Yesterday I had coffee with a friend who was lucky enough to get an opening working with a “hotshot” in his space.
We were talking about the experience and he mentioned that part of him was frustrated because he felt they were still treating him as “the kid”.
It was so funny because my immediate reaction was: I wish I was in that position!
You see, when you’re “the kid”, you have a few advantages on your side.
The biggest of all: you get to ask questions, lots and lots of questions.
A partner in a company, usually, does not have the possibility to ask simple questions since it’s expected of her to know everything.
But “a kid”?
Especially one that is good at what she does and tries her best? People will usually have a soft spot for these kinds of “kids”. And that should be leveraged.
Being in a meeting with someone who’s very good at what they do is an opportunity to study the context like you’re watching “BBC Wild Life” or something similar.
You should try and observe all the details and actions.
The next step, if you’re “a kid”, is to actually pose questions about that!
Why did you said that?
What made you offer that solution and not the other?
How did you deal with that?
What went good?
What went bad?
…
All of these unlock the mental map of someone who’s in a position that you want to be in.
Of course, we can do this, regardless of our positions and ages but if you got an opportunity to be “a kid” near those you admire, take advantage of it.
The learning process is what allows you to become the version of yourself that serves Métis and allows for a Modern Golden Age.