Continuous learning has never been more vital to the success of your organization. But in today’s fast-paced work environment, it’s tough to find the time — and develop the discipline — to engage in continuous learning.
“Leaders are the worst for investing in themselves because we feel it’s our duty to make sure those under us receive that learning and education,” says Billie Wright, PHR. “We’re always looking for opportunities for them, but seldom take that approach with our own learning, growth and development.”
But building learning into your daily process helps you become more strategic to support your workforce better. HR professionals can embrace the habits of a self-regulated learner and pave the way for others in their organization to do the same. Here’s how.
If learning isn’t communicated as an organizational priority, you and your employees might hesitate to learn while at work. But continuous learning is imperative, so make time. Talk to your direct supervisor about aligning your learning path with organizational outcomes and your performance goals.
“When do you fit that time in if you don't see the support from your manager to log those hours or have that time set aside?” asks Denise Caleb, PHR, Ed.D, executive vice president of client strategy, partnerships, and chief sales and marketing Officer at Talent Plus Inc. “It should be interwoven into the mission, vision and values of the organization and be part of the workforce dynamics.”
A sense of psychological safety is crucial to becoming a self-regulated learner. “Learning is a vulnerable process because it forces us outside of our comfort zone," says Sarah Katherine Tucker, vice president of learning and development at Peoplelogic.ai and owner at Adastra Talent Partners. “We need to feel safe to go into that uncharted territory.” Shift your mindset from seeing gaps in your knowledge as weaknesses to a mindset of identifying growth opportunities.
Simply cultivating the values of a self-regulated learner isn’t enough — we need to embed them into our daily habits and processes. Curiosity, for instance, keeps us wanting to learn. Practice curiosity by reading and asking yourself thoughtful questions about what you’ve read. You can engage others and leverage accountability by sharing these questions on LinkedIn or Twitter. Practice agility in learning, too. As new situations arise at work, get in the habit of being responsive and flexible, and pay attention to how you adapt.
Plan to learn something new every day. “When you learn something every day, it sets a mindset that you can contribute in a different way,” Wright says. Try to apply what you’ve learned in your workplace. How can new knowledge contribute to innovation in your department, for instance?
Leadership, especially self-leadership, is another essential trait. Learn how to develop a consistent, repeatable learning process to lead yourself to success. “PHR or coaching certifications were longer-term goals, but I still had to formulate micro-goals to reach them and to continuously motivate myself,” Tucker says. “What are your mile markers along the way? What are your opportunities to celebrate?” Celebrate your small wins to maintain your momentum and stay inspired and curious.
Once you’ve set concrete goals, you can measure your progress to maintain personal accountability. Set large annual goals, and filter those down to quarterly and monthly goals. If they’re tied to your performance goals, ask your manager to help keep you accountable. Chart your goals in learning software so you can track your progress over time.
Involve others in your plan: Reach out to a mentor who can help you create a learning pathway and hold you accountable for reaching your milestones. “Whether it's during one-on-ones or on a quarterly basis, develop some type of systematic way of tracking the goals and making sure that you are building in those habits,” Caleb says. “You have to have that constant connection to what you're striving to achieve.”