VOICES L-ARNING Why the Problem with Learning Is Unlearning by Mark Bonchek 444: aR onPo: | SPRING 2018 EVER SINCE the publication of Peter Senge’ The Fith Discipline: The Art and Practice ofthe Learning Organization @oubleday, 1990) 28 years ago, companies have sought to be- come “learning organizations” that continually ansform ‘themselves In our era of digital Aisruption, this goal is more Important than ever. But even, ‘the best companies struggle to ‘make rel progress in this area One problemis that they've been focusing on the wrong thing. The problem sr'tTearn- ing: it's unlearning In every aspect of business, we re oper ating with mental models that Ihave grown outdated or obso- ete, from strategy to marketing toorganization to leadership. To embrace the newlogicof value creation, we must unlearn the old model. Unlearningisnot about forgetting. I’s about choosing analternative mental model or paradigm. When we lear, we add new skills orknowledge to ‘what we already know. When ‘we unlearn, we step outside the ‘mental modelto choose a differ- entone, Asan example, one summer rented aca to travel around Great Britain, had never driven this kind of car before, so had toleam the placement ofthe various controls. Talsohhad to learn how to driveon the left side of the road. That was all, relatively easy. The hard part ‘was unleaming how to drive on theright. Fhadto keep telling myself to “stay left” I's the reason crosswalks in London nave reminders for pedestrians to“lookrright” It'snot easy to ‘unlearn the mental habits that nolonger serve us ‘The same thing happens in business. Many ofthe para- digms welearnedin school and, ‘built our careers on are either incomplete o ineffective. ‘With respect to strategy, an ‘entire generation grew up with ‘Michael Porter's five Forces. Inthismodel, competitive advantageis achieved by driving costs down and prices up, lock- Jngin customers, and locking ‘out competitors and entrants, InPorters view, “The essence ofstrategy isthat yourmust set limits on what you're tying to accomplish.” Butinanetworked economy, thenature of strategy, value cre ation, and competitive advan {age changes from incremental ‘toexponential, Companies like Google, Uber, Airbnb, and Face- book focus on removing limits rather than setting them. They Took beyond controlling the pipe that delivers a product and instead build platforms that en-able othersto create value. They aim to create newwork effects through ecosystems of custom- crs, suppliers, and partners. Unlearningis not about forgetting. I's about choosing an alternative ‘mental model or paradigm. ‘The Portermodel ofstrategy {sn'tobsolete, butitis decidedly ‘incomplete, Ittakes unlearning tosee the model as only one possibility rather than canonical truth. As the saying goes, “The mapisnot the tertory” Inthe field of marketing, our thinkingis permeated by the ‘mental model of mass com: ‘munication. The world has become many-to-many, but we stilloperate with a one-to-many ‘mindset. Everything is linear and transactional We segment into discrete ucketseven though people are multidimen sional. We treat customersas consumers even when they ‘want tobe cocteators. We target Dbayersand run campaigns that push messages through chan. nels even though real engage- ‘ment increasingly happens through shared experiences. We ‘move people through pipeline that goes in one directioneven though the customer journeys nonlinear ‘Weneed to unlearn the push model of marketing and ‘explore alternative models. For ‘example, instead of using rela~ tionships to drive transactions, we could be bulldingbrand orbits and embedding transac tionsin relationships. Instead of ‘customers being consumers, we could have relationships with them ina variety ofrolesand social facets. Beyond delivering a value proposition, we could be fulfilling shared purpose. In organizational design, we are seeing an evolution from formal hierarchies to fluid networks, But this requires a substantial amount of unlearn: ing. Our instincts are to think ofan organization as an org chart We automatically escalate Gecisions tothe boss. Toften beat executives talk about being ‘more networked,” but what they really meanis collaborating across the silos. Totrulybecame anetworked organization, you need decision principles that create both alignment and autonomy. But this requires “unlearning in the areas of ‘management, leadership, and governance, ‘The process of unleaminghas three parts First, you must recognize ‘that the old mental medel is no longer relevant or of- ‘fective. Thisis challenge, because we are usually uncon: scious of our mental models. ‘They are the proverbial water to the fish. In addition, we might Deafraid to admit that the exist- ng models growing outdated, ‘We have built our reputations and careers on the mastery of these old models. Leting go can seem lke starting over and Tosing ourstatus, authority, or sense of self, ‘Second, you need to find or create anew model that can bottor achieve your goals. At first, you will probably see this ‘new model through the lens of the old. Many companies are ineffective in their use of social ‘media because they stl think ofitasa channel for distributing message, They haven't made ‘the mental shift from one-to- ‘many to many-to-many. Social ‘medialis best thought of asa context rather than a channel ‘Third, you need to ingrain ‘the new mental habits. This process sno different from ‘creating anew behavioral habit, like changing your diet or golf ‘swing, People tend tofall ack ing the old way of thinking and therefore the old way of doing. suseful to create triggers that alert you to which model you ‘are working from, For example, ‘when youare talking about your customess, catch yourself ‘when you eal them “consum- cers”—this corresponds toa transactional mindset. Find a ‘word that reflects a more collab: orative relationship. The shift in language helps reinforee the shiftin mindset. ‘The good newsis that prac ticing unlearning will make it easier and quicker to make the shiftsas yourbrain adapts. (This processis called neuroplast- ty) You ean witness this pro- cessat workin an experiment by Destin Sandlin and his “back- ‘ward brain bicycle” Toward the ‘end ofthe video you can see the unlearning process at work One thing tolook forishow the process itselfs exponential ‘One moment he can'tride the Dike, and then the next moment ‘he can. So, as you begin unleam- ‘ng, be patient with yourself this processis not linear. Albert Einstein once sid, “We cannot solve our problems withthe same thinking we used when ‘we created them.” In this time of transformative change, we need tobe conscious of our mental ‘modelsand ambidextrousin ‘our thinking. Sometimes the ineremental models ofbarrers ‘toentry, near campaigns, and @ Management Tip Increate Your Learning Aglity ‘Adapted tom “knprove Your ‘iyo Learn" by 2 Flaum fra eety Wer aor Jinee 2018 Aesearen hae found tht ating aglity—the abi- "yt gow and to usenew svategies—is good indicator of whether someone can bea high performer. Learing-alle employees can jettison skis and deus thatarerolonger relevant arden new onet ‘hat are Tocuitvat earing lity yours ty Innovating Seek out new solu- tions. Repeatedly askyourselt "Wha else?” and “What are ‘more ways tcould approach shise™ Performing. when faced with complex situations, look or similares te your previous projects Practice calming technique, and listen instead of simply reacting. Reflecting. Seek out nput tromothers. askcolleaguee iat you could have done better. Fisking, Look for “stretch ssslgnmente" where success Isnta given ‘void defending. nccxow!