Why we all should be Lifelong Learners?

Providing aspiring business leaders with the essential tools and techniques needed to proactively make a positive impact, Strategi Solutions’ Leadership Academy is proving to be a huge success. Helen Bailey, Head of Learning and Development at the award-winning business consultancy and leader of the programme, shares an insight into the importance of lifelong learning.

It is unsurprising that in my position as Head of Learning and Development at Strategi Solutions I would advocate for Lifelong Learning or as I refer to as being ‘Constantly Curious’. After all it is a fundamental part of what I do, encouraging and facilitating sessions to enable people to do this in the workplace.

However, it is good to know that I am not completely on my own with this. As Erika Andersen notes, “Organisations today are in constant flux. Industries are consolidating, new business models are emerging, new technologies are being developed, and consumer behaviours are evolving.” So, if our context is constantly changing it makes sense that our knowledge needs to evolve as well. Ten years ago, the world of virtual training was off in the horizon – today it is front and centre of everything I do and I’m always seeking out opportunities about how to get better at it.

Not only does Lifelong Learning make good sense from a business perspective, it also supports our wellbeing as discovered by Professor Steven McNair, who found in his research that education is central to wellbeing. The idea being that it provides purpose and helps our brains to make connections that are new and exciting, rather than the ones we have always made, referred to in The Five Choices as making intentional rather than reactive choices.

If you’re a leader then there is an even greater reason to be invested in Lifelong Learning – as JFK once said, “Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other”. Simon Sinek stated, “Leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in your charge” and having a vast array of tools to help you do this is hugely beneficial. This is where Leadership Development comes in and in our Strategi Leadership Academy that is exactly what we focus on, giving people all the tools they need so they can assemble their own toolbox to take back into the workplace, focussing on five key areas:

• Leadership and Management
• Managing Self
• Leading Continuous Movement
• Building Relationships
• Leading the Team

Our final workshop then focusses on Celebrating Success with our participants, sharing how they have been able to put their learning into practice. All of this is supported with tools to help people embed the learning into practice back at work.

At Strategi it is not just about the content in our learning it is also all about how we do it, a process which we refer to as REALITY Learning where we focus on creating the best environment to help people learn, and how organisations can maximise impact on individuals attending these kinds of programmes.

So, what does help people to learn? Personally, I’m an admirer of David Meier’s Accelerated Learning Principles and in particular the following two:

• Positive emotions aid learning – Engagement and interaction are the key here. Who doesn’t want to make a brain out of wool, build spaghetti and marshmallow towers, and play ‘Emotional Intelligence’ pass the parcel? However let’s be careful to have ‘fun with a purpose’ and what I mean by this is activities which make a point related to the learning rather than for their own sakes. Interactions and sharing experiences are equally important as it helps focuses the topics on practical implementation. You can take part in all the learning in the world; however, if you don’t use it then you will lose it.
• Learning in creation not consumption – Ever sat through someone reading through 90 Power Point slides in an hour – we’ve all been there! Finding ways to help learners create their own learning helps embed it clearly in their own mind. The Benjamin Franklin quote has great resonance here – “Involve me and I learn.” There are lots of ways to do this effectively including group discussions, individuals delivering mini sessions on topics to their colleagues and research (using everyone’s friend Google!) on the day.

It is clear from our latest graduates of the Academy that our approach works as each shared some fantastic examples of where they have been able to change or enhance their practice based on their learning. But don’t just take our word for it – we asked them to share with us “If someone was thinking of going on the Strategi Leadership Academy what would you say to them?” and this is how they responded:

• Great experience, very warm and friendly
• Some really good scenarios
• YES! Very interactive and engaging. Great size group and very enjoyable
• Fantastic learning environment
• Great content
• The programme has a great balance of theory and practical with opportunity for open discussions.
• With small groups you can engage in positive exchange of ideas and reflections
• Go for it! Fantastic insight and knowledge from Helen plus great interactive sessions

To find out more about how Strategi Solutions can support your leaders, contact Helen on: [email protected] or visit the website: https://strategisolutions.co.uk/