Three Learning Lessons

In 2000 Howard Dean and Co. published my book “It’s Dead Simple Really” in Zimbabwe. The book is about how and why people learn and why some people don’t. It’s not about cramming for exams and filling your mind with ‘education’. It’s about how to develop skills that enable you to work, to play, to live. Years later I self-published the book on Amazon. This year I realised it was out of date and started a revision.

It has been a marathon. Almost every day I learn something new about learning how to learn, where to learn and how anyone can be the best he or she can be at whatever career, vocation or sport he or she chooses.

I thought I was done. I re-published on Amazon as “It’s Dead Simple Really – Or is it?” I asked a local printer to print me a copy. He did in less than 24 hours. I collected the copy, paid him his dues and started to proof read a hard copy. As I progressed lateral thinking took over and I realised there was more and more learning about learning for me. I had a Eureka moment last week. I was reading about how when we learn to do anything differently we experience discomfort when we do it and as a consequence we invariably get worse before we get better.

Here’s the story that illustrates the theory: -

In the 1970’s I was a policeman stationed at a place in what was Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, called Chipinga. I was a mediocre tennis player and on Saturday afternoons I played tennis with my neighbour, Dave Pattinson. Dave P was a very good tennis player. The Chipinga Sports Club built a squash court and we tennis players were encouraged to take up squash. Dave P and I were enthusiastic. We acquired squash rackets through the police recreation club and every single day for more than 12 months we got up at 5.30 am, walked to the squash courts, had a highly competitive game of squash and walked home again to be ready for work by 8.00 am. We were evenly matched. We didn’t have anyone to coach us.

Then I was transferred to Salisbury, now Harare. I went to the Police Squash Courts and put my name down on a list inviting anyone and everyone to play in the Mashonaland Squash League. There were thirteen leagues. I was given an ‘audition’ by Inspector Ian Donaldson and was slotted into the police 7th league side. It was a lot of fun. A lot of exercise. Highly competitive.

In the winter we played a kind of mix and match Princes Winter League. I was drawn to play against Robin Hurst. He was way better than me and thrashed me 9-0, 9-0, 9-0. Humiliated. Robin then asked me if I would like a tip. What could I say?

“Dave, if you want to play good squash you need to change your grip on the squash racket handle. You are holding it like you hold a hammer and all you do is smash the ball against the front or side walls. You need to direct the ball to where your opponent isn’t. To do that you need direction and to that you need to extend your forefinger down the racket handle to enable you to give that direction. Try it.”

And I did. It was most uncomfortable. I couldn’t get much direction, I couldn’t get much power.

“Keep at it,” said Robin and we went off for a drink in the bar.

I kept at it for a while. It didn’t work for me and I went back to my ‘hammer’ grip, got back some power and won a couple of games.

Then I met Robin quite by chance in the street. He asked how it was going with my new grip. I told him. He admonished me. He told me to work with the new grip that he recommended and go and practice on my own until such time as the grip became so comfortable that I automatically picked up the racket with my forefinger extended down the shaft.

I did as he recommended. In 1992 I represented Zimbabwe in the East and Central African Squash Racket Championships held in Bulawayo.

So what are the lessons from this?

1.????? When we learn to do something different, be it physical, mental or psychological we experience discomfort and unless we remain committed to the change we will go back to doing what we’ve always done.

2.????? I played against Robin in the Princes Winter League and was drawn against him quite by chance. Again my subsequent meeting with Robin in the street weeks later was quite by chance. If I hadn’t met him on these two occasions I would never have represented Zimbabwe at squash. If you want to be good at what you DO, whether it is playing a sport or doing your job as a software developer, a teacher, a manager, a leader or a business owner, don’t leave your learning to chance. You need to plan your learning and the help of a coach or mentor will help you change your life.

3.????? Deep learning doesn't come from books or going on courses. Deep learning comes from experience, getting feedback, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, working with the strengths, eliminating the weaknesses.

There’s one final lesson here. Learning to play squash, cricket, football, rugby, swimming, running or whatever your sport, each sport requires very specific and limited skills. Furthermore the rules don’t change often. But when you are a software developer, a project manager, a leader or manager of any kind or variation, a business owner, you require a myriad of different skills and the rules can change with alarming frequency. Change is a constant. You need to adapt, to learn and develop new skills from one day to the next.

There's one other difference that we need to appreciate: In sport it is very easy to practice in a safe environment. In your work or business, you rarely get that chance.

You will always benefit from help from a coach or mentor. Every leader and manager should be a coach and mentor to those people he leads and manages. And every leader and manager needs a mentor.

My next publication will be about coaching and mentoring and the differences between the two.

You will find my books on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Young and Bulletproof: 21 Years of Service in the British South Africa Police (1962-1983) eBook : Young, David: Kindle Store

It's Dead Simple Really - Or is It?: How to learn how to learn: Young, David: 9798585161568: Amazon.com: Books

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