Job Shadowing Benefits

The power of shadowing at work. Someone asked me today if they could just sit in on my meetings to learn—and it took me back to the days when I did exactly that, shadowing folks to soak everything in. It’s one of the most underrated ways to learn, yet so powerful. Shadowing isn’t just about the content of a meeting; it’s about observing: • Soft skills – How do people handle questions or respond to challenges? • Unspoken rules – What are the cultural nuances, the “unwritten” do’s and don’ts? • Real-world application – How a meeting’s discussion turns into tangible next steps. • Follow-ups and accountability – what happens offline and the importance of hustling. A lot of people ask me how to get started in AI when they have zero background. My first piece of advice is exactly that / to shadow someone that’s already doing the work. It shows genuine initiative, earns respect, and—best of all— you can jump in here and there to help. Those little contributions add to your experience and enrich your portfolio. Never underestimate the power of simply absorbing knowledge in real-time. If you want to accelerate your growth, find someone who’s doing what you aspire to do and ask, “Can I just join a couple of your meetings?” You’d be amazed what you’ll learn just by being in the room.

Dear Legacy Leader, Real learning happens on the factory floor, not your cubicle. We’re taught to command from above. But if you want to get the pulse of the people, go where the machines hum, and the hard work happens. Last month, I spent a day shadowing people at work. From the production department to shipping and IT, I observed our exceptionally talented people do their everyday magic. I learned where we’re strong and where we can improve. Between tasks, we had chai, played a quick game of ping pong, and shared stories. I even picked up an IT process, and now I know how to automate our server clean-up to erase duplicate data every quarter. The biggest takeaway? Learning happens through listening, and asking questions that spark real change. Next time you need fresh perspective, ditch your cubicle and try shadowing someone on your team. You’ll return with insights no consultant’s report can match. Here’s a thought: If you could switch roles with anyone on your team for a day, who would it be? (My answer’s in the comments.)

#Day7 of #ChaiTime21DaysOfAsking Want to understand what other roles actually do? The best way to learn is to see it firsthand. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Whether it's a PM, designer, recruiter, or sales engineer - this kind of ask builds bridges and deepens your business understanding. A few years ago, Alexander Matyushenko shadowed me at Google. I was an Engineering Director then and he was a GTM leader in the same org. Our functions were worlds apart, but deeply connected. That exchange gave us both insights that made us better at our jobs. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁: "I'm really interested in understanding how [role] works and how I can collaborate better with your team. Would it be possible for me to shadow you for a few hours to see what your day-to-day looks like?" 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ▶️ Builds cross-functional relationships ▶️ Gives you a broader understanding of the business ▶️ Helps you identify potential career pivots ▶️ Makes you a better collaborator Most people are flattered when someone wants to learn about their work! The key is being specific about what you want to learn and respectful of their time. Follow up with a thank you note and share one insight you gained. This keeps the relationship warm for future collaboration. That’s how you make curiosity visible  and turn it into visible impact. --------- 👍 Liked this post? Follow me here or on my Substack (https://lnkd.in/gcrJy_wU) for the remaining posts in this series and more! ✅ Want to get even better at asking? I still have a limited number of seats left in the 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟱 cohort of my course. Last cohort of this year! https://lnkd.in/g3dgaxAM