Don't Be a Know-it-All.

• Author: Severson, Adam
• Position: FROM THE PRESIDENT

For several of these President's Messages, I've tried to tie my work world into my family life, as they are incredibly intertwined. As this issue focuses on education, I thought about a recent conversation with my children, Abby and Max. We were talking about their recent homework and upcoming spelling tests. Abby, who is two-and-a-half years older than Max, was picking on him because he didn't know how to spell a couple of words. He said, "Quit being such a know-it-all!!" I echoed his sentiments with something along the lines of: "Don't pick on your brother."

"Know-it-alls" are all around us. The benefit of our profession is that we are surrounded by some of the smartest minds on the planet, addressing some of the most critical issues of today. It's no wonder some folks are proud of themselves, their intellect and their accomplishments. You know the ones: They don't feel like they need to attend a conference session because they've got it all figured out. At a recent LMA regional conference, I even found myself thinking maybe I could skip a session where I felt well-versed in the subject matter. Thank goodness I checked my ego at the door, as it was one of the better sessions I have attended, and it...