As a child, I thought I would grow up to be a teacher, a lawyer, a meteorologist. I never dreamed of becoming a marketing professional.

I know I still have many miles to go in this career, but when I look back on the past 25 years and even beyond that, I realize my communication career started began taking shape long before I took a single course, wrote a single article, or facilitated a single workshop. 

Some professionals think withholding information gives them a leg up or makes them look more competent. That is not the flex they think it is. Not sharing information so you can appear like the “know-it-all” is a harmful form of storytelling.

“You’ve got two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Anyone else grow up hearing that? Sometimes those simple childhood lessons become the most relevant in adulthood.