Over recent times I have been reminded about the importance of teaching, of being a teacher, for all of us in our professional (and personal) lives.

Two days ago, CareerActually contributor Julie Preston, highlighted nine fabulous pieces of life advice provided by Tim Minchin at a graduation address at the University of Western Australia.

Here is his sixth piece of advice:

 … be a teacher. Please, please, please be a teacher. Teachers are the most admirable and important people in the world … if you are in doubt about what to do, be an amazing teacher. Even if you are not a teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas, rejoice in what you learn and spray it.

The story of music teacher extraordinaire, Karen Carey, in our Working Lives series embodies the qualities that Minchin speaks about. As well, Peter Luscombe in his Lessons from Teaching series for, chronicles the very real personal journey he took as a teacher, highlighting along the way many contemporary and widely-experienced workplace challenges we all face together regardless of context,  and showing us why important teaching is to any workplace.

I have spent a good part of my career both in teaching and management roles and have learnt that the best managers are also good teachers, and vice-versa. But more than that … teaching turns up in many guises – through coaches, mentors, friends, colleagues and parents. We all have the opportunity (and maybe the responsibility) to share what we know and offer up our ideas – generously and enthusiastically.

Allow the teacher in you to shine – its amazing what you can learn.

Go well, everyone

Carole