Learnability is Key

This word already has thousands of articles and I am just adding one more to the already said. Let me submit that what ever i am articulating here are coming from a learning dialogue i facilitated as part of my company's Learning Dialogue Series where thought leaders come together to discuss and peer learn on contemporary and relevant topics in the space of HR and L&OD.

The topic we discussed today was - Attitude for Learnability

The audience was diverse - from the Business, HR, L&OD, Academics.

Discussion started off on what is learnability, is it an attitude, behavior, trait? Is it relevant more today that yesterday? What is the relation between curiosity and learnability? Who is the owner of learning?.

Audience came up with some powerful insights which is what am sharing in this article. So i am just typing what i captued as powerful learning. Let me call out that all the below points are subject to discussion and debate and they should be read as people's perception, beliefs, understanding only.

1. Curiosity is a predictor of employability and learnability is an indicator of employee growth.
2. Learnability is an accountability both on the individual and the organization. As much as we expect the individual to put effort to learn, the organization too has to nudge this through creating an environment where learning happens
3. There is always a need for a stimulus for learning and this can always come in form of intrinsic and extrinsic. However the it appears that the accountability seemingly is more on the organization's shoulder to create those opportunities to learn and grow
4. Reflection from failures and successes is a key trigger for learnability though has to be with deliberate practice
5. Feedback is a key enabler to learnability
6. Learnability is defined as the desire and capability to learn in-demand skills to stay employable for long term
7. Milliniels are like the electrons, once we attempt to pin them, we will lose them. Some electrons want to learn and grow, some just want to be there. So is L&OD/HR's job is to get the electrons far from the orbit closer to the orbit of move the electrons closest to the orbit to sit on the orbit. This discussion led to a conclusive understanding that learnability from business perspective necessitates the L&OD to nudge the electrons closest to the orbit onto the orbit - this is because we want people to quickly learn and contribute to business and do not have the luxury of time. Here in the metaphor orbit is orbit of learning and electrons are the employees
8. When it comes to MOOC learning, the author of a learning post has to become an avid participant as well to nudge the consumers to engage more and consume the content more. The more the author increase the frequency of participation, there is a direct increase in people participation
9. Dialogue and conversation is one of the most powerful forms of learning and organizations should drive that [our old gurukul style]
10. Passion appears to be the key ingredient of learnability

Cheers!

Rajeev Narayan K