- ‘ge your falluresané capture {he lessons you've leaned, UNG 2018 | HBR OnPoint 45VOICES L-ARNING hierarchical controls willbe the right ones. But we need toun- learn these models and replace them with exponential models. based on network effects, brand orbits, and distributed networks. The way tostartis by unlearning how we think about learning. oFgalypubshed on HOR og ar Boneh the founder and CEO {che epiphany fer o sit Tning wees ith ener nd ergariations ‘update te rtninkirg ors ita se. sage counselor thoee discovering ‘thatansfrmatonl change requis diferent inet altogether tan ‘horemennal change. ‘obere Thames ‘san enterprise program manager for software developer teams, Italy seehow etrenehed inearmodels of thinking can get inthe way of ctfeee'y devenping curecalum "ypcally a manager asks for raining Ieooranat alone steps, then we collectively butt cureulum and evecute te lass (ats, near}, Some ofthat enecesary, but tings can get ostintaslaton.The"ur learn perspective cou eaato cromdsouring approach Potential tendees and manages aviv ata urculm they own together wth he ‘rstvetor rather han nang i posed on them. Pteipans become ‘nwestedin heir, and otervise unseen leaders potently emerge. Patrik Metin 46 HR ono | SPRING 2008 Good Leaders Are Good Learners by Lauren A. Keating, Peter A. Heslin, and Susan J. Ashford ALTHOUGH ORGANIZATIONS. spend more than $24 billion an- snually on leadership develop- ‘ment, many leaders who have attended leadership programs struggle to implement what they've learmed—not because the programs are bad but be- cause leadership is bestleamed from experience, Stil simply being leader doesn't elevate person's sls. Like most ofus, leaders often go through their experiences some- what mindlessly, accomplishing tasks but learning litle about ‘themselves and their impact. ‘Our research on leadership development shows that lead ers who are in learning mode develop stronger leadership sal than their pees. Build {ng on Susan Ashford and Scott DeRue’s mindful-engagement experiential learning eyce, we found that leaders who exhibit growth mindset diligently ‘work through each of the following three phases ofthe experiential learning eye ust, leaders set challenging learning goals in the form of “Ineed to learn how to.” For some leaders the goal mightbe ‘tobecome more persuasive or ‘more approachable. With a goal inmind, leaders ean identify ‘opportunities tomake progress toward it, such asa new project, aan international assignment, orajobrotation, Leaders can even try to approach routine encounters in a fundamentally different way. Next, leaders deliberately ‘experiment with alternative strategies. Aleaderinterested Jnincreasing his persuasive- ness, for example, might sitina different place or speak fist or Iastina critical meeting. Having ‘acoach or peer who provides feedback and acts asa sounding board can help leaders cre- ate and capitalize on learning ‘opportunites. Finally leaders conduct {Fearless ater-action reviews to sean useful insights from the results oftheir experimenta~ tion. Candidly reflectingon ‘what did and did not go well and figuring out what might ‘work better in the future are cessential—though often ne- slected—initatves fr earning. from experience and discerning ‘hat to focus on learning next, ‘Understanding these principles helps organizations understand ‘that leadership development doesn’thave tobe expensive and leadership salls can be systematically earned and, practiced. Leaders shouldn't assume that setbacks mean they aren’t cut out for the task at hand. How can leaders enter learning mode? Leaders shouldn't assume that setbacks ‘mean they aren't cut out for thetaskathand, bucrather ‘they haven't yet developed the required capabilities. They can also avoid the tap of constantly seeking out places and tasks to ‘highlight their strengths, as well as feedback that affirms theirinnate talents and self-esteem, Simply asking themselves, “Am. Tin earning mode rightnow?” canbea powerful cue to whole- heartedly focus, or refocus, on their leadership development, as ‘wellas theirleadership perfor. ‘mance, and thereby truly learn from their experiences. How can organizations. help leaders enter and remain in earning mode? Organiza tional leaders can help rising leaders focus more on being progressively better than they ‘were in the past rather than fon constantly benchmarking themselves against others. They ‘can model viewing mistakesas potential learning opportuni tues rather than as indicators of leadership inadequacy In hiring and promotion, organizational Ieaders might give priority to those most likely to growand develop ina role. Finally, they ‘might conduct an audit of fixed mindset cuesin their organiza tion—such as psychometric testing to select the most “in- nately qualified” high-potential leaders; forced-ranking perfor- ‘mance appraisals; and winner" take-all reward systems—and. ‘weak them to Focus more on developing rather than diagnos- ing leadership capabilites By supporting leaders in Jearning mode, organizations can develop the capabilities leaders need to anticipate, re spond to, and continually earn from the stream of emerging challenges to organizational prosperity orignal published on Ha og Lauren A. Kenting a sitar oes fcsina range ofereraeleadethip ealopmert ass PaterA ealn i associate protssor ef management at implores ideesnthe renee ele rer succes ae agiesatware ‘eclopment Stand aahtods the bel and Susan fndernon Profesor earagementandOrganavons ae ners nian Ros Sheol of never stopped eying te become quali forthe ob sad Darin Smit, former 0 af kimbery-clark Nomatter what ofgniational stut- lure, gererton,anechlogy rs, ‘the woridwilalays boing people Folern, The patna sucess and ox Cellonce is Rerative and continuous, Pak Kurar Shah Goad eae nd learners regulty thallenge ther beef systems and ty receptive tote importance of beng ‘penta posibity and emracing ther perspectives, Ongoing esning Suggests that curs passion. ard desire must rosie itn adaptive leaders. Ted oth A 2x2 Matrix to Help You Prioritize the Skills to Learn Right Now by Mare Zao-Sanders $0 MUCH to lear, solittle time. The world is bursting with learning. There are several mil lion business books, 3,000 TED talks, 10,000 MOOCs (massive open online courses), hundreds of thousands of learning coutses, and millions of self published aticles on platforms such as Linkedin and Medium, ‘Thearticle you're reading right ows just one of thousands of articles on HBR.org Picking the best