Build a Culture of Continuous Learning You Can Be Proud Of

I like to learn new stuff, all the time. I believe this is a need that also allows me to progress and be better every day. That spirit of learning continuously is one of the keys for performance, and as such in all my career I have pushed for a culture of Continuous Learning. Nowadays, technologies, markets, practices move and evolve fast. To keep up with that pace, you need to have an adaptability that comes with a curiosity for novelty, a capacity to learn and the will to contradict yourself and innovate.

In the following PowerPoint presentation, I cover 3 important aspects of Continuous Learning:

1. A bit of theory around why it matters and the different models of learning.
2. An approach to continuous learning for managers: How can a manager stimulate a culture of learning? What values does it imply?
3. Because concrete ideas and suggestions are always useful, I list a series of initiatives you can try yourself to trigger learning in your organization.

There are many practices you can put in place internally (mini-training cycles, e-learning, code dojos, etc.). It is also equally important to take advantage of external training available through Meetup groups and conferences; those are great places to learn and network with peers.

If you’re starting from scratch, in an organization that does not explicitly lean towards learning (or give time for it), start small: weekly mini-training, 30 minutes windows of curiosity, fun team-building activities, and similar programs are a great way to get the ball rolling. You’ll also need to invest some personal time and effort to kick it off. It will take time, but the return is huge in the long run. What matters is to progressively change the mindset, so the passion for continuous learning becomes part of the culture.

I hope this presentation proves useful to you and your team! What do you currently do with your team to stimulate learning? I am always interested by discovering new practices, so let me know in the comments below!

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