The Secret of Learning

“I am just constantly curious and confused”, says actor Tom Hanks….”I am always pondering about this concept about how a particular force of thought gets started? “Be it history,  art,  theology and architecture...I am constantly inquisitive about how we got here and why do we behave the way we do”.

Insight
To be curious requires an open mind and to admit to being confused, a lot of courage. The two together give the mind the strength to range across a variety of bodies of knowledge to know, to learn and to grow.

Building A 21st Century Career

According to academic and career theorist Prof. Michael Arthur, there are three types of career based investments that people can make:
1. Knowing why: Deals with how and why people derive meaning out of their work and learning.
2. Knowing how: Covers skills and expertise that will be in demand for a particular industry.
3. Knowing whom: Involves building and managing one's social network of peers.

INSIGHT
Managing a 21st century career requires being entrepreneurial - continuously seeking out opportunities to develop, renew and enhance your skills and abilities.
A coach helps to accelerate the process of discovery and growth.

Power of The Story

“Retelling a story about the habits, mannerisms daily goals of successful people puts you one step closer to learning (& teaching others) how to recreate their results. Find people who have the skills you want. Study their stories, & tell their stories. We tend to teach what we need to learn, & I can't think of a better way to do it” - Annette Simmons in Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins

INSIGHT
Learning from the stories of others is the simplest way to learn. My personal collection of over 700 stories is my treasure of learning into which I dip to revive and refresh myself.

Finger or Figure?

THOUGHTS STUDY #3
Bing architect Craig Miller and his team run thousands of experiments a day. And whether it's a bug or a bad idea, there isn't going to be any finger pointing. “Zero blame,” emphasises Miller. “It has to be a learning culture, a culture that says ’we're going to learn from this‘.”

THINK
If an important project doesn't go the way it was meant to:
- How does your organisation treat it?
- How do you feel and act about it?
Who or what needs to change?

The Well-Formed Mind

#LivingStories
In his TEDx talk, Sashi Tharoor speaks of the response of a village woman he spoke to. Asked the benefits of becoming literate, she explained she was now able to read bus destination signs, which she previously had to ask others. She could also read the street signs and therefore felt more independent. Tharoor also speaks of how, having a well- formed mind is more import than having a well-filled mind.

#MyLearning
How can I use the benefits of being literate to develop my intellect?  To not merely know facts, but to regard them with mindful curiosity & make meaning of them?

The Elixir of Knowledge

In the 6th century, Borzuy, the personal physician of the Persian emperor came to India looking for the Mritsanjeevani, the mystical herb that could revive a corpse. He did not find the herb but found the Panchatantra instead. After reading it, he  realized that the magical herb was knowledge and the corpse was ignorance.

#MyLearning
May I have the  wisdom to use the elixir of knowledge, not only for my own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.
May it not instil in me the pride of knowing what I know, but the humility to understand that there is yet more to know and learn.

Learning in New Ways

Faced with the problem of excessive product failures, Rajiv Bajaj turned to unlikely places to glean management lessons. Places such as yoga, homeopathy & even philosophers, like Seneca & Confucius. Yoga taught him that "a posture without a sound position is a monkey on the mat. (Similarly) a brand without a sound position is a commodity in the market."

#MyLearning
When stuck with a problem, think out-of-the-box - look for solutions outside of your industry or field of work. The metaphors & analogies from the learning and practice, drive home the lessons of key imperatives in powerful ways.