SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter.
How much did your college experience contribute to your success as a leader?
- Tremendously — I am forever indebted to my alma mater: 13%
- A lot — My college education has had a big impact on my career: 31%
- Somewhat — It’s contributed but only in certain areas: 28%
- Not much — My success doesn’t have a lot to do with my education: 22%
- Not at all — I didn’t attend college or it hasn’t contributed at all: 7%
Hail alma mater dear. You get out of something what you put into it. If you feel you’re not getting a lot out of your college experience (as 50% of you indicate), perhaps you’re not taking advantage of all the assets available to you. Alumni networks, LinkedIn connections, alumni events, ongoing research, and volunteer opportunities abound. By taking a few simple actions to engage with your alma mater, you may be surprised by the new connections and opportunities that arise from doing so. In a networked world, the stronger your network, the stronger your career.
Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and the host of the upcoming Executive Insight 16 — a leadership conference being held in New York this November.