The Truly Educated Never Graduate. (National Commentary).(management theory)

I was cruising through stores a few weekends ago and ended up in a small shop that specializes in selling tee shirts. We've all been in a tee shirt store; we venture into them on board walks while on vacation or while visiting new towns, our eyes and minds engaged while reading all of the catchy phrases that decorate colorful tee shirts. One shirt in particular caught my attention; it sported the phrase, "The Truly Educated Never Graduate." I was intrigued by the thought of that phrase and was pleased that some entrepreneur somewhere thought enough of it to print it on a tee shirt. Weeks later, I still find myself thinking about that phrase: "The Truly Educated Never Graduate."

It's interesting how a phrase can get stuck in your mind, and this one in particular just wouldn't leave my thoughts. I began to think about it and its importance. As professionals, we all value education. We all acknowledge that the need for education, training and professional development is a life long need. Most of us also agree that professional success is closely related to learning and to the ability to reach into our arsenal of knowledge and cross-functionally apply it as needed in our ever-changing business environment. We also are quick to boast about our accomplishments--what program we attended, or what credential we have earned. I have always been committed to education and learning. I earned the CCE designation, and I am always proud to tell my peers about my accomplishment of completing the Graduate School of Credit & Financial Management in 1994.

As I think about my reaction to the phrase on that tee shirt, I now understand why it lingered in my thoughts. That phrase wasn't supposed to make me think about my accomplishments. I wasn't supposed to review the list of seminars, programs and credentials that I have earned. That simple statement wouldn't leave my thoughts until I began to think about what I am doing today to increase my knowledge and more importantly, about what I am planning to do next to add to or expand my skills. That little phrase struck a cord, tugging at my thoughts until I began to think about what I have done recently to refresh my skills, improve my value and expand my horizons. That phrase made me think about today and about tomorrow, instead of thinking about what I have done and accomplished in the past.

As a professional, I am concerned when I hear members of my profession, or worse, executives in companies say that there is no time or money for professional development. It worries me that our corporate culture is about doing more with less, and it frightens me that we can even believe that the "less" which is ...