Adjunct Faculty, A Professional Responsibility

A few years ago I was approached with an opportunity to join a local college as an adjunct faculty member.  At first I was somewhat hesitant because of the time commitment that would be required above and beyond my current professional and personal responsibilities.  However after a short conversation with a colleague I realized that educating others should not only be a part of my professional responsibilities but that I also have a social responsibility to be educating others about my profession.  Teaching gives you a new perspective on client communication.  Often the students that are in my classes have very little to no professional experience, while the clients that I work with often have multiple decades of professional experience. thus teaching has forced me to come up with creative ways to describe my professional experiences as it to relates to class topic in a way that my students will understand.  In turn my classroom communication experiences have now given me a different perspective when communicating with clients which ultimately leads to a better engagement with my clients. 

If you ever have the opportunity to educate and influence those who may eventually be a part of your project team, I would highly suggest jumping in feet first by becoming an Adjunct Faculty Member of a college or university.