Today, it’s common for people to work either for themselves (self-employed, entrepreneurs, freelancers), or by themselves (remote workers, digital nomads).
These work arrangements offer perks like flexibility and autonomy but also come with real challenges. A big one is the risk of entering an echo chamber—an environment with little external input and few new ideas, information, or perspectives.
To truly thrive as an entrepreneur or professional, you need to be intentional about escaping the echo chamber.
Here we explore various ways to do so and highlight one key opportunity for Tucson locals: The 3 Pillars Entrepreneur Mastermind, hosted monthly by Troy Jacobson right here at The Post Workspaces.
The next mastermind is on February 29, 2024 from 9:00am – 12:00pm — JOIN US and take the first step to increase your network and connections.
Risks of Professional Echo Chambers
If you’re in a literal echo chamber, the only voice you hear is your own—it bounces off the walls back to you. A professional echo chamber is the same—you’re only hearing your voice and lack external beliefs, ideas, or opinions.
This can happen because you’re working independently, interacting with few professionals, seeking validation from people who agree with you, or focusing too much on your industry and environment.
Some risks of this experience include:
- Lack of diverse perspectives: Without seeking other people and their ideas, you rely only on yourself, potentially leading to misunderstandings or poor choices.
- Stifled creativity and innovation: Creativity and innovation have to come from somewhere, so you need new, external ideas and perspectives.
- Missed growth opportunities: An insulated environment doesn’t lead to new opportunities—meeting new people, collaborating, and expanding your network does.
Getting Out: 3 Key Ways to Share Ideas and Boost Innovation
It’s important for professionals to get out of their echo chambers and experience broader opinions and ideas. Here are three key ways to intentionally do so:
1. Join an Entrepreneur Mastermind
A mastermind is a group of like-minded entrepreneurs and professionals who regularly meet to support, encourage, inspire, and challenge one another.
By frequently connecting with growth-minded professionals, you naturally expand your horizons, make important connections, and learn from diverse viewpoints.
We host an entrepreneur mastermind every month, right here at The Post. It’s led by Troy Jacobson, who is a Post member, executive coach, business strategist, and co-owner of 3 Pillars Mastermind.
In our recent interview with Troy, he highlighted the three key pillars the mastermind focuses on:
- Leading yourself: The first person to lead is yourself—if you’re not doing so, you’re probably not going to be a great business leader.
- Becoming a team builder: Business success is built on a good team, where everyone is aligned around the organization’s vision and is empowered to do what it takes to succeed.
- Honing business strategy: The mastermind talks a lot about business strategy and tactics—what do you need to do today to achieve your goals in one, three, or five years from now?
An entrepreneur mastermind is an intentional community that supports and encourages each other. You get out of your echo chamber and learn from diverse perspectives.
If you want to get involved in an entrepreneurial mastermind, join the 3 Pillars Mastermind with Troy Jacobson at The Post Workspaces. The next session is on Thursday, February 29th.
2. Increase Your Connections
Escaping your echo chamber requires interaction with new people and ideas. Expand your network through any of these opportunities:
- Join a coworking space: Connect organically with other professionals in a shared workspace like The Post.
- Attend networking events: Foster professional relationships and grow your opportunities by interacting with diverse people at networking events.
- Get a mentor: Join an industry association or formal mentorship program to learn from experienced professionals outside of your industry.
- Engage online: Whether on LinkedIn, Facebook, or an industry-specific platform, actively share and engage online to connect with entrepreneurs from different backgrounds.
- Talk to everyone: Hone your small talk skills and learn something new by connecting with everyone—your neighbor, barista, friend-of-a-friend, or other dog owners at the park.
3. Increase your skills and knowledge
While expanding your network will naturally lead to increased knowledge and ideas, you can also pursue formal training and education. Here are some ways to do so:
- Attend conferences and workshops: This can be particularly helpful if you choose ones outside of or adjacent to your industry, which exposes you to new insights and ideas that can inspire and boost creativity.
- Read books and articles: Gain knowledge and different perspectives from a variety of sources to broaden your horizons. Podcasts are a great alternative to reading, too.
- Collaborate outside your industry: Reach out to people outside your industry to bring in fresh ideas and more innovation.
- Take a class or other PD opportunity: Pursue a certificate or coursework to increase your skill set or learn something new. Choose from your local community college, industry resources, or online learning (i.e., Coursera or Skillshare).
Entrepreneurship or owning a business can be an exciting professional journey. But recognizing the dangers of the proverbial echo chamber allows you to intentionally break out and increase your connections, ideas, and creativity.
If you are excited about connecting with other like-minded entrepreneurs, join Troy and the 3 Pillars Mastermind, hosted at The Post Workspaces on February 29, 2024. Learn More OR Register Here.