It’s summertime! In North America we have longer and warmer days. Summer breaks are here and many enjoy time to refresh, recharge and enjoy life. It’s also a great time for learning something new! Do you have a summer reading list? A summer “to learn list”?
I read an article from Harvard Business Review recently. Did you know that U.S. companies spend about $160 billion teaching employees new skills and knowledge, yet just 1 in 4 senior managers report that training was critical to business outcomes? Why is this? Info in and info out occurs frequently.
Learning is more than reading or listening. It is in the practice – the doing – the action that we see results. Think of going to the gym consistently and noticing new muscle! We are creatures of habit and our habits are “hardwired”.
If we are creatures of habit and we wish to learn something new, is it because you would like to do something differently? If so, consider these ways to begin.
- Identify what you would like to do differently
- Take the skill you wish to do differently (i.e. delegation) and consider the small behaviors
- Give yourself a cue and pair it with a behavior (i.e. task of delegating is the cue; asking someone to do something for you is the behavior)
- Practice, practice, practice
To become a skill, whatever the new behavior is must become “automatic”. The brain builds a mental model and through practice and repetition, a habit. Choose carefully!
The tricky thing about habit is that we choose our mental models! So … we can create habits that serve us or don’t. Consider the impact you wish to create – what is it that “fuels” you to continue?
Summer is a great time for learning a new skill. Consider it an investment. Investment in yourself, your business, your family? We have remarkable abilities and capabilities. Summer is a wonderful time to explore something new and begin crafting the mental model to practice, practice, practice into a new skill by autumn!
What is the mental model needed for you to take steps at work and home to outline what you do and how you do it? Planning the little things in our day to day lives at home and work is what we love to do at The Living Planner©.
Contact us to learn more about how we work with individuals, business owners and employees via Email or online @ The Living Planner #AreYouReady #CareForPeopleCareForBusiness