The way humans learn isn’t changing, and yet it seems everything about how humans can learn is changing. This seems like a paradox, and yet importantly, this is a case where two things can be true at the same time.
Understanding and applying this paradox can make a big difference in the results you get as an individual who wants to grow and succeed. Acknowledging both organizationally can drastically improve the growth and development of everyone in our organization.
Everything that follows, both the new and the timeless, ties to one of the key tenets of our work, that training is an event, but learning is a process.
What’s Changing (Fast)
The internet changed the option, opportunities and cost of learning dramatically. And AI (specifically tools built on LLM’s) is changing it again right before our eyes. We must recognize what has and will change because these factors provide opportunities if applied, and competitive disadvantage if they aren’t. Here are some examples.
- Google. Yep, we all know we can google most anything to get an answer. In real-time. For free.
•Alexa/Siri. But you don’t have to type it anymore – you can ask your device or phone, or TV. And now with new tools like this, you can talk to your computer into any piece of software you own. - YouTube. YouTube is the number two search engine on the planet. But it isn’t just for entertainment. Want to know how to change the wipers on your car, or plant your garden, you can watch someone else watch you through it, and hopefully they know what they are talking about!
- AI prompts. For a couple of years, we have now been able to treat LLM’s like better search engines. If you learn how to write good prompts, your favorite LLM can help you learn most anything.
•AI’s ears. Give Your LLM a voice recording, and turn that lecture or meeting into the key points? No problem! - AI’s eyes. Have a problem? Show a picture of the problem to an LLM. Have a leak under your sink? Take a picture of it and ask your favorite to act like an experienced plumber and diagnose the problem and give you a set of steps for fixing it.
- AI as a teacher. You can treat AI not just as an answer man, but as a wise and thorough instructor. Want a daily plan to learn anything? Use AI to help you create your plan and even serve you your next lesson each day. Want an image to help you study or learn something? No problem. (NotebookLM might be useful here, if you weren’t aware.)
All these use cases are new in the last few years (or days) and the list will grow. But what is here and what is coming can align with and highlight what isn’t changing…
What’s Not Changing
There are some facts about how adults learn that haven’t changed – and won’t change – even with all the insights and examples I just shared. Here is short list we need to remember and hold as true even given everything you just read:
- Self-Concept (Self-Directedness). Adults prefer to take control of their learning journey; prefer to lead the process for themselves.
- Experience. Adults accumulate a wealth of experience, which becomes an increasing resource for learning. They connect new learning to this foundation, making previous experiences, including mistakes, a powerful source of new learning.
- Readiness to Learn. An adult’s readiness to learn is closely linked to their work and relationship needs. They are eager to learn things that help them cope with real-life situations or changing work roles.
- Problem-Centered Orientation. Adults are practical and prefer learning that is "problem-centered" rather than focused on a subject or topic. They want to learn to immediately solve real-world problems.
- Motivation to Learn. While adults may be influenced by external factors like their job, they are more strongly driven by internal motivators. Self-esteem, better quality of life, increased job satisfaction, and personal growth are powerful learning motivators.
What This Means Personally
The barriers to your learning as the engine for improvement in any area of your life has been lifted. There is no reason you can’t solve more problems, gain new insights, explore new areas to expand your perspective. And you can do it faster than in any time in human history.
If you want to learn and grow, this is your reality. Your excuses have been removed and your future has never been easier to move towards.
What This Means Organizationally
The ways we have “taught” and developed people organizationally must be changed. We need to move beyond (not necessarily eliminate) traditional methods of training but use, deploy and support it all differently. So, what do organizations need to do?
- Support team members. This means thinking of team members as learners who are self-directed, willing problem-solvers, and commit to helping them have and know how to use the best tools for their growth and development.
- Support learning. Encourage and equip your team members to use the tools – both internally and externally better. And consider supporting their growth financially beyond the traditional tuition reimbursement options too.
- Contextualize. When people see the workplace, their work, and their future in new ways, we help them direct their own learning in valuable ways for the organization. Stated another way, if people don’t see a problem or opportunity, there is no reason to want to learn about how to solve/capitalize on it.
- Curate. The problem with the “world wide web” is that not everything on that web is of the highest quality or value. One of the best things organizations can do to support learning today is to help the team curate resources and sources that best serve the needs of the team and organization.
I’m diving deeply into some of the tools and techniques of workplace learning relating to what you’ve just read, in a strategy session Thursday May 7th titled Moving From Training . . . to Learning: Tools and Techniques to Help People Learn at Work. Click the link to learn more and register to join me. After the 7th, think recording will be available).
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