and most relevant from all this shard, Yer t's essential, The modem ‘worker has very tte time for learning—less than 1% oftheir ‘ime, according to Bersin, a division of Deloitte, Plus, its ‘more impostant than ever to lear continuously as the shelf life of sills shortens and career paths meander and lengthen. How do we identify whats the ight stuf to learn? ‘One approach sto applya time-utlty analysis (similarin form toa cost-benefit analysis) tothe subjects yo you of achieving competence “Utility” is how much you will probably use the desired skal or example, today’s manager spends alot of time e-mailing, gathering data, running meet- ings, and making spreadsheets so the utility for improving at these activites i especially high. Combine time and utility, and you get a simple 2.0 matrix with four quadrants + Leamitrightaway: high uiity low time-to-learn + Schedule block of time forleaming it ideally in your calendar: high ati, high time-to-leara| + Learnitas the chance arises—on a commit hunch break, and.soon: low utility, low time-to-learnVOICES | -ARNING + Decide whether you need toleamit: low utility, high time-te-lea Once you've decided what you wantteleam, youcan use this same framework to zeroin ‘on specifi skis to focus on. Letsillustrate the method vith a single workplace activity with high utility: spreadsheet- ing. Knowledge workers spend almosthalf an houra day using ‘spreadsheet, in major corpo- rations, thisis almost synony- ‘mous with using Excel: Almost billion people use Micrasoft’s spreadsheet program, and more than four-fifths ofbusinesses globally use Excel. Atime-util ity analysis might suggest you ‘want to get betteratit But Excel contains more than soo functions and many more featutes; that's lotto lear, ‘Where would you even begin? Fora time-utility analysistobe useful, itrmusthelp usat this Tevel, down herein the weeds. To geta sense of uilty, we reviewed dozens of articles writen by Bx celexperts about their preferred Excel features, We used this analysis to compilealistofthe 100 most useful Excel Functions, features, tps ticks, and hacks, ‘ordered numerically by wit, ‘We combined this with our ovm dala on how long it takes users toleam each of these features and plotted the two against each other. (Yes, we got alittle excited about this project. Don worry, ‘you don't have to delve into this eve of detail when you'te prori- tizing your own learning) AAs you'd expect, there's some correlation (-=0.3), so the more usefal items take longer ta learn ingeneral. But the scattered effec gives rise to some helpful, tangible pointers for prioritizing what toleam, Make the Most of Your Limited Learning Time Decide Schedule = whether ‘block = youne oftime for z tolearnit learning it 2 Learnit Learn Fo asthe itright 5 chance away Which Excel Features Should | Learn? ‘An analysis of dozens of articles written by Excel experts revealed the 100 most useful features, which were then plotted against haw much time they take to learn Decide whether you need to lea it Geterternal data” 5 =e a ae : : ‘Texto Columns TIME TO LEARNIN MINUTES (LOG SCALE) © :— tle eee cut (Show formulas) Learn it as the . ro. oh 96a ie chancearises ctrl (strikethrough) uty (pedo) USEFULNESS OF THE FEATURE, INDEXED (24) Schedule a block of ‘ime for learning it Pivot Tables Conditional” Formatting Learnt vightaway‘You'l find the quickest wins inthe bottom-right quadran ‘which we've labeled “Learnt right away.” In here we have time-saving shortcuts that an be applied frequently like Ct: (edo) and F2 (Bait Cel), and IRQSERRORO),anice combi- nation formula that removes errors from your spreadsheet. Ir’smoreimportant than ever to learn continuously as career paths meander and Iengthen. ‘The quadrant “Schedulea block of time forlearning it” hosts the highly useful but ‘more complex features, such as Conditional Formatting and Pivot Tables—these were deemed the wo most useful on the entire lis. Bottom-leftare those less useful but quick-to-learn items like Gu-5 Strikethrough) and (Cul (Show Formulas) Finally, inthe top-left quad: rantare the theoretically least appealingitems, such as Get Ex ternal Data and Text to Columns. You, the individual learner, will impose your own opinions and experience on an analysis like this: “Actually, Talready ow Ct, and I'l never need toget external data” That helps filter our even more items, leav ‘ng you with a more manage ablelist. How would you apply this to your working, learning life? You probably don’t want to learn only about spreadsheeting, and you're unlikely to have the kind of data we've used above at your fingertips. But you may know some ofthe skills you'd like to acquite or develop, ‘Consider the mix of activi- tiesin your working day. What would help you the most? Finally being abe to use Pho~ toshop, getting agripon agile ‘or waterfall methodologies, learning to write more clearly? Ae there meta-skillsthat would help you doall these things better—Hike coming across the ‘way you intend toin meetings orlearning tomanage your time more productively? You could assign approximate scores for time (tolearn) and utility for these meta-skllsand plota scat ter chart like the one above. Or you could just estimate: Classify the skilson yourlistas either Jow or highin utility and time tolearn, and place them in the corresponding quadrant. Ether ‘way, what shows up in the bottom-right quadrant? Youmay siscover some learning bargains. ‘You can use this approach just for yourself, or across team, department, or even your entire company: You probably don't have much time tolearn, soleam to make the most of ‘what you have. tially published an HR org Seamer. 2017 are Za0sander i cr0 ae canner crfwredcom anecteeh company that Uhesdl tot peductry tough le tlarig ven youe unemployed this atic ispeeecty nero se. Your fests tion ecerines the useless ofthe skilyouwaneto lear. ody. great learnings more avaiable tna eve srdnotjustforthose bor ith asiver Spoon ther mouth. Reores at acost oftimo, but that apps everybody. rune Pedse How to Master a New Skill by Amy Gallo WE ALL want tobe better at something, Afterall, self improvement isnecessary to ‘getting ahead at work. But once ‘you know what you want to be better at—be it publiespeaking, using social media, oranalyz- ing data—hove do you start? Of ‘course, earning techniques will vary depending on the skill and the person, but you can follow ‘some general rules. What the Experts Say Mastering new skillsisnot optional in today’s business en- vironment. “Ina fast-moving, ‘competitive wold, being able tolearm new skillsis one of the keys to success. I’snot ‘enough tobe smart—you need toalwaysbe getting smarter says Heidi Grant, a motivational psychologistand the author of [Nine Things Successful People Do Differently (Harvard Business Review Press, 2012). Joseph R Weintraub, a professor of man. agement and organizational behavior at Babson College and coauthor, with James M. Hunt, ‘of The Coaching Manager: De- veloping Top Talent in Business (Sage, 2002), agrees: “Weneed to.constantly look for oppor. tunities