It’s true that we learn throughout our lives. Many times we learn from mistakes and sometimes we learn from others.

I always have a sensitive personality, and I focused deeply on many things - even on human nature and psychology.

I use to believe that I deeply understand the matter and learn many things from each incident. No matter whether it happens to me or others.

But nowadays as I am appointed as head of an institution, I have realized that I didn’t learn throughout my life as I am learning now.

Actually, creativity, sensitivity, and ethics aren’t enough to live a successful life - at least professional life.

We all are attached to professional lives to some extent. This is how we make a living. And we learn professionalism the most by practically doing things.

Here are my findings on what has taught me the most in running the institution.

Experience:

It’s possible that you might have read tons of books to improve your professional life. You might also be a remote employee and working with many employers on Freelancer, Upwork, and other marketplaces.

But still, you are not practically experiencing things as others who are feeling the real essence of each emotional change attached to each event.

In other words, you might have read many books on the taste of an Apple but you haven’t tasted it yet. You might understand the taste but you can’t be even close to the real one.

This is how experience influences your personality.

Thus even after running an informational blog, interacting with different people on different marketplaces, and working in collaborations, I had no idea what actually professionalism means.

It’s way different than being professional in freelancing markets places and with friends.

My fellow HODs

Thanks to my fellow HODs who have vast experience in running institutions, they have helped me the most after the experience.

As being new, I keep discussing with them, and they tell me if I am doing it the right way or not.

Their stories and practical guidance give me the courage to make tough decisions.

It also makes me able to make fewer mistakes.

Your subordinates teach you unconsciously

As you have newly joined a department. Your subordinates try to come close to you.

If you are a new one, it’s important to let them come close, and share their thoughts.

Listening to them will make you realize what already has been in the department, and what they disliked the most.

Sooner they will start trusting you and you will get some loyal subordinates.

Those subordinates will teach you if you are doing things right or not. Because they will automatically share with you the remarks of your subordinates and will make you realize if you are doing right or not.

Many times they also guide you to take better steps