PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSIGHT
Learning and development
Royston Guest, chief executive officer of Pti-Worldwide, provides reasons for investing in learning and development
C hanging dynamics in competitors, the digital revolution, new role definitions, new regulatory frameworks supported by new legislation (the list could go on) have redefined the ‘ability to learn’ as an essential skill. Here are my five reasons to invest as ultimately the day you stop learning is the day you stop earning. ● Learn something new today – A great scene in the movie The Blind Side reinforces the importance of this point. In the scene, Sandra Bullock is dropping her birth son and adopted son at the school gates, and her parting words to them are: “Have fun and learn something new today”. Now, while the ‘have fun’ part is important, it’s the ‘learn something new today’ part that strikes me as central to success. Sometimes, particularly as adults, we slip into the trap of complacency, operating in a state of unconsciousness where it feels like we’re just going through the motions. It’s the day you slip into a place I call ‘the groove or the grave’ – no- man’s land. It’s the day you accept your place in the world of mediocrity where just enough is good enough. It’s the day when you lose your edge and stop being your best self. In an increasingly competitive world, there is no such thing as standing still. All around you, people are actively moving forwards and standing still really means you’re falling behind. ● The human need for growth – One of the six core human needs is the need for growth – for emotional, intellectual or spiritual development. If you are not learning and bettering yourself every day then you are not growing. Maintaining relevance in the fast- moving arena of life is about being fresh,
living life with deliberate conscious intent as the architect of your own destiny. It’s about learning and developing self; perhaps most importantly, it’s about applied learning and having the attitude of action and realising the benefits from your new-found skillset or mindset. ● Learn from those who have already navigated a pathway to success – When it comes to doing anything new, you have two choices: put in the hard yards, learning through trial and error as you reinvent the wheel; or learn from those who have already navigated a pathway to success. ...though perfection isn’t truly attainable, you may just catch excellence on the way I learned early in my career that observing, learning and emulating the habits, processes, and attitudes of successful people was a reliable way to fast track my own success and help me become the best I can be. On reflection, this was one of my most important life lessons and it has stayed with me ever since. You can either develop yourself the hard way or the easy way; which pathway are you currently on? The hard way is the pathway where you are learning through your mistakes, trial and error and constantly re-inventing the wheel. This road can be long, winding, and a painful experience. Sometimes we become so locked in our own world, so inwardly focused on thinking we can do it all ourselves and we know best, that we
simply miss the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences. There is an easier way, which is followed by top achievers who have an insatiable need and thirst for discovery, tapping into the success formula of those who have already been there and done it. They know that learning from these lessons might accelerate their own journey, and in the process, avoid some of the common pitfalls which can easily derail and sabotage their success. ● Set your standards for personal excellence – Investing in learning and development is about being committed to achieving greatness in your field of endeavour, whatever that may be. It’s about investing your time every day to raise your personal standards and chase perfection, even though perfection isn’t truly attainable, you may just catch excellence on the way. ● Hold yourself accountable – There is a misconception that we can ‘will ourselves to success’. Honestly, in all my experience I’ve never come across this one actually working. This is your performance, your standards of excellence, so unsurprisingly it’s down to you to make this happen. It shouldn’t be someone else’s job to ensure you are doing the things that you know you should be doing and you certainly shouldn’t leave it down to chance or luck. But taking sole accountability doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Get an ‘accountability buddy’. There is an expression which says ‘If you want to fly with the eagles don’t hang round with the turkeys’. Who you spend time with is who you become. If you want to be a high-achiever surround yourself with like- minded people with common values who will stretch and challenge you to grow. n
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | September 2018 | Issue 43 20
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