Lesson Eleven: “Listen for the Movement”

Posted on September 28th, 2010 by Robbin and currently 5 commenting.

Thanks to Bobby Rettew for this week’s Lesson Eleven. If you have something to share, contact me, robbin@briansonfire.com and we’ll make it happen!

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of having coffee and a bagel with Robbin. We were talking about NetworkBash. What is NetworkBash, you ask? Well, we’ll get to that in just a second. Our conversation made me think back to where it all began…it began by listening.

A few years ago, I was asked to teach a Business Writing at Clemson University. This class is based in the Department of English as a Advanced Writing course. My goal was to bring the business world to the classroom, teach more than just writing a proposal or a resume, but how to use this proposal or resume in a business situation. My goal in teaching is simple — I believe in investing in the next wave of entrepreneurs, the leaders that will have a deciding factor in our tomorrow.

One afternoon during class, we were working on elevator pitches. We were taking the rough drafts and putting them into real world scenarios. After writing the draft, each student used their pitch on another student in the class. We video-recorded each pitch to allow the students could critique themselves and each other. One student looked at me and said, “Yeah, this is great, but I really need to find a job. I need to figure out how to get in the position to use this pitch.” It was an excellent point that student made, because it all starts with relationships. During the next class, we talked about this concept and what they wanted to do about it. And NetworkBash was born.

Each semester students from Business Writing at Clemson plan a NetworkBash event as a part of the curriculum. They help create an event where students can use their communication skills to build career relationships with professionals. They want more than just a career fair where they walk up to a recruiter, hand over a resume, and wait to hear back. They want to have real conversations. They want to learn how to use tools to position themselves, how to start — and carry — a conversation.

For the last two semesters, students have worked with Clemson’s Michelin Career Center, corporate sponsors, and other students to put on events for students to engage in conversations. It is an opportunity to allow students to have an active role in their future, creating an event that puts them first. This semester, we are having three separate NetworkBash events at Clemson: Ignite, Excite, and Engage.

Listening can be tough. It’s not difficult to hear students…but listening is key. On page 96 the highlighted text reads: “Shared Ownership Starts At The Very Beginning Of A Movement.” This is so true. The students took ownership, a shared ownership and the movement has spread like wildfire.

“By their very definition, movements are born out of passion. Passion to unite and passion for change. There’s nothing dry and emotionally detached about something in which you believe deeply.” Brains on Fire, page xxii

I believe in my students because in their movement, their creation, I AM their student.

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