Become a Better Learner to Be a Better Leader
We’re consuming more than 5x as much data today as we did 35 years ago. Yet, we only apply about 15% of what we learn from corporate training programs. 1
The statement above is a bit shocking. I do not think anyone questions that we are consuming more data than we did more than thirty years ago. After all, we have a computer in our pocket and can get information with almost no effort. The fact that we are not putting that access to knowledge to work is the more shocking aspect. We have what we need for any situation literally at our fingertips, but we are not taking full advantage of that. Could it be that we can get too much information? And how much of the data is both useful and meaningful at any given moment? Much of the information we see is through social media and short bursts of works (think Twitter). So, we get small bursts of information all the time, but little of it sticks or is put immediately to use.
Having a plan for your personal learning is a key ingredient for your developmental success. I think there is a place for casual consumption and dedicated learning. Blending the two is necessary to round out your growth and exposure to new ideas and areas of information. Below are five ways you can build a thoughtful way to build your learning process and ensure that learning benefits you in the way you want.
Create topics to learn during specific periods of time
Trying to do everything at once rarely works out well. Learning is no different. Trying to take on several new subjects or just grab generalities will not have the same impact as spending dedicated time on a specific subject. Alternating between different topics can keep the learning fresh as well. Admittedly, this can be difficult, especially if you are like me and can easily get distracted by new information and want to learn more. There are clear benefits though when I take the time to concentrate my efforts on a single subject. You see some of that on this website when I do a series of articles on a single topic. This is the output of my own learning and research, and a hope for you to be able to dive deeper into the subject with me.
Leverage different forms of media
We know there is no shortage of information to be learned or consumed. There are also a multitude of ways to take that knowledge in. There are books you can read or listen to. Podcasts are a fast-growing way to be introduced to new information. In addition to books, there are articles all over the internet that are easily searchable and available. There is video on YouTubeand several other sites. Different websites even curate this information for you, from TEDTalks, MasterClass, Coursera, or LinkedIn Learning. This is just scratching the surface. Using different forms of media can enhance your learning experience as much as the subject itself. It will keep the idea of learning fresh and involve multiple senses in doing so.
Connect the dots
Create links to areas you are already familiar with to help the new information take hold in your memory. Make notes, highlight information, and draw out mind maps of what you are learning and how that might apply to things you are already doing. Write examples of how you could use the new data to work through an existing or previous problem you have been working through. You may even jot down a paragraph or two summarizing what the new information means to you. Put it in your own words.
Share it with someone else
The best way to learn is to teach. Think about when you have learned new things in the past, especially things that excited you. You likely shared that with someone else you know. You explained what you learned, talked about what it meant to you, and maybe even answered questions about the subject. All of that reinforced the learning of that new subject matter.
Give yourself breaks from learning
You may want to consume for hours or weeks at a time, but you do need to let your brain catch up with that consumption. Alternate times between consuming and digesting what you are taking in. Build in time breaks to spend on the refinement of what you have already gathered. This can be time to do your mind maps, journal about what you’re learning, or just moving on to something completely unrelated and familiar or fun. For example, maybe you have just read two non-fiction books and several articles on a subject of interest to you. Take a break from that and read a fiction book or watch different videos for a couple of weeks to let your other knowledge settle in. You can also use these times to reflect and review back on previous subjects that may be fading from your memory.
Learning can and should be fun. Trying to do too much of it all at once, though, can be a burden and overwhelming. Designing and implementing a learning program for yourself will help ensure you can consume the information you need to further your personal development. Blending some elements of casual learning (articles or podcasts here and there) with dedicated learning (diving deep into subjects) can keep learning interesting and more effective for you.
How will you build your own learning plan?
Join other retail leaders in continuing their development journey with Effective Retail Leader.com. SUBSCRIBE today to receive FREE leadership tips directly to your inbox and monthly newsletters that provide many tools to help further develop your leadership skills all at no cost. JOIN NOW!
No spam ever – just leadership goodness.
From the Harvard Business Review Article – Become a More Productive Learner. https://hbr.org/2018/06/become-a-more-productive-learner ↩