THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

There is No Better Teacher Than Experience:

Karen Trader
California University Of Pennsylvania

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

For my internship, I had taken an opportunity to work for Canyon Creek Learning Center.
My main role was to effectively train their administration team in the field of marketing and
enrollment. I had prior experience with people and with business, however this is the first time I
have had the opportunity to combine training people that will later make the business successful.
In order to prepare myself for this task, I wrote down my goals for the project and I equipped
myself through reading many leadership and management books.
Taking this opportunity provided a level of experience that will open many doors in the
future. This internship has allowed me to see the value of management and has opened the
interest for me to pursue higher education. Whether I make it to my final goal of PA school,
managing people and learning how to train has been one of the most rewarding experiences,
allowing me to leave a small piece of me and my work behind for a team to execute.
Choosing staff members carefully, watching their personalities and adequately placing
them in each area that will best develop their abilities, is one trait and piece of learning that I will
take with me for the rest of my career. Developing something out of nothing, seeing an
unstructured environment begin to take place as it develops and starts to form, is an incredible
experience to partake in. When done correctly, hard work does pay off.
It was amazing to see each individual slowly starting to take his or her place in the chain
and begin working together. At the end of the project, the administration staff had established a
system that worked effectively together.
Through the internship, I saw that I needed to find my style of leadership. With my many
deficiencies and the many unknowns, I jumped on amazon and quickly began my leadership
book wish list. The first one I dove into was The Way Of The Shepherd. This book, not only
grew me professionally, but also allowed me to find my teaching style. It taught me to see things

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

for what they truly are and learn to implement structures and strategies that will best benefit each
individual and the organization as a whole. This book was the most influential book throughout
this internship and the development of my leadership. Make your pasture a safe place (Leman,
pp. 53) is a crucial step that needs to be followed. When Leman mentions this concept in his
book, he refers to the idea that people are like flock and they will always look for greener
pastures. If you have a clean and beautiful environment where your team feels safe, they will be
less likely to go look elsewhere for this safety. This will create loyalty and a lower turn over
environment
According to Gallup poll of more than one million employed U.S. Workers, A bad boss
or supervisor is the number one reason people leave due to the environment their boss creates
and how they feel they've been treated. Although I have had training experience with people,
this continues to be an area that I constantly continue to put emphasis on and try my hardest to
make a priority. Who I am as a boss depends on whether or not people feel safe and can have an
environment to excel in their duties. Adequately implementing a healthy environment is a prime
step to maintaining loyalty within staff.
There are many ways in which this internship relates to my field of study. People
Leadership, Project Management, Conflict Resolution are just a few ways this internship has
helped my future career and other endeavors.
Managing people is something you will encounter at any job and in any field you choose.
Learning how to manage people effectively is an asset that will make your future much easier.
Learning how to manage, lead, train and make the day-to-day hard decisions efficiently are some
of the main characteristics of a successful person. The personal success, if shared correctly,
quickly bleeds into your team.

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

In my opinion, managing a group of people is one of hardest things to accomplish. It is

easy to rely on yourself to get things done and accomplish tasks when you know they are due. I
know when things are due and what limitations I encounter in accomplishing a specific task.
When you are dealing with other people, you are relying on their abilities and desire to continue
to grow. You are also dealing with many different personalities; a separate set of values, beliefs,
skill sets and mentalities. They all must work together and find a common ground to achieve the
higher purpose. Maintaining a well-balanced environment that allows each individual the
opportunity to flourish and grow under your management becomes a challenge. Getting to know
each individual and observing their work and their abilities allows you the opportunity to move
them and lead them into the best position that fits them. Have you every heard of trying to fit a
square peg into a round hole? Having a qualified person in the wrong position can be
detrimental for both the employee and the institution.
Time management and project execution are also crucial parts of the success of the team.
Knowing how to effectively delegate each task and have a clear boundary drawn of expectations
for each individual will allow the team to do their best each day without wondering around and
wasting time. A key question in the book, The One Thing, is what is the one thing you can do
today that will make tomorrow easier? Papasans focus in this book resonates the question,
What I do daily? I believe that teaching this concept to the team will help their future as much
as it has helped mine.
There were many personal connections that have been made through this process. No
matter how small or how big a person is in the hierarchy of an institution, getting to know each
person individually and building relationships can open a door in the future.

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

Personally engaging in this internship has expanded my mindset of a one-man team, and
has allowed me to show others what they are capable of doing. I have utilized my strengths and I
it has exposed some weaknesses that I must continue to work on. The best part of any project is
the trajectory from having a plan to actually getting to see that plan in motion. Seeing the
Learning Center developing and setting up the same guidelines as the Academy will empower
the Learning Center to become a great institution. It has been a joy to work with each person in
the team and has united both institutions in ways it has never been done before.
Although a great experience, this institution lacks areas for growth. There are numerous
ways to continue to learn and perfect the system, as far as professional growth is concerned, the
Head of School is the next person above my position with only the chief of the organization
above him. The limitations come with growth; although this was an incredible opportunity at my
age, it is not a place where I can see myself continue to move higher in the organization. I am at
Canyon Creek knowing that this is a safe place to be. I have been lucky enough to learn these
concepts very early in my career.
When I began the journey to finish my degree and start this internship, I did so in hopes
of continuing my education and eventually go into either PA school or apply to graduate school
and study mathematics. I was very undecided on what the next step for my life was going to be,
but I knew for certain that regardless of my decision, I needed to finish my bachelors first.
Through this past year and this internship along with the seminar that accompanies this
internship, I began looking and considering all of my valuable options for the future. I have
taken time to speak to counselors and try to make the best decision possible for my family and
myself. Using my skill sets and my abilities to the best possible way are key to my success.
Through my job and this internship, I have been able to see my strengths and, man-oh-man, have

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

my weaknesses been exposed. I have been able to see what drives me and how much I enjoyed
training people and bringing a team together reinforcing their strengths and set forth a great
program for the future. Through much prayer and consideration, I have decided to pursue an
MBA, with concentration in Business Analytics. There is so much to be said about having a
plan. This is a decision that I did not foresee coming, but I wholeheartedly embrace it for my
future. All my years in a business setting have opened up the doors and have led me to this
point. I am very excited to move forward with my education as I continue to grow within the
administrative business.

THERE IS NO BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE

References:

Oien, L. (n.d.). People quit their boss, not their job. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from
http://businesspaths.net/Articles/12/people-quit-their-boss-not-their-job
Keller, G., & Papasan, J. (2012). The one thing: The surprisingly simple truth behind
extraordinary results. Austin, TX: Bard Press.
Peters, T. J. (2010). The little big things: 163 ways to pursue excellence. New York:
HarperStudio.
Leman, K., & Pentak, W. (2004). The way of the shepherd. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Maxwell, J. C. (2013). How successful people lead: Taking your influence to the next level. TN:
Center Street.
Cardone, G. (2011). The 10x rule: The only difference between success and failure. Hoboken,
NJ: John Wiley & Sons.