“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Benjamin Franklin
When I joined McKinsey as a young consultant, one of the most powerful tools for growth was apprenticeship. The team room was the nexus of learning. We learned by doing, through active coaching — but also by simply being around those who had done it before. As I often say, some things are taught, others are caught.
That kind of proximity-based learning was deeply disrupted during COVID. And now, five years on, we’re still feeling the ripple effects. Many young professionals continue to prioritize fully remote or hybrid roles — and while I’m all for autonomy, here’s my strong advice: if you have the option to work in person, take it. Seriously. It might cost you more in the short term — commute, wardrobe budget (smiles), time — but it will cost you less in the long run. Growth is faster when you’re in the room.
Tools like ChatGPT are already doing much of what entry-level professionals used to do — faster, and cheaper. If your value is limited to task execution, it’s already under review. What AI can’t replace is context — judgment, interpersonal skills, and professional instincts. But you can’t delegate what you haven’t yet learned to discern. That’s what apprenticeship builds.
If you don’t have an in-person option — maybe you’re a freelancer, fully remote, or in a distributed team — then you have to build your own apprenticeship experience. Aggressively. This isn’t passive learning. You have to create the conditions where growth can still happen.
Here are three practical ways to do that:
1. Keenly observe what excellence looks like.
If you can’t be in the room, recreate it. Watch videos of leaders in your industry. Study how they speak, dress, navigate meetings, or pitch ideas. Join live webinars and take notes. Sit in on meetings even when you’re not required. Kobe Bryant didn’t just practice — he studied Michael Jordan obsessively. Great athletes watch endless hours of tape. You should too. You’re not just doing the job; you’re studying the game.
2. Curate your proximity.
Find a coworking space. Surround yourself with people who are sharp, driven, and growing. Volunteer where you’ll be stretched. Join networks or communities that give you access to people doing what you want to do. If you’re the most experienced person in every room, it’s time to find new rooms.
3. Work like it matters — because it does.
Remote work isn’t permission to coast or juggle other hustles during core hours; and core hours is whatever it takes to get the job done well. If you treat your job like a side hustle, it will treat you like one. Excellence still matters — maybe now more than ever. Deliver beyond expectations, even when no one is checking. Presence is not just about location; it’s about attention. Start on time. Show up ready. Communicate and follow through. These small choices compound. They build trust — and trust unlocks opportunity.
You cannot afford to leave your formation to chance.
What are you doing to stay in apprenticeship mode?
Yours in possibilities,
TKO
P.S. My Medium blog, where I share insights and learnings from my adventure of Faith, is finally up and running. Stop by when you get a chance!