In the beginning of summer if you had asked me what I imagined I’d learn the most from my internship at BecomeMore, I probably would’ve said something extravagant. You know, the kind of statement that’s big and bold. The sort of stuff that sounds great in the elevator pitch.
And the truth is, YES! I have experienced big learning lessons. For instance, I’ve • gotten top-notch hands-on technical experience • added a lot more words to my glossary—like customer acquisition cost (CAC) • attended SHRM25 where I spoke and interacted with potential clients
But the overarching gain, the biggest learning lesson, turned out to be much simpler yet far more profound. In fact, it’s so simple that society has given it the title “soft skills.” But are these skills really soft?
A friend of mine recently asked me, “So how do you think you’ve grown at BecomeMore? What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt?” You can imagine the shock on his face when I responded:
“I’m learning how to listen. To really listen.”
He blinked. “Wait. … What ?”
But it’s true.
I’m learning how to listen, learning how to ask questions. I’m learning how to “stay stupid longer.” I’m learning how powerful curiosity can be.
I’m learning how to fail. Well, not fail exactly. Rather, I’m learning how to have the attitude and mental posture you need to bounce back and get smarter when you don’t hit the mark the first time.
I’m learning the power of co-creation. I’m learning how sometimes bravery looks like saying, “Hey, I don’t know.” I’m learning how being yourself is actually awesome. I’m learning a different level of humility.
Imagine the CEO asking an intern to examine a longstanding problem and saying, “Maybe there’s something I don’t see here.” And with that challenge I’m learning how to experiment. My boss put it best: “Throw it on the wall and see what sticks.” In that, I’m learning it’s OK to not always have the answers—whether you’re the CEO or the intern.
For so-called "soft skills," the learning lessons hit hard. I’m looking forward to learning more.
