One of my audacious professional goals is to help bridge the gap between two previously very distinct worlds: STEM and 'People'.

And, maybe, just maybe, together we can bring these two silos much closer together?

From outside, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is focused on science, numbers, data, analysis and the pursuit of precision. A lot is 'hard' skill-based. In my professions, there is also significant importance placed on 'judgement', after analysing and synthesising the data though i.e. there is space for intuition honed from experience, provided it is evidence-based.

People disciplines are far more 'soft' skill-focused, with adaptability and gut-feel highly prized. There are often no checklists, or step-by-step manuals, and 'best practice' tends to be more anecdotal. Being able to:

• respond to the group or specific situation as it evolves,
  
• manage change as we proceed, and
  
• foster human creativity and expression,

are valued.

There's even debate about whether social sciences (like psychology) are part of STEM. People Analytics is one (emerging) discipline that sits in the space between - thank you to its experts who share their knowledge with me to help me understand more about how things are evolving. Also, some People topics (like psychometrics) have long involved STEM elements like statistical validity.

But, why are STEM and 'People' still so far apart? Is it: 

• a backlash against Taylor's Scientific Management? 
  
• because very different types of individuals are attracted to each discipline, with alternative emphasis on what's important? 
  
• our human nature to want to be different/special, defy neat classification, and act depending on how we feel or who we are with? 
  
• our overconfidence that we're especially good at harder-to-measure skills, like leadership, communication, influencing and more?
  
• something else?

Any suggestions to shed more light on this? 💡

​Once you completed your gruelling professional exams, did you vow never again to read another textbook, do another practice test, or attend another tutorial?! That's completely natural.

The challenge, however, comes if, after taking a well-deserved break, we really do behave like our qualification is final, and rest on our laurels. These days, it's not enough to simply atrophy for the rest of our multi-decade careers. I prefer to think of those letters after our names as designations, rather than destinations. 

But, I'm not saying we should shrug off the incredible accomplishment, and immediately get back into the ring to be beaten up again. Please do celebrate your hard-won success - there are few moments in life that are as sweet as achieving your professional designation.

And, you deserve a rest too, after the years of sacrifice. The added benefit of such a pause is that the memory of the pain and trauma fades somewhat, perhaps to the point that you think: 'Surely it wasn't THAT bad?' Some even then take on further study formally, perhaps a Masters or another professional qualification. Diversification and a broader skillset are worthwhile if you can face the hours of dedication again.

As we get older too, we tend to have more commitments to juggle, whether a partner, children, aging parents of our own, or a demanding senior job managing teams. I salute those who study with all that on the go at the same time!

The big challenge with lifelong learning - which most agree is becoming increasingly critical as our skills decay faster and faster - is finding the time (and the energy) to keep learning decade after decade. Curiosity and a growth mindset help, yes, but aren't sufficient.

So, I'm keen to hear your tips please! 
What have you found helps you most to keep learning and developing as you progress along your professional career path? Mindsets, tools, techniques, shortcuts, support, processes, anything that helps you.

I recently interacted with a professional who moved from specialist / technical work to product / proposition work, and she asked for some high-level advice.

This is what I said... 

1. The business problem(s) you're trying to solve are key, including how you'll measure whether you're making a difference / taking steps towards solving them.  
   
   
2. Relationship and people aspects are crucial, including collaborating with many different functions (like engineering, operations, sales etc). While important, numbers and modelling are much less important in product / change roles than in pricing or other technical roles; and, hence, product roles allow you to build so many more skills.  
   
   
3. Breadth of understanding is very helpful i.e. more generalist than specialist, provided you can call on various specialists as needed. To succeed, you'll need to manage/coordinate across a range of disciplines.  

Do you agree? What else would you add?