to stretch ourselves in ‘ways that may not always feel comfortable at first. Continual improvement isnecessary to SPRING 2018 | HERCnPon 4BVOICES | -ARNING get ahead" Here are some prin- ples to fellow in your quest for selFimprovement: Check your readiness. ‘When workingon anew skill or ‘competency, ask yourself two things: Fist, is your goal attain able? “there are certain lists towhat you can learn? explains Weintraub. “For example, you may want to bea brain surgeon Dbutnothave the eye-hand coordination required” Second, hhow much time and energy can you give tothe project? “I's rot like going to the pharmacy and gettinga prescription filled” says Weintraub. Self= ‘improvement is hard work, Grant agrees: “Many people implicitly believe thatif you ust work hard at something, itmeans you lack ability. This isrubbish," Instead, recognize that learning anew skill akes extreme commitment. Unless your goal isatainable and you're prepared to workhhard, ‘you wont get very far. Make sure it's needed. ‘Weintraub suggests yourmake sure the skilis relevant to your career, your organization, or both. You may be jazzed up bout learning how to speak infront oflarge audiences, but dloes your manager value that? Unless you absolutely need ‘the sl for your job ora future position, its unlikely you'l get ‘money for training or support {rom your manager. Gaining a new skillisaninvesement, and you need to know up front what the return willbe Know how you learn best. Some learn best by looking at graphics or reading. others prefer to watch demonstra- tions or listen to things being explained. Stil others need a hhands-on experience, Grant says you can figure out your ‘deal learning styleby looking back. “Reflect on some of your previous learning experiences, sand make alist of good ones andalist ofbad ones,” she says. “What did the good, effective experiences havein common? How about the bad ones? Iden- tifying common strands can help you determine the learn Ing environment that works best for you” Got the right help. Hicit- Ing support from others can greatly increase earning. Find someone you trust who has mastered the skill you're trying toattain. Look beyond your Immediate manager, who must evaluate you. Weintraub sug: gests you ask yourself: “Who in ‘my organization, other than my boss, would notice my changes and give me honest feedback?” ‘Then approach that person and say something like, "You are so comfortable with [the skill, something !'m not particularly good.at. Pmreally uying to ‘work on that and would love tospend sometime with you, Jearn from you, and get your feedback” Ifyou can'tfind 2 ‘mentor inside your company, look for peoplein your industry orfrom your network, “Uit- ‘mately, you want to go with the best teacher. I'sameone in yout organizations able and willing toprovide quality mentoring, then great. Ifnot, seek outside help?’ says Grant. ‘Start small. Self Improvement can feel over~ ‘whelming, “You can't take on everything. Ifyou do, you'l never doit” says Weintraub. stead, choose one or swo skills tofocusonatatime, and break that sll down into manage able goals, For example, ifyou ‘want to become more assertive, you might focus on speaking ‘upmore often in meetings by pushing yourself to talk within the frst five minutes Reflect along the way. To ‘move from experimentation to mastery reflect on what you are learning, otherwise the ‘new skill won't stick. Grant and Weintraub both suggest talking to others. “Always share your soals with those individuals Who can provide informational or emotional support along the ‘way? says Grant, “Even ifthat person doesn't have the answer, he can help you and keep you honest about how much you're improving.” says Weintraub. ‘Talking about your progress helps you get valuable feed back, keeps you accountable, and cements the change. “Many people implicitly believe that if you must workhard at something, it means you lack ability. ‘This is rubbish? Challenge yourself to teach ito others. One ofthe quick- est ways to learn something ‘new, and to practice, isto teach others how to doit. Share ‘what youlearn with your team, your manager, or your cowork- ers. You can force yourselfto do itby putting a “teaching” date ‘on your calendar ar agreeing to lead formal taining session a few months dawn the road, With objectives ike those, your earning will be much more focused and practical Be patient. “Too often, we approach a new skillwith the attitude that we should nail itright out of the gate” says Grant. The realty is thatittakes mich Longer. “I's not going tohappen overnight. Ie ust ally takes six months or more to develop anew skill” says Weintraub, It may take longer for others to see and apprec ateit, “People around you will only notice 10% of every 100% change you make," he says, Principles toRemember Do: + Selecta skilthatis valued by ‘your organization and manager + Divide the skillup into smaller, manageable tasks + Reflect on what you've learned and what you still want toaccomplish Don't: + Trytolearn ina vacuum— askothers fr guidance and feedback + Rely solely on yourboss foradvice—youmay want to involve someone whoisn’t responsible for evaluating you + Assumeit’s going to happen overnight—it usually takes at least sixmonths to developa, newskill, ‘case stuov1 ‘Learn by Trial and Error Jaime Petkanics was abasic Excel user when she started herfirstjob out of college. ‘Asarecruiter for JP Morgan, data analysis wasn't one of, the required skills. However, 3 few months in, she was asked ‘to’build an Excel model that ‘would track and report the suc- cess rates of campus recruiting efforts. “Iwas totaly out of myclement,” she admits. “Excel is nota core part of arecruiter's job. Iwas focused on hiring ppeople—that’s what Iwas being. ‘measured on’ Butshe had an interest in analysis (that’s why she chose to dorecruiting atan javestment bank) and wanted to prove herselfasa ‘She started by earning as much as possible on her own, She found tutorials on Google and watched instructional vid eos on YouTube. But she stil struggled. “When I got stuck T ‘would ask bankers. They build models every day, o Twas able toleverage my connections and find people who had the right skills she says. Jaime developed the model in two weeks. “didn't get it perfect the ist time, There were ‘mistakes inthe formulas, and people found errors,” she says. But she continued to refineit, and because of her success, others asked her to take on similar projects. “Once people knew that Fcould pull dats together quickly and make sense oft—Istarted to get alot of requests.” ‘She admits this tril-and- error approach wasn't the most effective way to learn Excel, butgiven the immediacy of theneed, it wasnecessary. BY the time she lef the job almost three yearsTater,Hxcel and data analytics were strengths thathhelped her lang hernext position case stupv2 Experiment with Different ‘Approaches Safia Syed, aregional finance controller ata global outsoure ing company, noticed that any ‘ume she suggested an improve- ment toa financial or ITsyster, colleagues resisted. Her