MODERN LEARNING
Organising your learning:
There’s so much to know and not enough time to learn it all. I find it useful to structure my learning on an annual
and quarterly basis around four focus areas:
Self Discovery/
Improvement
Improved interpersonal
skills improves home and work
relationship
Psychological health and
wellbeing, coping skills and
stress management
Personal strength, resilience
and consistency
Happiness
Professional
Development
Improved leadership,
management and technical
skills
Confidence, relevance and
consistency
Improved business
performance
Opportunities for promotion
and higher income
Over the summer break each year,
I consider what learning I want
to focus on, one main topic for
each focus area. For instance,
your Self Development topic may
be ‘resilience’ if you find yourself
feeling emotionally weaker at times.
Professional Development may
be the next level of management
training, or a qualification that will
help you in your field.
Just for Fun is just that, anything
you will find fun and/or interesting,
from pottery to stamp collecting.
Your General World Knowledge may
be learning about a different culture
or gaining a greater understanding
of the workings of the European
debt crisis or the current
discussions on tax reform, for
example. In making your decision,
consider your professional and
personal goals, short and long term,
and aim for a balance of learning
that will enable you to reach your
goals and enjoy yourself. Learning
must be an exciting discovery of
new facts, knowledge and skills that
will improve our lives and make us
happier, not be a chore.
Just for fun/Hobby
General World
Knowledge
Improved work/life balance
Meet new people from
different backgrounds you
wouldn’t ordinarily meet
Improved professional
performance
Explore interest you enjoy that
you otherwise wouldn’t
Fun and laughter
Perspective
Real time relevance to today’s
world
Wide range of conversation
topics for personal and
professional networking
Increased emotional
intelligence
Credibility
Once you have identified your
topics, consider how you are going
to learn. There are many ways to
learn, it starts with simple curiosity,
a frame of mind that you will take an
interest in what’s going on around
you or to what other people have to
say. By deciding on your topics, you
will find opportunities will naturally
present themselves when you can
learn by asking, listening or reading.
You will meet people who have
knowledge about the topic, or find
an article about it in a magazine,
both of which would previously have
passed you by, but now you will take
note and be curious enough to ask
about it, or read the article.
You should also proactively seek
out information about your chosen
topics, there is an inexhaustible
supply of information on most
topics on the internet, on television
(particularly for current affairs
and world knowledge), on audio
c.d., video and in print. There are
numerous on line forums, groups
and networks, you can subscribe to
newsletters and regular information
feeds direct to your inbox. Find
out if there are any local groups or
associations that can support your
January 2016
ModernBusiness
9