Four Ways to Help People Learn

More and more, job candidates ask the question "What will I learn here?"

If they don't like the answer, chances are they'll keep looking.

For leaders, managers, and heads of projects, helping people learn is a critical contribution to both individual and organizational success.

We often know what we should be doing and what works. So, here are four quick reminders about learning that can make a difference.

Four To Remember

1. Arouse Curiosity. For every action there's a reaction. When we say or do something, people want time to react to it, talk about it, and understand what it means to them.

Practical Application: Allow  time for questions and answers. The give-and-take after you speak is where people actually learn and where they begin to develop an affinity for, and commitment to, the topic. Even if you're an expert, the learning takes place as a result of people wrestling with the information or idea rather than being the recipients of a data dump--no matter how eloquent you may be.

2. Build self-confidence. How you deliver and discuss the information impacts how people feel about learning it. People with position power--managers, supervisors, team leaders--all have the ability to build confidence in the learners or create a defensive atmosphere.

Practical Application: Tell the group at the outset that you value their questions and that you hope they'll jump in when they experience an "Aha!" or a "Help me, I don't get it." When someone asks a question, throw it back out to the group to give someone else a chance to form an answer that may be framed in a way different than your own. Thank people whenever they ask a question or offer an answer.

3. Involve! Even as youngsters, we knew who the teachers were who made learning exciting, interesting, and engaging. Why not be the "managerial version" of your best teacher. And remember this: Managers Are The Mediators of Motivation.

Practical Application: Take some time to develop questions and put people into groups to address them; if you're talking about a new marketing approach, give people a block of time to do a concept and present it to the group. The time you spend designing their activities will pay off in engaged learners and, ultimately, real learning.

4. Make Room For the 'New'. Unless you're involved in safety procedures, accounting rules, or a regulatory issue, people want to be able to offer their own "variation on a theme." One of the reasons to bring people together is to capitalize on the collective creativity and varying viewpoints in the room.

Practical Application: Give people latitude to take the discussion in directions that you never thought of. Remember, you're in charge--but to try to be in control will shut down the kind of learning that the group--and you--have an opportunity to experience.

When the noise level goes up and people start debating, discussing, and delving into the topic, you've been successful. Let it go until the energy begins to die down. Then, capture the points that they were making with their co-workers and discuss next steps. When learners sit passively, you may feel more relaxed because you feel in control not having to respond to questions or manage the group. What it may really mean is that they aren't engaged, aren't learning, and are waiting "until the bell rings" so they can go back to their workspace.

How about offering up some of your own experiences and some tips for the community?

Comments

[Ron Edmondson]

Great post Steve. Lots of practical applications for what I do.

Thanks,
Ron Edmondson
http://www.RonEdmondson.com