ideas ‘went through numerous rounds ofreview and were heavily Questioned. She decided that her communication style was hindering her and needed to be changed. “Iwas given feedback afew times that Twas too opin- ionated” shesays. Safia started by reading books about how to persuade people effectively and joined “Toastmasters, a nonprofit edu- cational organization. Through, that program, she leamed how toconnect with stakeholders and present ideasin amore appealing way. Also, coinc ental during the same time, the president of Safia’s com: pany started interviewing key employees tobetter understand ‘what they did or did not ike about theirjobs. Tis provided Safia with aperfect opportunity She explained her desire to see herideashavemore impact, and her boss advised her to focus less on why something needed tobe changed and more fon how could happen, includ Ing what she could do to make sureit did Safia realized she had been assuming that her colleagues "understood what the problems were and how to fx them. She had been highlighting what needed tobe done, and leaving ‘tat that. With her new under- standing in hand, she wied a ifferent approach: She mapped outa process and pointed tothe root causes, This helped her au- dience understand where they could make changes and how exactly she could help. Safia has noticed a big difer- ence in how colleagues respond tober suggestions: They are ow more open to hearing them and willing to work with herto implement them, ‘ginal published on Rng ‘Any Calls acontrbuing otto sfohe Be Gade to Dealing wth confit (arvard anes Rov reso). Shewresand speaks about weelace “mis Fl heron Ties ‘@amyecl. Mairaining aay helps me. Evry week ligersy wt down izidants lahore Idapisedor dant eay the specie sk wanttoimpreve, lhetherits beng assertive, not ‘coming crore ae mush, es, Gradual te pluses have surpassed ‘heminass, Management Tip ‘ToLearn Something, Explain {te Yourself out Loud Adapted fem”Taling to Yours (ut 20g) Can rien ower ore. Mays. 2007 Taking to yourselean get you funny looks from ather ‘people. Gut mutering under yourbresth can bea help way t learn anew concept sll. When you're studying something new, ether reading outer stoning to others explain. take the time to pause na summarize out loud whatyou'e learning. This serves two purposes Fist. slows you down—and when you're more deliberate, you sin more rom the esring feuperience. Second, cements ‘thenew knowledge by forcing youto consider question ike "what do find confusing? Oo | ‘really know ths well enough to ‘explain it?" Whether you hi the pause button whi stening tos podcast or stoptorefist wile reading amanual tell yourself what you esring— ‘maybe ust dort doit in pub. ‘SPRING 2018 | HER OnPont 51VOICES L-ARNING Make Learning a Lifelong Habit by John Coleman IRECENTLY worked my way hrough Edmund Morris's first «wo Teddy Roosevelt biogra phies, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (Random House, 2010) and Theodore Rex (Ran- ‘dom House, 2001). Roosevelt wasn’t without flaws, but he ‘was by nearly all accounts fascinating and intellectually voracious. He published his frst book, Phe Naval War of1812, at23 nd continued to write ‘on everything from conserva- tion to polities and biography. According to Mortis, a certain periods he was rumored to read book day, andall thisteading and writing arguably made him both charismaticand uniquely cequippedas president to engage inahost of topics: national conservation efforts, naval expansion, trust regulation, and variety of others. Roosevelt was what we right calla “lifetime learnes” Learning became, for him, a ‘mode of personal enjoyment and apathto professional success. I's aabit many of ‘us would like to ermulate. The Bconomist recently argued that ‘with all the disruptions in the ‘modern economy, particularly technology, ongoing shill ac- {uisition is eritcal to persistent ‘professional relevance, Formal education levels are regularly linked to higher earnings and lower unemployment, and apart from its utility, learningis fun. 1s joy to engage in anew ‘opie, Having an array of inter esting topics at your disposal when speaking to colleagues or friends can boost your con- fidence. It's also fulfilling to finally understand adifficult new subject. But this type of continu ‘ous and persistent learning isn’tmerely a decision, Irmust become ahabit. As such, it requites careful culvation, Fist, to develop a learning habit, yourmust articulate the outcomes you'd like toachieve. Would you like to reinvigorate your conversa- tions and intellectual activity by exploring a host of new top: ics? Are you looking to master specific subject? Would you like to make sure you're up- to-date on one or two top- {es outside your day-to-day ‘wori? In my own life, like to maintain areading program that exposes me toa variety of subjects and genres with ‘the goal of general intellectual ‘exploration, while also digging ‘more deeply into afew areas, including education, foreign policy, and leadership. Picking ‘one of two outcomes will alow ‘youto set achievable goals to make the habit stick, ‘On the bass of those choices, setrealistic goals. Like many people, each year set aseries ‘of goals for myself. These take the form of objectives like toachieve over the course of the year (for example, read 2a books in2017)and daily or ‘weekly habits Ineed to cultivate in accordance with those goals (for example, read for more than 20 minutes five days per week). track mylong-term goals in a planner. monitor daily or weekly habits via an app called Momentum, wich allowsme to quicklyand simply ‘enter completion of my habits and monitor adherence. These goals tur vague desire toim-prove learning into a concrete setof actions. With your goalsinhand, ‘develop alearing community. Abimonthly book group helps keep me ontrack for my read- ing goalsand makes achieving, them more enjoyable. Similarly, many of my writer friendsjoin ‘writing groups where members read and editone another's ‘work, Formore-specific goals, join an organization focused on the topics you'd like tolearn— a foreign-policy discussion ‘sroup that meets monthly ora woodworking group that gat crs reguarly to trade notes. You might even considera formal lass or degree program to add Gepth and aninherent structure toyourexploration of atopic. ‘These communities inerease commitment ané make learning more pleasurable, ‘Ongoing skill acquisition iscritical to persistent professional relevance. ‘To focus on your objectives, ditch the distractions. Learning isfun, butit'salso hard work. Multitasking, and particularly technology for example, cell phones, e-mail), can make the eep concentration needed forreal learning difficult ot Impossible. Set aside dedicated time for learning and minimize interruptions. When you ead, find a quiet place and leave your phone behind. Ifyou're taking 2 dass or participating ina read ing group, ake handwritten notes, which improve retention and understanding, and leave Taptops, mobile devices, and other disrupting technologies in your ear or bag far out of reach, ‘Apatt from physically elim nating distractions, consider training your mind to deal with them. Regular meditation, for example, has improved my in tellectual focus by allowing me tobe attentive in lectures and to read dificultbooks. Finally, where appropriate, ‘use technology to supplement earning. Although technol- ogy can be a distraction, it canalsobe used to dramati- cally aid alearning regimen, Massive open online courses (MO0CS allow remote students toparticipate in acommunity and lear from some of the world’s mos brilliant people ‘with the added commitment of class participation, Podcasts, audiobooks, e-readers, and other tools make it possible to haveabookan hand almost any time. 