What is the greatest culture that you can build into your business?
Is it one that CARES… ? That would be nice… but NO!
Is it one that INNOVATES…? That would be timely… but NO!
Is it one that TRUSTS…? Ouch… that is a hard one to say NO to… but NO!
If I had to choose one characteristic to drive into the culture of any company that I am involved in…
It would be a culture that LEARNS!!!
A “culture”, a way of existing, being, living, working that is COMMITTED to LEARNING every step of the way!
I truly believe there is NO culture more POWERFUL!
I often ask the question in interviews, “What is the last good book you read?” Few people have a great answer. I am surprised by how many people haven’t even thought about reading a book.
So, I ask a different question, “What is the best thing you’ve learned in the last month?” Again, so often, empty stares.
How do YOU learn?
What are you CURIOUS about right now?
What complex problem are you trying to SOLVE as a high priority?
What interests you?
What questions are you asking?
How does your company encourage learning? For all fo the great things about EMG (my company right now) we simply, DON’T DO ENOUGH!!!
We have just implemented a platform for training that is web based. It's good stuff!
We are populating it with relevant training.
We train every new employee. (As if that was actually an option - though I am amazed how many companies don't).
We have created a leadership team focussed on learning from each other and more about the company and its direction.
Sure, we are doing things...
But are we doing enough? We could be doing so much more....
One of the many wonders of this day and age is the AMOUNT of RAW data that is out there... EVERYWHERE?
Have you checked out YouTube or TEDx?
I just got back from a trip around Europe - and its no wonder that Europe led the world for so many centuries. They had so much great INTELLIGENCE, and they systemitized it, and they built upon it... but it was SO INACCESSIBLE to the VAST MAJORITY of people. To have the OPPORTUNITY to learn was such a tremendous LUXURY. Only available to the richest of the rich.
Today - we all have it... right at our fingertips. It is amazing the PACE of growth and learning that we could be achieving as individuals... as families... as COMPANIES... IF we were committed to fully leveraging this amazing opportunity that is sitting right in front of us.
There are not just amazing sources and reams of data, but its so very available in so many forms.
A person committed to learning can get so very, very capable in whatever area they are curious about…
If you are committed to learning – you ultimately realize that TRUST is powerful. You start to learn how to trust.
If you are committed to learning – you ultimately appreciate that it’s a NEVER ENDING process.
If you are committed to learning – EVERYTHING is possible, EVERY problem is SOLVABLE…
The BEST thing about a culture of learning – is that it is a culture committed to IMPROVEMENT… not COMMITTED TO THE PAST.
One of the hardest things about moving an organization forward is the crazy number of people anchored to the way things are…
A culture committed to learning is committed TO CHANGE!!! So many people are just so very scared of change, and how it might negatively impact them. “Will I know how to survive in a different world?” “Will what I know today be valuable?” “Will what I do today be necessary?”
Change scares people… but the world is constantly changing…
The future scares people… but the world is constantly moving…
A company… a culture truly committed to learning, accepts that it is IMPERFECT, that it can be IMPROVED… and doesn’t take its imperfections personally.
It wouldn’t be worried about things being wrong… it would look for what was wrong to make it better, not to lay blame…
A culture committed to learning is in motion, is asking questions, is accepting its imperfection, its striving for more… and ultimately it would understand the limitations of its own pace, of its own priorities, of its own ambition…
I need to stop dreaming about a culture committed to learning – and CREATE IT!
We have NO greater POWER than our ability to EDUCATE ourselves.
We have NO greater POWER than our ability to THINK… and APPLY our THINKING deliberately and intelligently into our WORLD!
In a culture not committed to learning – change is driven by guessing, arguments are clouded by defensiveness, people are anchored to the past, we only leverage our history not our potential…
As business leaders, we are talking constantly about strategy, differentiation... marketing... etc. Yet, how often are we accessing the vast amounts of data that are out there to help make us smarter? In the past two years I have probably read 20 books on strategy from the greatest minds on the topic - and I am just scratching the surface - but my understanding of good strategy from bad strategy is completely evolved from where it was... and I know that our company's strategy is completely different and far more powerful as a result of it.
There has NEVER been a time with greater access to INFORMATION.
I need to weave aspects and elements of LEARNING into who we are…
It would be irresponsible for me to do anything, but…
There is not a doubt in my mind... A culture of LEARNING is the most powerful advantage we can create in business...
It's not just about LEARNING... NOTE - it's about APPLIED LEARNING... It's about PUTTING our LESSONS LEARNED into our EVERY DAY... INTO OUR EVERY MOMENT...
So what am I waiting for?
The MOMENT is NOW!
What is the greatest learning culture, or learning behavior in a company that you know of?
Share it with me (nmbenavides@emgcorp.com). I will share mine as I go!
Yours in harmony!
Nestor