yet am simultaneously challenging you on what TomorrowToday.biz is doing for my generation.
I think this is where the blog will make a huge impact.
this is rarther interesting
Graeme i also did my accounting 1 three times, i mean in contrast to Graeme i am not your academic, i REALLY have to work hard to my masters now,
but i guess i have come to realise that the begging does not define the end, or their ability.
If you can find a way to eradicate a person’s ability for the job(perseverence, creativity and innovation, etc) without having to use the degrees,let it be…
Neo
I have a B.Sc. (IT) Honours degree (RAU, 2002) – whohoo. I failed 2nd year maths a few times – and it became the bane of my life. So instead of getting into honours with all of my friends (since I hadn’t actually qualified), I snuck in the back door by doing some honours courses for “non-degree purposes” while continuing with 2nd year maths – which I ended up repeating for 3 years. *sigh* Did I learn anything in that Maths course which I’m glad I know today? No. No. And no. Am I glad I did it? No. If it wasn’t compulsory for the degree I wouldn’t have. Have I learnt anything from failing it? I can’t really think of anything, but Graeme has made me feel a bit bitter about that through this blog.
It might seem that my response to mikestop asking “Are there smart, talented young people out there who are not served by the current tertiary education system?” is “Hell, yes!” but it’s not – at least for me. University prepared me to think and adapt within the IT world where most of us (graduates) can pick up any new technology very quickly without being trained on it. I wish I could have skipped maths (and a heap of other things) – but that’s with hindsight. I would have dropped Maths, Business Management and Mathematical Statistics (Wiskunde Statistiek – the most boring subject I’ve EVER done). I still don’t need them.