've found, for example, that by using audiobooks dur ing what I think ofas “ambient ‘moments"—commuting orrun- ning, for example—l can neatly double the books Iread ina year. Good podeasts or iTunes ‘courses can simlaily deliver earning on the go, Combine these tools with apps that track your habits, and technology can bean essential component ofa Tearning routine. ‘We'eallbor withanatural curiosity. We want to learn. But the demands of work and per- sonallifeoften diminish ous time and wilt engage that natural curiosity Developing specific learning habits—consciously established and conscientiously cultvated—can bea route to ‘both continued professional relevance and deep personal happiness. Maybe Roosevelt had itright: Afetime oflearning can beasuccessinitselt. © ginal published on HOR org sarang 23017 eh Coleman i oath wih Dani Gul and W. over Segovia of Poston ‘and purpose Storie from he es ond [Bogert ours busine Lenser (ear ‘ar burps Reve Pee, 0m) Fllow Fm orTwieratyohrneciomsn, Upgrading aurelvs evry impotart. Iedefntely boosts our confidence and brings us an ocean of opportu ties, swap Uranar ‘he eageressto learn cannotbe ressured by hw much money ene 49s, Many people ast, “Whats the {ie of se much earring? Hew would helo Am everaging and converting ire earings?” Those views ae myer De Knowingis eveything The bet ection the ques fr rowed, nate best hing selearing Knowledges power, energy. ves ‘confidence, buds personaly and removes ll ourinner bash No ‘ope knows hon, wher, ad when the nawieege lb retain Hence ‘ithe ast rest, we mut ar, Seumen shacachangys @ Management Tip ‘Get what You Nea from Adspesrom “2 Wayetoure ‘Moats to Ravan our Cees” by Walter ree HOR OTE Myse 3018 Te get the mast rom a MOOC, massive open online cous. you doit have to invest hours and hours afyour time. There are generally three waysto learn what you nee. Go for thecertifteation. This ‘means completing altho course work, and sometimes paying afee. cercieation is helpful ityoure brand-new to ‘hetopic because the extra erfortto complete the asign- ments wil ensure that you actually learnwnat you ho tov it's asmart investment youneedte proveto a current ‘or potential omloye that you have certain sis ‘Audit. Anater option sto ater the videos but not complete the assignments You dont get aceite, out you ean earn atyour own pace. the right way go if you're looking te brush upon ‘atopic and don't have several hours awoekta commit to the workload hie meane watching video here orthere to got the specie knowledge that you need. For examal, say you wanted todo some regression ‘modeling in Exel. Instead of watching afullcourse, you ‘might ook or single fsson in broader statistics course SPRING 2018 HER Oo SE\RNING Learni Mental tools to help you master new skills by Erika Andersen RGANIZATIONS TODAY are in constant flux. Industries are consolidating, new business rmodelsare emerging, new technologies are being devel ‘oped, and consumer behaviors are evolving, For executives, the ever-increasing ‘pace of change can be especially demanding. It forces them to understand and quickly respond to big shifts in the way companies operate and how ‘work must get done. Inthe words of Arie de Geus, ‘abusiness theorist, “The ability to leatn faster ‘than your competitors may be the only sustainable ‘competitive advantage: Von not talking about relaxed armchair or even structured classroom learning. I'm talking about resisting the bias against doing new things, scan- hing the horizon for growth opportunities, and ‘Pushing yourselfto acquire radically diferent capabilites —whle still performing your jo. That requires a willingness to experiment and become a novice again and again: an extremely discomforting notion for most of us. Over decades of coaching and consulting to ‘thousands of executives ina variety of industries, ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA SCHNEIDER however, my colleagues and Thave come across people who succeed a thiskind oflearning. We've identified four attributes they havein spades: aspiration, selF-awareness, curiosity, and vulner- ability. They truly want to understand and master new skills; they see themselves very clearly; they constant think ofand ask good questions; and they tolerate their own mistakes as they move up. the learning curve, Ofcourse, these things come more naturally tasome people than to others, But, drawing on research in psychology and management as well, as our work with cients, we have identified some fairly simple mental tools anyone can develop taboos all four atibutes—even those that ace often considered fixed (aspiration, curiosity, and vvlnerabiliy), Aspiration Is easy to se aspiration a either there oF not: ‘Youwantto lear anew skill oryou don't you have ambition and motivation or you Tack ther, But greatleamers can raise their aspiration leveland thats key, because everyone is guilty ©: aly pushed in‘of sometimes resisting development thats critical tosuccess ‘Think about the last time your company adopted a new approach—overhauled a reporting system, replaced a CRM platform, revamped the supply chain, Were you eager to go along? doubt it. Your intial response was probably to justify not Tearing. (Ut will ake too long. The old way works Just fine for me. Tet it's justa flash inthe pan.) ‘When confronted with new learning, thisis often ‘our first roadblock: We focus on the negative and. ‘unconsciously reinforce our lack of aspiration. ‘When we do want tolearn something, we focts ‘on the positive—what we'llgain from learning ittand envision a happy future in which we're reaping those rewards. That propels usinto ac- tion. Researchers have found that sifting your focus from challenges to benefitsis agood way to increase your aspiration to do initially unappeal {ng things. For example, when Nicole Detling, a psychologist atthe University of Utah, encouraged aevialistsand speed skatersto picture themselves benefiting from a particular skill, they were much -more motivated to practiceit. ‘few years ago [coached a CMO who was hesi- tant tolear about big data, Hven though most of hispeers were becoming converts, he'd convinced himself thathe didn't have the time to get intoit and that t wouldnt be that important to his in dustry: finally realized that this was an aspiration problem and encouraged him to think of ways, Changing Your Inner Narrative