Learning: 12 reasons to make it a priority
By Peter Honey (May 2004 Issue)
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I’m often asked to run sessions where my brief is to enthuse an apathetic audience about the joys of learning. There are a number of reasons why people are apathetic or, sometimes, even hostile. Among them are negative learning experiences from schooldays, a widespread assumption that learning is something that only happens on courses, suspecting that all the rhetoric about creating learning organisations/societies is some plot or a new initiative that, like so many others, will run out of steam. But the one I find most prevalent is the assumption that learning is a ‘natural’ process that doesn’t require attention or maintenance. This lulls people into taking the learning process for granted rather than treating it as a skill which, like any other, needs to be worked at and constantly practised to keep it in trim.
Undoubtedly new born babies start out in life with the basic equipment they need to learn – senses wired to a brain – but getting full value out of that equipment needs to be learned in exactly the same way that we need to master the intricacies of IT or a complex piece of machinery. The whole point about learning is that it is learnable!
Learning at Work Day happens on 20 May 2004, and you could use it as an opportunity to enthuse (hopefully re-enthuse!) your people about their learning. For those of you who want to rise to this challenge, I offer the following as a ready-made crib sheet. Please help yourself to any of the ideas and please add to them so that my generic points are tailored to fit your circumstances. Here are 12 reasons why it is worth making learning your number one priority.
1. Learning is the only skill that can never ever become obsolete. All your other skills are in danger of being overtaken by events and passing their sell-by date. But learning? Never! Human beings will always need to learn.
2. Your learning provides the gateway to everything else you want to do. Everything you want to know, you have to learn. Everything you want to do, you have to learn to do. Learning is the way to achieve your dreams and your potential.
3. Learning makes life much more interesting. It keeps you on your toes, fuels your curiosity and helps you to be more enthusiastic. Learning is the key to leading a more fulfilled and purposeful life.
4. Learning makes you more employable. It isn’t realistic to count on one career anymore. The way to make yourself attractive to employers is to demonstrate that you are constantly updating your skills base, being adaptable and staying ‘with it’.
5. The more you learn, the better placed you are to help other people with their learning. You can do this by being a role-model for learning and by openly sharing what you’ve learned with others. Sometimes people worry that this would be too helpful to potential rivals (‘knowledge is power’). But if you are learning all the time, you’ll keep ahead of any competition.
6. Learning helps you to meet the demands of change. There is nothing permanent except change and the only way to ride the waves is to make sure your rate of learning exceeds the rate of change.
7. Learning equips you to make informed decisions. In our democratic society we are faced with lots of choices. We are likely to make more responsible choices if we keep learning how to weigh up the pros and cons of different courses of action.
8. Learning increases your self-awareness. It helps you to sort out who you are and why you are here. It helps you to take stock of your talents and capabilities, and to come to terms with your limitations.
9. Learning is a way of converting troublesome mistakes into something worthwhile. Inside every mistake there are lessons waiting to get out. Learning digs out those lessons and ensures there is gain from the pain. It also prevents you making the same mistake over and over again.
10. Learning helps you to become more independent, more self-sufficient. It helps you to take responsibility for yourself and for your own learning and development. Taking charge of yourself is a far better option than waiting for other people to provide you with opportunities. You might wait for ever!
11. Learning boosts your self-confidence and helps you to feel really good about yourself. Low self-esteem is a horrible, energy-sapping feeling. Learning is the way to avoid it.
12. Learning to learn is the ultimate life skill. Finally (and the best has been saved until last!), you can turn learning in on itself and use your learning skills to help you learn how to become an increasingly effective learner. Learning to learn provides the key to enhancing all the above benefits.
Have a positive Learning at Work Day!
Dr Peter Honey, FRSA, FCIPD, FIMC is a Chartered Psychologist and founder of Peter Honey Publications. He can be contacted on +44 (0) 1628 633946, at peterhoney@peterhoney.com or visit www.peterhoney.com
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