rom the outset it is important todifferentiate between three types oflearning: knowledge, behaviours andmindset/beliefs.While some learning

takes place concurrently across all three,we focus here mainly on behaviours andbeliefs.

In today’s digital, interconnected world,gaining knowledge has never been easier.In my work with senior executives I findmost of them are turning to learningproviders such as London Business Schoolfor a fresh set of experiences and insightsand ways to approach life and workdifferently.

INCENTIVE TO LEARN

What is the most important quality alearner must possess? The answer is Desire.

Without a compelling reason to learn, alearner simply won’t have sufficientincentive to want to absorb the learningeffectively. Although this must ultimatelycome from the learner, organisations needto consider how they can best tap into thisdesire. They can do so in a number of ways:

• Open up the learning experience topeople at a time when they most need it:at career transition points or to supportnew project preparation. BP is a well-known example of an organisation whichasks its people to undergo training inadvance of their next career stage

• Ask participants to state why theprogramme is important as part of theiroverall development (and use this as a testfor programme suitability)

• Make the link between content andlearning aims explicit (throughout thelearning experience)

A CULTURE THAT VALUES FINDINGANSWERS

Learning is most powerful when we are noteven aware it’s happening. One CEO postedthe following question after announcing anorganisational re-design via the companyblog read by almost all employees:

“What questions do people haveregarding our integration strategy withthe USA?”

This single question prompted some 300responses and counter responses. Someposed questions. Many more began toanswer them. A few things became clear:

June 2014 Inside Learning Technologies & Skills 7

From the desire to learn to the

application of the lessons

learned: Mark Edwards

considers ways to improve…

THE STICKINESSOF LEARNING

F

• Informal channels were a powerful formof learning

• Questioning was encouraged

• The CEO’s invitation meant employeesneeded to have a smart question or an aptanswer!

In this organisation, online presence andcontribution to the company blog andonline forums were important forambitious employees looking to get ahead.‘Not learning’ was not an option.

STRENGTH-BASED DEVELOPMENT

Research tells us that people learn betterwhen they build on their strengths ratherthan trying to overcome weakness. Weknow this, but we don’t help others do it.Why? There are two main reasons:

1. People do not focus enough on their ownkey talents and further develop these.

2. Managers/trainers teach in their ownimage.

Two minutes with my ex-colleague wouldtell you he was a creative, warm, peopleperson. Several years ago he wasattempting to get to grips with our firm’sbudgeting process. He had suggested to hisprocess- and numbers-focused managerthat he spends half a day with the AccountDirector to learn the process. She insistedthat he read an academic book on thebudgeting process.

The development never took place and thiswas probably the beginning of the end oftheir relationship.

LEARNING AS A BY-PRODUCT

British philosopher Stuart Mill said, 150years ago: “Those that are happy have theirminds fixed on some object other thantheir own happiness.”

As with happiness, learning is sometimesthe by-product of a wider business goal.A number of years ago I was tasked tocreate and embed a set of values for anorganisation going through significantchange. I was able to select eight highpotential individuals to help with a varietyof components of this exercise.

We sought to allocate responsibilities foreach component part of the project topeople who would benefit from exposure tothis aspect of the project. Two years on,four of the team members had beenpromoted and, most significantly, movedtheir careers in different directions. Oneoperations employee wanted to work onhis stakeholder management skills so wehad him sell our proposals to the board.Another wanted to move from operationsinto marketing. Her responsibility was to

work closely with the Marketing Director toexternalise the new values. Crucially thesepeople weren’t learning about stakeholdermanagement or marketing strategy, theywere doing it – which is more immersive.

Another client I worked with ran Hackathons– a series of events that enabled coders fromaround the business to design new digitalproducts together. This resulted in fantasticnew products and services. The learningincluded: new collaborative relationships anda powerful reinforcement of the company’sstrategic vision.