UNSUPPORTIVE SELF-TALK SUPPORTIVE SELF-TALK. | don't need toleaen this. => What would my future Look tke i id? I'm already fine atthis. == Am really? How do I compare with my peers? ‘his is boring =p wonder way others find it interesting Uimterribleatthis. I'm making beginner mistakes, but ll get better. that getting upto speed on data-driven market= {ng could help him personally. He acknowledged thatit would be useful toknow more about how various segments of his customer base were responding this team’s online advertising and {in-store marketing campaigns. [then invited him toimagine the sitiation he'd be na year later if the was geting that data. He started to show some ‘excitement, saying, “We would be testing different approaches simultaneously, both in-store and ‘online; we'd have good, solid information about ‘hich ones were working and for whom: and we ‘could savea lt of time and money byjettisoning theless effective approaches faster” I could almost feel his aspiration rising. Within afew months he'd hired a dataanalytic expert, made point ‘oflearning from her on a daily bass, and begun torethink key campaigns in ight of his new perspective and skills Self-Awareness, ‘Over the past decade or so, most leaders have ‘grown familiar with the concept of self-awareness. They understand that they need to solicit feedoack ‘and recognize how others see them. Hut when it ‘comes tothe need for learning, our assessments of ‘ourselves—what we Imow and don't know, skis we have and don’t have—can sillbe woefully nac- ‘curate. In one study conducted by David Dunning, a Cornell University psychologist, 94% of college professors reported that they were doing “above average work Clearly, almost half were wrong— ‘many extremely so—and their self-deception surely diminished any appetite for development. Only 6% of respondents saw themselves as having lotto learn about being an effective teacher. inmy work I've found thatthe people who ‘evaluate themselves most accurately stat the p20 cessinside their own heads: They accept that their perspectives often Biased or lawedl and then strive for greater objectivity, which Ieaves them ‘much mote open to hearing ané acing on others? ‘opinions. The trckis to pay attention to how you talk to yourself about yourself and then question the validity ofthat “self-talk” Let's say your boss has told you that your team, {sot strong enough and that you need to get, betterat assessing and developing talent. Your initial reaction might be something lke What? She's wrong, My eam is strong. Most ous respond defensively to that sort of criticism, But as soon asyou recognize what you're thinking, ask yourself, Is that accurate? What facts do Thave to supportit? Inthe process of reflection you may discover that you're wrongand your boss isright, or thatthe truth lies somewhere in between—you cover for some of your reports by doing things yourself, and. ‘one ofthem isinconsistent in meeting deadlines; however, two others are stars, Your inner voice is _most useful when it reports the facts of asitua~ tion inthis balanced way: Itshould serve asa “fair witness” so that you're open to seeing the reasin ‘which you could improve and how to do so. (One CRO Iknows was convinced thathe was a ‘great manager and leader. He did have tremen- dous industry knowledge and greatinstincts about ‘growing his business, and his board acknowledged those strengths. Sut he listened only to people ‘who affirmed his view of himselfand dismissed input about shortcomings; his eam didn’t feel ‘engaged or inspired. When he finally started to ‘question his assurmptions (Is everyone on my teara focused and productive? Yor, is there something {could be doing differently?) hebecame much ‘more aware of his developmental needs and open to feedback. He realize’ tohavestrategicinsigh wit his reports and invite discussion, and then set clear pririties—backed by quarterly team and individual goals, regular progress checks, and Uwoubleshooting sessions. Curiosity Kids arerelentlessin their urge to leam and master. {As John Medina writesin Brain Rules, “This need for explanation is so powerfully stitched into their ‘experience that some scientists describe it asa driv, justashunger and thirst and sex are drives” ‘Curiosity is what makes us ty something until ‘we can doit, orthink about something until we understand. Great leamers retain this childhood drive, or regain through another application of selftalk Instead of focusing on and reinforcing inital disinterest ina new subject, they leara to ask themselves “curious questions” aboutitand, follow those questions up with actions. Carol Sansone, a psychology researcher, has found, for example, that people can increase ther wiling- ness to tackle necessary tasks by thinking about hhow they could do the work differently to makeit rmoreinteresting. In other words, they change their seltalk from Thisis boring to Twonder fTcould..? ‘You can employ the same strategy in your work- ing if by noticing the language you use in think: ingabout things that already interest you-Tlow..? Why..2 Twonder..2—and drawing on it when you need to become curious. Then takejustone step ‘toanswer a question you've asked yourself Read anarticle, query an expert, finda teacher, joina _roup—whatever feels easiest. Trecently worked with a corporate lawyer whose fir had offered her abigger jb that required knowiedge of employment law—an areashe r= garded as “the single most boring aspect ofthe legal profession.” Rather than tryingto persuade her ath- cxwise, Iasked her what she was curious about and ‘why, “Swing dancing.” she sid. “Tm fascinated by Uhehistoryofit. wonder how it developed, and ‘whether itwasa response tothe Depression—i's such ahappy rt form. Iwatch great dancersand think about way they do certain things” ‘explained that her “curious language” could bbeapplied to employment aw. “Iwonder how anyone could find it interesting?” she said jae ingly. told her that was actually an OK place to start. She began thinking out oud about possible answers ("Maybe some lawyers see tas a way to protect both their employees and their compa- nies..”)and then proposed afew other curious {questions ("How might knowing more about this make me better lawyer”), ‘Soon she was intrigued enough to connect with colleague who was experienced in employment Jaw. She asked him wat he found interesting Researchers have found that shifting your focus from challenges to benefits is a good way to increase your aspiration to do initially unappealing things. Idea in Brief THE CHALLENGE The fast pace of change in todays organizations means srceutives must understand and {quik respond to bg shits in how ther companies operate and how work must get done. Executives must constantly for growth opportunities and be villa to learn new things—t0 become a novice over and over ‘again—which many find 29 extremely discomforting notion. THE SOLUTION People who succeed at his have four wel- developed at ‘tributes aspiration, self aware- ‘ess, culsty, and vulnerability. Mou don't already have the traits to bean elective learner, youcan develop them by using {aly simple mental oo, ke ‘igring out what you wil personally gan from earning 2 ‘new sl: changing your inner ‘narrative rom unsupportive to supportive ela; and asking yourself “curious” questions {ollowed by taking action).Further Reading anmieuss ‘Gt Realy for Your Next ‘Assignment by katie sith mis, an Goggins Srey, Senn baePeceoud and ‘eatheen vba roduc no, ae Intermal assignments are opp0r- tunis to create results fr your ‘company and your career and the ight knowledge eapita ean launch you ito exetonce. The authers provide practi! ways fe getsmar ‘or the net aig ment and stay smart throughout your eareer Learning Chavis byJoba Arona, Mara Fal shaSue Leet HR, sane 2012 Producto. 