Educators have heard the phase, “Will this be on the test?” and it’s something you should also consider. It can say a lot about your leadership skills and especially your leadership under pressure.
In the classroom, students would ask, “Will this be on the test?” when a teacher would start to talk about things that were outside of the lesson plan. The topic might be an amusing story or life lesson. It was something the educator thought was worth sharing.
Asking, “Will this be on the test?” was thinly veiled student code for whether you could turn your brain off for the next few minutes, stop taking notes, and not pay as much attention.
While there might be some wisdom in not studying something that would not be a test item, those who tuned out the lesson may have missed out on some wisdom. And that’s a lesson you should think about in today’s world. Here’s why:
We Don’t Know the Future
Something can be mentioned in the classroom that has nothing to do with the lesson plan but will be very important later in life. Years ago, someone might have talked about the importance of learning how to use computers.
In the days before we had computers in our homes and even our pockets, you might have ignored the advice. Looking back, you may wish you had paid better attention.
When presented with a new idea or concept that seems a little out there, pay attention and consider why someone thinks it’s important to tell you about it. Our minds have a lot of memory space and it’s okay to fill some of it with new ideas and trends.
Your Test May Be Coming
Once you’ve graduated school, your days of tests may be over but work and life may test you in different ways. Challenges and the unexpected, will come and they don’t arrive with easy multiple choice options.
As a leader, think about if you’re prepared to respond to these tests. While you may not know what’s ahead, do you feel confident that you could make a big change if one was needed? Or do you feel like the student who didn’t study and has to take a pop quiz?
Don’t Forget Extra Credit
A teacher might share some interesting information and admit that it would not be on the test, as a question. But occasionally, it would appear as an extra credit item. The clever teacher wanted to reward those who paid attention.
For leaders, it pays to pay attention to what’s going on in your industry and the world. If you want innovation in your business, then you need look outside a bit.
This doesn’t have to be something you only do. Enlist your team and ask them to regularly share something interesting they’ve learned recently.
These things may not be on today’s test but could prove very valuable down the road.
Ken Okel Performs Virtual Keynotes Too
