L&D: Goblin Mode

Hoodie, gym shorts, flip-flops and my PS4 - throw in a pizza and beer and that would be full-blown Goblin Mode for me. It's how I lived during my days at university. In fact, I was probably the Goblin King by this new understanding.

If you're unaware of what I'm yammering on about, Oxford University Press has selected "Goblin Mode" as their 2022 word of the year (Oxford Word of the Year for 2022: the people’s choice ). What I find intriguing about Goblin Mode is that I can 100% comprehend the meaning. In the past, someone in Goblin Mode might have been described as lazy or a hermit. However, Goblin Mode speaks to intent as much as behavior. In my opinion, the individual's motivation is the key differentiator. Going Goblin Mode is an intentional choice. One is shedding the pressure of societal norms to pursue personal behavior that is gratifying with no regard for the opinions of others. Its not like we're not describing anything new here. Bruno Mars sang about this in 2010 with his hit "The Lazy Song ." Before Bruno Mars there was Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing's recliners. ...and before that there are infinite examples including King Charles II who has been described as a "lazy party animal" (Royal Family: King Charles II ).

Adult Learning Theory is built upon the core concept of motivation. Malcom Knowles made this statement:

We will learn no matter what! Learning is as natural as rest or play. With or without books, inspiring trainers or classrooms, we will manage to learn. Educators can, however, make a difference in what people learn and how well they learn it.

So, can we teach people who are in Goblin Mode? This is the deep burning question that's popped into my mind? I think the answer is yes, but I'm very open to discussion and opinions on this topic - to be clear, that's why I'm writing. I'd love to discuss this more in-depth. If Goblin Mode stems from a self-serving motive we at least know that to connect with the learner we have to tap into whatever it is that they're into. I've learned tons of stuff while in Goblin Mode. I've gone down rabbit holes on the topics of history, music, and toys from the 1980's (GI Joe, Voltron, NES, etc).

Recently I've read articles on content overload. I tend to agree that dumping thousands of courses onto a learning platform may not be the best method to create a culture of continuous learning. However, having a decent amount of curated choices for your learners to explore is something you should consider. Again this ties into the core philosophy of Knowles: learners need choice. Someone in Goblin Mode needs a rabbit hole to go down. We've got to build them.

Surely if people are quiet quitting (I know! I'm sick of the term too!) we have people going Goblin Mode. The surge in usage of the term is a direct biproduct of the pandemic lockdown era. "Up until this year, it’s been a relatively low-frequency word in our corpus, but we’ve seen it quadruple in the past year" (Oxford University Press ).

While there is a part of me that is curious about the question "can we teach people in Goblin Mode?" there is another part of me saying that it's an absolute waste of time. Why do individuals go into Goblin Mode? What roles do employers play in that? What roles have employers played in the quiet quitting surge? It's got my mind spinning. Instead of combatting Goblin Mode, we should be focused on educating our businesses on how to build cultures that don't push employees into a position where quiet quitting or going Goblin Mode seems like the best solution.

There is nothing wrong with making the choice to go Goblin Mode. Just don't live in it. According to the CDC social isolation is linked to a 50% percent increased risk of dementia, ?a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide (Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions ).

In summary, If you go Goblin Mode know that everything is good in moderation. Don't let it become a long-term solution to stress, anxiety or the pressures of life. Do it to indulge and relax. If you're doing it because you're burnt out, stressed to the hilt, or feel pushed beyond your limits at work (or life) - seek help. Here are a couple of resources:

UK: Every Mind Matters

US: MentalHealth.gov

A special shout out to my boss, Ryan O'Connell , and coworkers Catrina Hogg & Charlotte Bull for engaging conversations that added to the thoughts I've expressed in this blog.