206K Many belive that chara innate, but the authors have ideriied specie tactics that anyone can use to become ‘ore intent trustwothy, and wader inthe eyes of ‘ters. This article explores the tactics in deta, using examples ‘rom business and pois, and fers guidance on how to start implementing trem, aboutitand how hehad acquired his knowledge, and his answers prompted other questions. Over the following months she leamed what she needed to know forthat aspect ofher new role. The next time you're asked toleatn something atthe office, or sense that you shauld because co! leagues are doing so, encourage yourself to ask and answer afew curious questions about it—Why are ‘others so excited about this? How might this make _myjobeasier?—and then seek out the answers. You'll need to find just one thing about a “boring” topic that sparks your curiasity Vulnerabi ‘Once we become good or even excellent at some things, we rarely want to go back to being not good atother things Yes, we're now taught to embrace ‘experimentation and “fast failure” at work. But We're also taught to play to our strengths. $0 the idea of being bad at something for weeks or ‘months; feeling awkward and slows having to ask “éumby'*I-don'-know-what-you're-talking-about” ‘questions; and needing step-by-step guidance again and again is extremely scary. Great lear: cersallow themselves tobe vulnerable enough to accept that beginner state. In fac, they become reasonably comfortable in it—by managing their selftalk Generally, when we're trying something new and doing bacly att, we think terrise thoughts: Thate this. Pm such an idiot. Pl never gt this right. ‘This isso frustrating That stati in our brains leaves litie bandwidth for learning The ideal ‘mindset forabeginnerisboth vulnerable and balanced: 'm going tobe bad at this to start with, because P'venever done it before. AND know Tan learn to doit over time, n fact, the researchers Robert Wood and Albert Bandura found inthe late 1980s that when people are encouraged to expect ‘mistakes and learn from them early in the process of acquiring new skills, the results “heightened interest, persistence, and better performance” know a senir sales manager from the United States who was recently tapped to run the Asia Pacificregion for his company. He was having hard time acclimating to living overseas and work- ‘ng with colleagues from other cultures, and he responded by leaning on his sales expertise rather than acknowledging his beginner stats in the new ‘environment. [helped him recognize his resis | tance tobeinga cultural novice, and he was able to shifthis selftalk fom This is souncomfortable—Til Justfocuson what already know to Fhave alot to learn about Asian cultures. Pm a quick study, soil be able to pickitup. He told meit was animmedi- ate tlie Simply acknowledging his novice status ‘made him feel less foolish and more relaxed, He started asking the necessary questions, and soon Ihe was seen.as open, interested, and beginning to ‘understand his new environment. THE ABILITY To ACQUIRE new skills and knowledge quickly and continually i erucal to suecessin a ‘world of rapid change. Ifyou don't currently have the aspiration, self-awareness, curiosity, and vul- nerability to bean effective learner, these simple toolscan help you get there. @ aR eprint misoss Erika Andersons the founding partner of Proteus Internationa andthe author of Growing Great Employees, aeing Strategic, Leading So People Will Follow, and Be dat Fist.TO SET YOURSELF APART - THINK CHICAGO BOOTH Ee PROGRAM Tes} eee anna rece y MANAGEMENT PROGRAM senior-level executive program that allows you to customize curriculum by choosing electives that fit your learning OS Cec eae a eet nsgr icc SSN tule at any point during the year and select elective sessions that fit eT DR i Neng SE eeu PSC au cire ar GCs UTC iu ee ie ROE eco aera CCAS Lee Ree ort Pen eRe teas Pen earns renal er Sera eT ee encEARNING origaaly published in ajune Teaching Smart People How to Learn Every company faces a learning dilemma: The smartest people find it the hardest to learn. by Chris Argyris NY COMPANY THAT ASPIRES to succeed inthe tougher business environment ofthe 1990s must fist resolve abasic dilemma: successin the marketplace increasingly depends on learn ing, yet most people don’t know how to learn. What's more, those members ofthe organization any assume tobe the best at earning are, in fact, not very good att. 1am talking about the well-educated, high-powered, high-commitment professionals who occupy key leadership positions inthe modem corporation, ‘Most companies not only have teemendous dificalty addressing this learning dilemma; they aren’t even aware that it exists The reason: they. misunderstand what learning is and how to ringit about. Asa result, they tend tomake two mistakes in their efforts to become a learning organization. First, most people define learning too nar- rowly asmere “problem solving,” sothey focus on identifying and correcting errors in the external environment. Solving problemsis important. But fleaming sto persist, managers and employees smustalsolook inward. They need to reflect ert- cally on their own behavior, identify the ways they often inadvertently contribute tothe organiza- tion's problems, and then change how they act. In particular, they must learn how the very way they go about defining and solving problems canbea source of problems in its own right Thave coined the tezms “single loop” and “double loop” learning to capture this crucial distinction. To giveasimple analogy: a thermostat that automatically turns on the heat whenever the temperature in aroom crops below 68 degreesisa good example of singl-loop learning. A thermo- stat that could ask, “Why am Lsetat 68 degrees?” and then explore whether or not some other temperature might mare economically achieve the goal heating the room would be engaging in ddouble-loop learning Highly skilled professionals are frequently very good at single-loop learning. Afterall, they have spent much oftheir lives acquiring academic cre- dentials, mastering one ora numberof intellectal disciplines, and applying those disciplines to solve real-world problems. But ironically, this very fact ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA SCHNEIDERhelps explain why professionals are often so bad at