Learning (aka Personal/Professional Development)
I was reading a Ruth Ozeki novel and came across the sentence “biases abound on library shelves … and there’s an almost universal disregard for certain genres like self-help.” (Context matters a great deal in understanding that quote – see The Book of Form and Emptiness, p. 94 – and I’m using it in a fairly literal sense here.) Susan and I have been working on a couple ideas for intensive personal/professional development trainings (one form of “self-help”) and thinking a lot about the “willingness to be willing”. The combination of all those things has sparked some interesting conversations around what makes people jump into learning something new.
Obstacles abound, starting with the idea that self-help isn’t universally seen positively, the fear that the for-profit world can take advantage of vulnerable folks, and the concern that the self-improvement movement can make individuals feel responsible for structural or institutional conditions.
And even if all that doesn’t get in the way, learning something new takes a lot of vulnerability, an openness to making mistakes and not doing things perfectly. It’s a lot of work to take in new info or perspectives, figure out which pieces feel relevant and potentially useful, and then do the drills and work to apply new skills or approaches.
There’s usually at least some degree of mismatch with yours or others’ expectations, some negative responses to imperfect first attempts and the related emotions, and sometimes it can feel like there are even more significant impacts of not doing the new thing well (loss of a job or status, threats to self-esteem, potential harm to a key relationship, etc.). So what makes it all worth it?
Professional development can certainly feed “I’m going to get something good if I do this” motivations – participating in workshops to be able to keep a job, to move into another one or seek higher pay, to seem to be fitting into organizational culture, or to get the opportunity to stay current in your field or do some networking. Emotionally, it can feel very satisfying to feel like we’ve gotten better at doing something, to validate an experience or sensation with others’ sharing or feedback, or to just step outside our day-to-day to reflect on bigger and deeper patterns. Ultimately, the personal benefits – learning and growth, connecting with community, feeling more competence or understanding, financial stability, self-esteem, etc. – have to outweigh the costs.
But in these days of online courses and with the ease of getting advice or resources through AI, we have been thinking a lot about what kinds of personal or professional development are worth seeking out. We’d love to her your perspectives, but here are a few initial thoughts on learning with a clear impact:
Customized development opportunities are better than generic courses. Whether you’re reading a book, attending a workshop or training, or working with a coach or other helper, it’s important that the area of work fit for you – are examples relevant to your world, pitched at the right level, using vocabulary you can work with well?
For most learners, it’s important to acknowledge what they’re already coming into the situation with – you already have successfully done some things, had positive or negative experiences trying to deal with the learning topic – and to create opportunities and supports for integrating new knowledges or skills into what you already do or know.
People have different learning style preferences – do you learn best through stories or personal sharing, with data or lectures, through grappling with case studies or just by jumping in to try to apply something new? Good trainings usually incorporate activities with a variety of methods, and aren’t just pre-recorded lectures or videos or copies of powerpoint presentations.
Learning is both individual and social, balancing individual clarity on our purpose and motivations for learning with the camaraderie, sense of community and support from being in a group where we build up at least minimal trust in those we do it with (fellow learners, teachers or mentors, resource people), . External people can’t make us learn … but being seen, understood and inspired by those around us is heady (and heart-y) motivation.
At Good Collaborations, we think about all this and more with every learning environment we shape, and to be geekily honest, we LOVE the reflection process and learning from doing our best and then thinking through what went well and what we hope to improve next time. As some of the world anticipates beginning another school year, here’s hoping that you too find impactful learning opportunities in ways that fit for you!