Level up!

Consulting in the OD (organisation development) space automatically implies talking about learning and personal growth opportunities, development areas, sometimes studying. In general: bettering yourself. Looking at ways to increase and improve your contribution, and of course weighing up your contribution and what it is worth.

If someone indicates that he/she is keen to formally study something, whether it is a diploma, certificate or degree of some sort, I am always keen to understand why? What is the motivation behind this? Is it an ego thing, or self-confidence issue – meaning this person needs to have the qualification to feel heard, or validated or to be able to intimidate? Or what is the real need behind it?

On the other hand, if the person is not keen to study, or do a course or training, or any sort of self-development, I find it even more challenging! What is the motive here? Does this person honestly think he/she knows enough, sufficiently, everything there is to know? If so, there is an even bigger ‘ego thing’ at play, or self-confidence issue brewing.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not implying that we all need to continuously attend courses, seminars or workshop, left right and centre. I just think, be open to a learning opportunity – whatever the format.

Obviously there are also levels, or depths of learning, to consider as this influence the contribution. At the end of the day it is the application of the learning that is critical. What sometimes scares me is when I see very senior people in organisations firstly not being open to learning, and secondly not being able to use the learning. The person would pass the recollection or recognition phase, and even the comprehension and understanding phase of learning, but that is it. No application. No further thought.  No contribution. And that is just sad, and if I may – a waste. Even more so if there is so much potential or talent to contribute.

The irony is that the contribution/creative/innovative phase is available or open for all, but it takes something else than perceived intelligence. So it is not just about the course, or MBA, or PhD. I like what Albert Einstein said: “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

Motto Model: http://goo.gl/cNnpy and Motto Individual Assessment: http://goo.gl/UhC7V

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