How do you create a culture of growth and learning?

Learning and growing are human processes. Why they are not easily present in organizations? Because we have many behaviours that invite them to disappear. Learning and growth are processes that involves trials and outcomes. If we punish unexpected results, we don't learn. Learning from the process is key to growing in the future. We all grow, but in organizations we facilitate the development of some and stop others. We justify it based on the performance evaluation. With a perspective like this we stop the integral growth of the organization. Learning and growth flourishing in living systems, who are orientedes to discovering how to navigate confidently in the sea of uncertainty.

It’s important to lay out your main objectives; then teach and develop with examples and strategies. Each member learns differently and at his or her own time and level. Take the time and effort to ask questions from each member that he/she can learn and develop from.

You have to cultivate feedback in the organization that allows you to penetrate the things that are happening. Empowering the team with respect and trust that they can have an open conversation to share insights and experiences from both sides.

Encourage and inspire feedback among all team members about how they can improve their performance. Likewise, promote collaborative feedback regarding how you can be a better leader. Consider constructive criticism as a positive means to grow.

Leaders should exemplify a forward-thinking approach rooted in growth and learning, by being open about their own learnings, acknowledging their mistakes, and facilitating learning opportunities. A true learning culture revolves around three aspects: 1. "Learning" – acquiring new knowledge and pushing beyond one's comfort zone. 2. "Relearning" – refining and enhancing existing skills and knowledge. 3. "Unlearning" – shedding limiting beliefs, scarcity mindsets, and outdated convictions that no longer serve us or add value. This trifecta forms the essence of a genuine learning culture.

Learning is an art. Learning is not flat, has depth and dimension. A true learning culture revolves around three aspects: 1. "Learning" – acquiring new knowledge and pushing beyond one's comfort zone. 2. "Relearning" – refining and enhancing existing skills and knowledge. 3. "Unlearning" – shedding limiting beliefs, scarcity mindsets, and outdated convictions that no longer serve us or add value. This trifecta forms the essence of a genuine learning culture.

Create weekly learning sessions with fun activities that promote collaboration between all participants. Reward top performers with small gifts that reflect their interests. No need to punish underperforming participants. Instead, encourage and inspire by helping bring out their strengths and talents. Everyone has different strengths. Positive reinforcement and compassion is something we all need everyday.

A psychologically safe culture fosters an environment where individuals feel safe to take risks, step beyond their comfort zones, and question the norm. This atmosphere is vital for sparking innovation. Psychological safety starts with inclusion safety, people feel they belong, seen and heard. It’s then when individuals feel safe to learn, ask questions, contribute, and, eventually, challenge status quo, paving the way for innovation. Psychological safety, therefore, serves as the foundation of innovation, marking the transition from inclusion to innovation. In such an environment, social frictions are minimized while intellectual frictions are encouraged.

Innovation really happens when multidisciplinary teams come together to work on a common good and everyone contributes to the direction of that goal and all ideas are welcome.

A positive culture in every learning environment that promotes collaboration and cooperation between all members goes a long way. Fear and distrust are crippling and destructive constructs that have become the norm in many environments and needs to cease.

Leaders with their behavior are the ones who direct modeling and change. It is the compass of the organization and what makes growth beyond in learning. In each scenario we must be able to model with our actions and at the same time teach the path. Walk the talk and talk the walk.

The growth mindset values the journey and the effort, rather than merely the end result. This perspective helps recondition the brain, fostering a mindset of continuous learning, resilience, and openness to failure. In an environment where a growth mindset is nurtured, employees are encouraged to take risks and experiment. The evaluation of their performance isn't solely based on the results they deliver, but also on the effort, emotion, and time they invest. Even in the face of unsuccessful outcomes, their attempts are acknowledged and lauded for the learnings they have gained, including lessons from failures.

Simply stated, be the role model you want to have in your own life. Lead by example, with empathy and positivity. Reward versus punish and understand that everyone learns differently. Resist from making comparisons between other members and focus instead on individual strengths. Compassion goes a long way towards helping others help themselves.