Life in the Flow of Learning....

I had some time to reflect over the holidays and wanted to share a few of my thoughts. I thought a lot about the challenge of organizational learning, especially these days with the relentless forces of change making it imperative for individuals to stay agile, skilled, and relevant. I thought about how companies support learning and leadership development and how their investments (a.k.a. commitments) in people - while not immediately gratifying to their bottom line - ultimately pay huge dividends to employees, customers, partners, and shareholders. I thought and wondered about why - despite all this - so many organizations still struggle to approach learning and leader development with the same intensity and focus as they do with their core business processes and financial planning.

Unfortunately, I did not arrive at any earth-shattering conclusions. Actually, my thinking probably produced more questions than answers - typically the case when I go into heavy reflection mode. Where I landed, however, is that this challenge is what has kept me inspired for over 25 years in this career field and what motivates me to keep pushing ahead - to use learning and leadership as the ultimate tools for organizations to compete, grow, win, and live their purpose. After coming to this version of a personal insight, I asked myself where this all comes from - what set of experiences caused me to feel so strongly about the role learning and education can and should play in the development of our people, companies, teams, and society. I realized that it was my own set of unique and formative experiences - combined with my upbringing - that helped lead me in that direction.

Let's start with Se?or Fraser - my 9th and 10th grade Spanish teacher. 'Se?or' was one of those few people that takes true interest in students. His level of care, attention, expectations, and rigor made each one his students better. Se?or would wake up early to run and would bring students along - teaching them the benefits of discipline, hard work and focus. Se?or imprinted on me a recognition that learning goes way beyond the content and subject matter. In fact, that is easily and quickly forgotten. It is much more about the person.

Then there was an early job where I got to develop instructional products for shop-floor workers in the automobile industry. I learned the hard way that the fact that I think I know something does not mean its actually correct or that other people have any interest in learning it. Only once I got to know these folks and truly understand their reality was I actually able to develop plans with them for their continuing education and career development. What this experience taught me is that learning needs to come along with trust and that trust is only earned from listening and understanding another person's situation.

Then there was the pharma company where I worked on an extended development project for high potential leaders. This company was so committed to talent and learning that they said they "aligned their business strategy to their talent strategy" - not vice versa. They actually developed and selected leaders - first and foremost - based on their leadership profile - then they figured out what to do with them. What I learned from them is that it is possible to put people first and that learning can be the primary engine for innovation, performance, and purpose.

Then there were my years as a counselor at a summer camp in Michigan- where I learned that leadership is a big responsibility. When others entrust you with their followership, its critical to put them first, think of their interests above your own, and serve them by doing the best you can - especially when they are young people who need guidance and role modeling.

Then there was the transitions program for veterans I helped design and facilitate - with the help of many colleagues and friends. This program focused on helping veterans coming out of the military and moving into the corporate world to examine their unique skill sets and plan for the next chapter of their careers. What I learned from this is that the students can often become the teachers and that humility is generally the first step in a journey of lifelong learning.

There are so many more examples I could detail and share that helped shape my commitment and passion to learning and leadership development. From Se?or Fraser to my job on the shop floor to my years as a camp counselor to my project at the pharma company to the transitions program for veterans, life is not much more than one continuous learning process. That process occurs whether we know it or not. However, we get so much more out of it if we are able to build capabilities and tools to make sense out of it all - to process whats happening and turn it into lessons that we can build on.

For a few years now, everybody has been talking about learning in the flow of work - and then learning in the flow of life. I'm ready in 2020 to push towards life in the flow of learning. We are what we learn. We make organizations great by tapping into this powerful force and building our own future. New decade - new and renewed commitment to learn - in the flow of life.

#iamintel