The biggest shifts happen when you overhear conversations you’re not supposed to hear.
In random moments, when someone says something that breaks your brain.
Like when I was sitting in a meeting with my terrific manager, Darrell, during my first week at a new job in 2016, and Trish, our General Counsel, walked in...
“Hey, will you be in Mongolia next week?” she asked him.
I nearly choked on my coffee.
They continued their conversation like she’d asked about lunch plans down the road.
That moment completely rewired my brain about what’s possible in a career.
Until that point, I thought exotic international travel was for other people.
But there it was, completely normalised with my colleagues.
That’s the power of exposure.
And it’s the most underrated learning tool we have.
Why most professional development misses the mark
Most people think they need formal training to grow. Courses, certifications, workshops, qualifications.
Training is a booming industry. According to a report by Allied Market Research, the global corporate training market was valued at $361.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $805.6 billion by 2035.
And look, don’t get me wrong - formal learning has its place.
But as I reflect on every pivotal moment in my career, every major mindset shift, every time I’ve completely changed direction.
Absolutely NONE of it came from formal learning.
It all came from exposure to people who operated differently from me, on different flight paths.
That’s my kind of MBA: Mind-blowing Accidental Discoveries.
It’s why I think “hanging out” is the new MBA.
Actively seek out people who break your brain
I grew up doing what I was told - follow the rules, tick the boxes, colour within the lines. You probably did, too.
Then I met John, the founder of Wicked Campers.
John didn’t believe in rules. Or plans. Or permission.
If he had an idea, he just did it. Pure action.
Watching him operate was chaotic, brilliant, and completely liberating. It shattered everything I thought I knew about what you’re allowed to do in work and life.
That experience taught me something formal education never could: exposure to someone who lives differently rewires you.
A few years later, when I started my own business, I caught myself falling back into old habits - playing it safe, colouring neatly again.
So I went looking for another jolt of exposure.
I joined Alan Weiss’ Growth Cycle program. Alan was brilliant (as expected) but what really blew my mind were the peer conversations.
Each one was a mini detonation of new thinking:
“Wait, you charge what for that?”
“You actually turned down a project?”
“That’s what a proposal actually looks like?”
In traditional learning, someone tells you what’s possible.
In exposure learning, you witness what’s happening. Right now. In real life. By people who seem completely normal.
Which makes you think: “Well, if they can do it, maybe so can I.”
The echo chamber effect
Everyone in your workplace thinks the same, earns the same, dreams the same dreams.
You need exposure to people who’ve normalised what you think is out of reach.
A friend of mine, Brad, runs side businesses while holding a full-time job. His new colleagues were stunned.
“You can have a job AND other income streams?”
For them, revolutionary.
For him, just your standard Tuesday.
This is what happens when you escape your bubble.
It applies across so many domains. I’m an extremely average tennis player. But when I play against a better opponent, somehow my game elevates, too.
When you’re around people operating at a higher level, doing things you didn’t know were possible, thinking in ways you’ve never considered, your baseline automatically shifts.
“But I don’t know any high-level people”
My Mongolia moment? I was just the new employee who overheard a conversation.
Here’s some ideas on how to engineer exposure:
Attend industry events (even free ones)
Listen to podcasts where people drop real stories and numbers
Join online spaces where practitioners share actual challenges
Talk money with your peers
Find a way to make yourself useful to your heroes. If I were starting again, I’d offer to shoot their videos, edit their podcasts, carry gear - whatever it took to get close enough to learn how they work.
It’s really not about getting invited to exclusive dinners (even though yes, that’s awesome, although I personally prefer long lunches…!)
It’s about paying attention to what’s already happening around you and actively seeking out voices that challenge your current assumptions about what’s possible.
This is exactly the fundamental pillar I’m designing in for Con Con 2026 down the Gold Coast. Fifty consultants in one room, sharing what’s possible.
Oh yes…
And if you’re wondering…
yep, I did end up in Mongolia. Would 11/10 recommend it.
Thank you for the outpouring of support after last week’s email.
It’s taken me time to respond to everyone, but I’m so grateful for your comments and thoughts.
If anything in this article resonates, hit the heart 💙 below or share a story in the comments about a time exposure changed your perspective
🌴
Leanne “I major in Hanging Out” Hughes
P.S. If you’re in Brisbane next week, come hang out in person. I’m running a public workshop on how to design a brilliant, non-boring professional development session - whether that’s a lunch and learn, full-day workshop, or webinar. It’s hosted by QASEL, and open to everyone. Pick your day: Wed 22 Oct (North Brisbane) or Thu 23 Oct (Ipswich).
Yes, talk money and fees and charge rates etc with colleagues. Aussies often too shy about that…