One becomes two
“When one teaches, two learn” – Robert Heinlein
It has been said that to really understand a topic you must try to teach it. Much of our experience, knowledge, and learning is amassed informally over time. By that, I mean much of what we learn is outside of a classroom or a formal learning process. In order to solidify our knowledge we need to take it from being implicit to explicit. Teaching helps this process.
There is no-one who has your exact experience so they can’t really understand all of your perspectives and insights without exploring the topic together. When becoming a mentor or teaching others, you need to remember that it is always a two-way process. Both people get value by listening to each other and sharing insights.
In today’s fast-moving, customer-centric, digital world, learning fast is a competitive advantage to be able to adapt and respond to change. A learning culture is one that can be cultivated and encouraged. Remember, if no one has your exact experience, it means you don’t have theirs either. Be open, be kind, and listen to each other – we can all learn.
Consider
Find a colleague that you can teach or learn from and explore a topic together.
Additional Insights
Developing leadership skills at all levels is a must
Learning and development (L&D) and the power of change
L&D + product = meaningful change
