How to make the best use of interns

And what you can gain from the experience

To see ourselves as others see us, that would from many a blunder free us.  So wrote Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, in the 18th Century.  Two things to note about this piece of wisdom.  First, it’s as true today as it was 300 years ago.  Second, it might point to the most important thing you can do with interns.  And we miss the opportunity every time.

There is no doubt at all that a fresh perspective can make the world of difference to us:

  • When there are no stupid questions – every question allows us to examine the status quo, and shine a light on how we currently do things
  • There are no sacred cows – when we have no idea who loves what, or whose pet project we can only talk about in glowing terms, productive dialog occurs
  • “Why Not” replaces “Why” – and you can start to explore the art of the possible, instead of the way we do things round here
  • The answer is always in the room – a fresh pair of eyes looking at a problem can often find a way to the solution faster than someone who has wrestled with the same issue for weeks. Anyone who has ever struggled with a jigsaw puzzle knows this.  The last person to look will be the first person to find the piece you seek

Many years ago when one American corporation was pioneering a solution selling method adopted by many others, it found that new joiners and interns were the most effective in its use.  Since they asked the most questions, and pretended no expertise in the subject matter.

This spirit of inquiry, this naivety is, what we seek to leverage when we place interns with you in Beneficial Attachment as part of our approach to Consulting Inside Out.

My own experience, recently gained by running experiential assignments for a US Corporation’s fast track young leaders, teaches me the following on using interns:

  • Tough Love – today’s young leaders relish tough, real-life assignments
  • Listen – create an environment where they speak openly, and listen, then act
  • Be Humble – never underestimate your capacity to be amazed by them
  • Support Them – let everyone know they are an extension of you, and you them

For over 3 years recently, through 13 rotations, I followed these guidelines in Thailand.  In every case, I met with the student beforehand and set out to understand their ambition for the assignment.  This, in turn, led to us agreeing a number of measureable objectives they would progress against, in order to achieve their ambitions. 

These students and interns were initially shocked by how steep the learning curve was.  But none of them ever abandoned their objectives or said it could not be done.  Frequently, students would have to lead a meeting with our clients’ CEO’s, CMO’s or CIO’s within 5 to 6 weeks of joining the program.  These were not dummy presentations, these were live commercial propositions with material outcomes.

This all serves to illustrate how valuable interns and students can be to the companies that use them.  We call it Beneficial Attachment, with both sides gaining from the experience.

Why Would I Consider Beneficial Attachment of an Intern?

Remember that gift: “to see ourselves as others see us”.  That among many other benefits for your company and the student can be harnessed from a proper use of interns:

  • Agility – today’s young interns move at client speed, and are adept at changing tasks with short notice. They are comfortable with the idea that change is here to stay
  • Confidence – once they have a good grounding in base consulting skills, they are confident in their communications – both active listening and asking good questions
  • Humility – they already know they know nothing about your business, and this serves as an advantage when they seek to understand, and then solve, your issues
  • Highly collaborative – they are acutely aware that anything worth doing cannot be achieved alone. They are comfortable with the complexity of business today. This makes them natural team players who bring the inside out by necessity

Coordinating this with you, you will want someone you can trust.  Who lives and works where you live and work.  Who understands what is possible in your environment.  And who is available for you when you need them. Interns solving problems?  Better than Powerpoint

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Co-founder and Managing Director

Originally from Scotland, Iain has spent the last 35 years working with companies as diverse as IBM, The Boeing Company, AT&T, British Telecom, and small family businesses to help them be better at what they do.  And become self-sufficient as they do it. He has worked across three continents – US, Europe, and Asia.

For the past 15 years in Thailand, Iain’s greatest joy has been working with young leaders to help them first see, and then unlock their passion, skill and talent.  Every day, Iain dedicates his time at Zanas MacKenzie to enablement and communication, which he believes are key to growth and awakening in most modern companies.

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