When you recall some of the most intense learning experiences of your working life, they are often associated with some big project or assignment that was at the edge of your comfort zone. Challenges are exciting – the work is new, you learn quickly and deeply, and the reward for success is great. But challenges [...]
One of the ways leaders coach others is by example – by demonstrating skills and attitudes. Often, you can show expertise in technical skills to people coming up behind you. But even if you don’t have your team’s full skill set, you can role model many other important skills – being a lifelong learner, acting [...]
I suspect I’m going to regret choosing “coach” as the catch-all title for developmental moves that introduce and hone knowledge and skill. It has a lot of different connotations. For some, coaching has a specific meaning related to providing a one-on-one counseling/consulting service meant to guide senior leaders and organizations. As Josh Bersin pointed out [...]
You know me, I’m all about learning. But in her new book, Julie Winkle Giulioni makes a compelling argument that when employees say they want career growth, there are many possible means to that end – and learning is only one of them. Giulioni’s conceptualization of the dimensions of career development implies that we need [...]
If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. ~ Yogi Berra When setting out to encourage development of a member of your team, moves to clarify are often an important place to start. Clarity is needed in order to contextualize all your developmental moves and keep the your desired [...]
In the wake of all the disruptions and workplace changes precipitated by the pandemic, employees are looking for more from their employers. They want flexibility, of course, but they are also expecting a more humanistic management style. Employees want to contribute in a meaningful way, and they want to grow their knowledge and skill. While [...]
In my work on self-directed learning, I have aimed to support people whose learning projects need a plan. I provide guidance on how to engage a self-directed learning process in a deliberate way so you can efficiently and effectively satisfy your deeper and longer-term learning needs. But (as I have discussed before) that’s not always [...]
When you work in L&D, you’d think that learning would come easy. But we have the same challenges as people in other fields in trying to remain abreast of changes and to continuously improve our knowledge and skill. While L&D folks aren’t generally required to log development credits, the field is changing so much that [...]
In my February newsletter, I highlighted the fact that self-directed learning involves a number of people: people who impart (teach), people who engage, and people who inspire. When you can get all three of those dynamics mutually occurring in one group of people, you can begin to get a sense of the community of practice [...]
On February 12, 2012, I obtained a business license for Learning 4 Learning Professionals and officially began the consulting chapter of my career. Ten years ago today. It seems like we’ve lived way more than a decade in the last decade, but I’m proud to be part of a field that makes a difference – [...]