What's more important? Who you know or what you know?

That is a question that I asked nearly all my students at the beginning of the school year. After some thought most of the students came up with what I think is the correct answer and that is who-you-know.

After a bit of discussion, I would state why I think that is the correct answer. You need to know what-you-know well enough so that when you meet who-you-know you can impress them. That first impression might be the opening to a job offer, a collaboration or an internship. When you meet the right who-you-know you need to be prepared to impress them with what-you-know. You don't need to be the brightest or the best, you just need to know enough to impress someone to get your foot in the door and that can change your life.

Unfortunately, our school system is primarily focusing on what-you-know. And if what-you-know are just vague statements concerning your grades or topics in a class such as algebra or English or social studies, stating those things is not very impressive.

So, if our school system exists to prepare us to be successful in life and future work, they are missing the biggest part of the success equation.

In essence it's all about marketing. Every student even at a young age should be dealing with their own branding. They should be able to state what they are good at, what they are interested in, and be able to deliver a one-minute elevator pitch when they meet someone for the first time. 

I didn't like the term, but my students used to refer to me as a hook up artist. They always knew I would know someone that they should meet that would give them an opportunity to advance their own brand and interests. I have always had a knack of attracting influential people and tour them around the school to show off our robotics program or highlight award winning students in our science research programs. While giving the tours I would always call out one of my students and have them introduce themselves to the dignitary and give their elevator pitch.  Afterwards I would privately ask the student about the experience and coach them on what they might try to make it better. Through this process the students later would talk themselves into research labs by having the courage, preparation, and soft skills to get an internship in a university research lab that would later turn into college scholarships in a prestigious school and even patents on products they developed.

That is how you get to know the who-you-know and how to create your own luck. Knowing these soft skills when you are young can make a dramatic difference in opportunities that might exist during the rest of your life.

Adults and youth can benefit greatly by developing these soft skill sets that are almost never taught in school.  If you think this type of learning could make a difference in your life or in someone you know…. hit me up! I’m the hook-up artist.  I can help you master the skill that will make more of a difference in your life than nearly anything you learned in school.