To know the road ahead...

 ... ask those coming back.

Pretty simple isn't it? Maybe not. 

Why is it that I find people, from all occupations and walks of life, seldom ever ask and instead would rather prove that they can figure it out on their own. I have always maintained that I never want to be the smartest guy in the room (that's not too difficult by the way). I just want to be the guy who asks those coming back.

To be able to do that, here are the steps that work for me:

What is my goal/objective in this situation. 

Who are the people that have faltered or achieved those goals/objectives in my network of contacts. If none of them have the experience, who might they know.

Who are the three that I can best relate to and enjoy spending time with.

How do I get a hold of them?

Start dialing/emailing to arrange coffee, lunch, what have you.

Then ASK!

In fact, I experienced this first hand recently.  A friend and I were out for coffee and a topic came up that was very challenging to my friend. I said, "I experienced the same thing a few years back and this is what worked ... and this is what did not work...". Instantly, the stress behind the unknown went away.

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back!

That has also been the driving strategy behind the dental education programs that our company has been involved with. We combine dentists with different experience levels in a supportive environment.

The California Center For Advanced Dental Studies launched their first programs in San Francisco and Vancouver five years ago. Today, it is one of the leading post grad programs in dentistry.  Recently, they launched a program in Calgary, Alberta and it was a roaring success. Toronto and Washington State are next.