This is a story from my friend Andre
I remember my first day ever on a vessel, fresh out of university. I walked into the mess-room and met the Chief Engineer who was making entries into the log after completing a fuel bunkering operation. Not wanting to disturb him, I asked if I could go with the second engineer for a tour of the engine room to see what it was like. Without even looking up, he made a couple of quick hand gestures as if he was saying “just carry on with it.”
The second engineer took me down and gave me a tour of the propulsion system, the engine control room, electrical switchboard, steering gear and thruster room. My eyes gleamed in wonder at all these new and exciting gadgets, taking quick mental notes as we went along to discuss with the Chief Engineer. I returned to the mess room, pulled off the earplugs, and began by commending the Chief on his machinery spaces. I asked him friendly questions about it, thinking that he would be impressed with my thirst for knowledge. However, I was immediately taken aback by his unfortunate statement, "Young man!” he said, with a scoff “you will never know half as much of the things that I know today." Bewildered and confused, I sank back into my chair in disbelief and was torn for the rest of that week. Fascination, excitement, and inquisitiveness quickly turned to anxiety, fear, and reservation. I could not comprehend the reason for this attitude, but apparently, I was no match for his unlimited certificate of competence and 20+ years of merchant shipping experience.
The single greatest factor that boosts your career is your craving and desire to learn on a consistent basis. Too many employees that I met have resolved that they have already reached their peak, or they are too old to learn anything new. A culture of learning is vital to the health of any organisation. It is a collective set of values, group beliefs and ‘the way we do things around here.’ It secretly drives individuals and the organization as a whole to increase their knowledge, competence, and performance. Culture is easy to talk about yet challenging to create or change in practice. However, working to create a strong culture of learning is a business strategy that deserves the attention of Senior Leadership.
The question you’re probably asking is - what happened to that Chief Engineer that was unwilling to share his knowledge with me because he was too busy? We briefly met fifteen years later and found that we were on different paths. He seemed disappointed that his career hadn’t progressed as he had hoped. I sincerely hope that things take a more positive turn for him in the future.
IT'S NICE TO BE IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE NICE
