Can We Become Learning Leaders?

Things are changing very quickly in many industries. In the next several years, we will see major disruptions in every major industry.  Harnessing and exploiting change continues to be at the top of every CEO’s wish list into the far future. To take advantage of these opportunities, we must become learning leaders.

I believe we are at the beginning of a learning revolution. Learning leaders understand the importance of helping their teams learn more quickly. A better educated team increases your organization’s growth exponentially. Over the years I’ve found several qualities that all great learning leaders possess.

Learning leaders are able to help their teams become better at focusing on the right things in their organizations. Your role of learning leader requires you to become great at asking questions. When you consider how quickly information is changing and evolving, there is no way you can keep up with the changes. You must become great at learning from people all over the organization and beyond.

Learning leaders help the people they work with focus. They are good at helping others prioritize what’s important and what’s must know information. As a learning leader, you must help people focus on aligning business strategy with their daily activities. This also means creating a culture where asking the right questions at the right time is just as valuable as having the right answer.

Learning leaders help their people understand that focus produces clarity on what the organization should invest their time in. Today, there is no lack of new opportunities in the marketplace. Your role is to help your people say yes or no more quickly to these new opportunities. Learning leaders can help facilitate these discussions.

Learning leaders understand that you can empower your teams by providing clarity around your organization’s mission, vision, and values. Empowering others means they are also learning leaders when it comes to working with their key constituents and stakeholders.

Learning leaders understand the more they empower others, the faster their people become more engaged leaders. Engaged team members means they understand they are responsible for making sure the people they work with are clear about what needs to be accomplished. Learning leaders understand they must equip their people with the right tools and training if they want to be successful.

Learning leaders understand the more people understand what you’re trying to accomplish, the more certain they are about what they should be doing. Most organizations that fail do so because they lack the clarity and certainty about what they are trying to do.

To be effective learning leaders, your people must know with certainty what the organization’s values are. This allows them to accomplish amazing things more quickly. As learning leaders themselves, they are able to make better decisions and share information throughout the organization.

Learning leaders understand understanding can provide your team certainty. People work much better in organizations that are clear about their mission and values. They work better when they helped create the certainty they feel within their organizations.

Learning leaders understand that the more certain people feel about they are doing, the more they become trusting leaders. This is because certainty provides trust.  I believe many people miss the role of certainty in building trust both inside and outside the organization.

As learning leaders we can provide focus and clarity to our organizations. We can help create an organization that has increased flexibility and agility. Tomorrow’s market leaders will be led by learning leaders.

What lessons have I learned from my learning leader clients? Be here next week when I start a series of blogs on the leadership lessons I’ve learned from some of my better known clients and business partners. I hope to not only inspire you, but share with you how they implemented their best strategies. See you next week.