Over the course of 17 years in business and marketing, I have seen a variety of training and development programs with aims to improve skills and capabilities for individuals and companies. However, what I find most perplexing is that training and education is often pursued without an approach to apply new learning.
The pursuit of knowledge without the application of what you learn is a fruitless endeavor. It creates very little realized value. Great potential is never realized.
Company programs tend perpetuate this problem with their approach to measuring training performance (i.e. # of people trained or % compliance to required training). Which is more beneficial, measuring the number of certifications or measuring the changes in behaviors that lead to improvement?
I am a firm believer in constantly learning and improving yourself, your company, and society. Each day is a new opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. Here are some practical learning and application guidelines that constantly work to follow:
- Approach learning from the perspective of "how/where I can apply new knowledge", not from the perspective of "what will I learn?"
- Integrate learning and application with everyday life.
- Apply small bits of learning at a time. Be iterative. Test.
- Take responsibility for self-development. Don't count on a company or others.
- Learn through relationships. Get a mentor. Be a mentor.
- Read at least 2 books a month (1 profession related, 1 non-fiction/personal/fun).
- Look for adjacencies and how you can apply learning from one area of life to another area of life.
- Be holistic. Grow as a person, not just as a business professional.
- Be moldable. Be coachable.
Learning without application is as valuable as a screen door on a submarine.
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