THE POWER OF UNFAMILIAR LEARNING

Being exposed to an extraordinaryexperience outside the day job is one of themost powerful stimulants of behaviouralchange.

Suppose for a moment your client islooking to build a team of advisors. Thecompany wants to offer customers a rangeof solutions to meet their needs, more thanpeople products alone.

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7 Inside Learning Technologies & Skills June 2014

YOU MR CLIENT

So, what would you want your people tobe doing differently?

What do you mean by ‘listen more’?

And presumably to demonstrate that he‘gets’ the customer and his world?

So what is it you think your advisors wouldneed to give up in order to listen anddemonstrated deep listening?

To be able to listen more; to reallyunderstand the customer’s needs beforebeginning to offer a solution

To suspend judgment. To understand thecustomer, their world, their issues

Absolutely...we’re looking for top dollarempathy here.

You know something… Our people havegot to where they are throughdemonstrating that they know the answeralready. For them to now let go of theconcept of having all the answers, theywould need to be guided more by thecustomer.

And…if in the end we can’t help, we needto be prepared to walk away.

LEARNING TYPE DESIRED INSIGHT/LEARNING:

Mindset • To understand that the more open youbecome, the more open others becomeand the more relationships deepen

• To understand that the unique poweryou have through acting selflessly to causea transformation in the nature of arelationship of any kind

Behaviour To learn and apply how to:

• Actively listen

• Ask insightful questions

Let’s take the conversation and imagine that we have now tightened up the learningobjectives.

“We simply believe that it’swhen a manager is in a placethat is unfamiliar that learningcan commence” ProfessorJules Goddard, LondonBusiness School.

Some of these activitiesappear to be more related tothe learning outcome –openness and transformativepower to create differentclient relationships – thanothers. In truth, all these havethat potential. These types oflearning are so successfulbecause participants have astake in the learning and areco-creating the learningthemselves.

“IT'S ALL IN THE DEBRIEFSTUPID”

The single greatest skill of anylearning practitioner is makingsure the participant is confidentin applying what they havelearned. Unfortunately, this isoften the least consideredaspect of learning. Let’s considerthe following examples:

1. A person enjoys an internationalsecondment with his organisation yet slipsback into his old role with none of thelearning being applied.

2. An individual attends a negotiation skillscourse yet is not offered opportunities toembark upon a meaningful negotiation inthe weeks that follow.

3. A person experiences a real ‘learning high’during a leadership programme yet is notguided on post-programme application.

The debrief and the real world applicationis not only one of the most crucial andover looked aspects of learning, it is the onewhich incurs no cost. During our talk at theLearning and Skills Conference we shall exploresome of these principles and techniques. Iwill share with you how these principles areapplied in my client work and in my workwith LBS. More importantly, I will work withyou to consider how you can bring more ofthis into your own learning events.

June 2014 Inside Learning Technologies & Skills 11

Mark Edwards is Leadership & StrategyProgramme Director at LondonBusiness Schoolwww.london.eduTwitter: @LSB

THE STICKINESS OF LEARNING

EXPERIENCES TYPES OF INSIGHTS

Visit to anNGO

Visit to aprison to talkwith prisoners

Theatre

Music

Forum theatre

Art/Poetry

Hearing inspirational accounts – such aswhy a particular NGO exists, who they arehelping, the bravery of the participants

Uncovering prejudices, reconsideringassumptions, remaining open.

Theatre-based exercise, relating to ‘thehidden self’. What mask do we put on atwork and with our clients and how can weallow others in?

Working with a music group to understandwhat it takes to perform at your best. Howdo they communicate so effectively?

An understanding of directing andprinciples that can be applied to the clientrelationship. An opportunity for delegatesto practice their client relationship skills,receive real-time feedback andconsequently improve their approach.

Participants are asked to consider a piece ofpoetry or a painting which most speaks tothem. They share with others why it movesthem and the perspectives it uncovers.

So, what form of learning experiences may be appropriatefor this type of need? Take a look at some initial ideas: