Looking for a sharp creative jolt? A fresh viewpoint to help navigate challenges on the road ahead? Your best bet might be to stop by your local college or university for a much-needed dose of perspective outside of your comfort zone.
I was fortunate last week to speak to a class in person at the Fordham University campus in New York City by my friend Janet Gallant. Janet teaches a “Consumer Adoption of New Media” course, and the experience was exhilarating.
Here are the six leading reasons I would urge you to connect or reconnect with the educational institutions in your orbit:
- Universities aren’t just a domestic destination for students – their international reach brings an important look outside of our comfortable norms. College students bring innovative perspectives and creative problem-solving skills and engaging with them allows businesses to tap into this talent pool, fostering fresh ideas and solutions that can drive growth.
- The “beginners’ mindset” approach – which you have heard me mention previously courtesy of Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach in their great book Detonate – seems more natural in the DNA of the student. One student asked, “If AM radio owners could create their brands from scratch, what content could they consider creating?” This natural inclination to problem-solving can be greatly influential to your own thought process.
- Curiosity abounds when you speak with students, and we so need curiosity to calibrate our innovative spark. Questioning the norms and asking “why, or why not?” is necessary in any business pursuit.
- By interacting with students at educational institutions, you are looking at a “window into the world” of future business leaders, whether they be media or management. They possess different skills, that encourage intellectual curiosity.
- Universities provide a built-in professional network of students, faculty, and alumni. By connecting with them, businesses can establish relationships that may lead to partnerships, collaborations, or future hires.
- Talking to students about your business – in my case, my takin’ a walk and Music Saved Me podcasts – enhances brand visibility among a young, tech-savvy demographic. This can help build long-term customer loyalty and attract attention from their broader networks.
By fostering these connections, businesses not only support student development but also position themselves as forward-thinking organizations, committed to innovation and community building.
Thank you to Janet Gallent and her students for a great visit to Fordham.
