Inspiring a Learning Organisation
Finding time for learning at the top
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Have you ever noticed that the higher you climb in your career, the harder it becomes to make time for your own learning and development?
Many leaders face the fear of falling behind in industry knowledge and skills, being perceived as out of touch, or not being able to keep up with the fast pace of change in the business environment.
I’ve had the privilege of supporting and observing many exceptional leaders during my career. They’ve experienced moments of great power and times of vulnerability amidst the demands of their roles. Their leadership skills have been pushed to the limit.
Despite them succeeding against such pressure, a consistent theme has emerged: the feeling of drowning and a struggle to prioritise personal growth in the face of relentless demands.
The urgency of daily operations often overshadowing what they believe deeply is an equally important need for self-improvement.
This frustration of balancing immediate job demands with personal growth is not unique to any one leader; it’s a common thread that runs through many high-achieving professionals.
The irony is that every one of these leaders genuinely aspires to lead ‘learning organisations’.
They actively advocate for, fund, and allocate time for their teams to focus on professional development. They recognise that, as Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, famously stated, a business’s “ability to learn and translate that learning into action, rapidly is the ultimate competitive advantage.” They understand that a culture of continuous learning is crucial for organisational success and adaptability.
And they know that to create a culture like this, they must be role models for lifelong learning, demonstrating their commitment through their actions.
Yet, outside of formally required corporate training and conferences, the time for those at the top to focus on their own personal learning and development is often slim. Critical decisions, meetings with stakeholders, strategy sessions, responding to urgent emails, attending in-company meetings and events; it’s all relentless.
It’s a paradox: those most responsible for creating learning environments often have the least time to engage in learning themselves.
Amidst relentless action, real time for learning often gets sidelined, leading to a stagnation in personal growth and development. The pressing needs of the moment overshadow the long-term benefits of intentional, strategically targeted learning.
This week, to help you recalibrate your approach to your development and make sure you’re heading in the direct you want, there are eight powerful questions to consider.
You might take 15 minutes to answer them, or perhaps an hour.
They also make good discussion starters for building trust, openness and support in your team.
Let’s get started.
Eight Questions to Fire up Your Learning:
The objective of these questions is to help you reflect on your learning and help you create the headspace to think about what you really need.
What have been the most significant lessons you have learned recently?
In which situations did I feel most confident in my leadership abilities, and when did I feel most vulnerable?
What are the key strengths I've demonstrated as a leader over recent months?
What are the main areas where my leadership could improve?
When did I make excuses instead of taking responsibility for my actions?
How can I better prepare myself for challenging leadership situations in the future?
What one habit would be most likely to ensure that I invest in my own growth?
What would it take you to feel thrilled with your progress in six months time?
Know another leader who wants to learn and grow? This post, like all Spark pieces, are publicly available so feel free to share it.
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