Continuous Learning – Learn, Unlearn and Relearn

The world is changing quite rapidly and we need to constantly learn new tricks if we want to keep up with the market we work in. Learning the new-new thing is often seen as the key to success. This attitude has it all backwards; it’s not learning that is the challenge, it’s our ability to unlearn that’s holding many of us back.

It is nothing but the entire process of learning, unlearning and relearning. From birth we begin to learn, and as we grow and experience newer situations and environments, our perceptions change about a lot of things as read, observe, practice and experiment in life. However we do it, we unlearn the old and relearn the new, always hoping that it is healthy constructive learning.

Biggest Hurdles for unlearning:

Ego, Age, Fearful & Insecure Mind,

Ego: You can learn from any person, of any age. All you need to be able to do is recognize their skill and competence in relation to the gaps in your own ability.

Age: Effective unlearning and relearning is a secret to stay young in mind.

Fearful & Insecure Mind: You are practicing in a way since last so many years so mind is attuned and you gained expertise. Fearful mind tells you don’t change else you lose your expertise.

Tips for Continuous Learning

The earth was at one time believed to be flat. Only because we could unlearn that did we learn it is an oblate spheroid (though some still call it ‘round’).

A key ingredient for continuous learning is a flexible mind-set. Allow yourself to be challenged with the unknown and be willing to accept change. Create an ambience of intelligence by associating with people that are of like intellect so that you can discuss, challenge and learn amongst yourselves. It creates a creative and innovative milieu.

Here are some handy tips for an organization to develop an atmosphere for learning, unlearning and relearning between management and employees.

Management tips:

• When assessing new recruits, focus on their potential of growth rather than knowledge. If they have the capacity to learn quickly, it will compensate manifold to the lack of present skills.
• Listening to employees is the vital to managing their process of learning.
• Allow employees to learn as they work, trust in them to deliver, even through mistakes. It will give them confidence to correct their own mistakes, unlearning and relearning along the way.
• New recruits are the most accepting to change as they are not confirmed by existing norms in the company.
• Make changes when business is running smoothly. It gives employees time to accept and adjust to the change.
• Problems in the business are not bad news. They are an indication for change – to unlearn some aspects, so that new aspects can be learnt.

Employee tips:

• New recruits need to spend time observing and documenting to make the learning process quicker. Employees that are given time to learn come up the curve to perform much quicker.
• Accept new challenges. It is the quickest way to learn something new.
• Share your ideas with management. It keeps your mind active and accepting to all kinds of changes and opportunities to learn something new.
• Read a lot. This is an important aspect of self-development that seems to have almost been lost. Reading opens your mind to new ideas, thought and perceptions.

Passion for Continuous Learning

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said, “Live like you are to die tomorrow, learn like you will live forever.”

This is how open and accepting your mind should be to learning, unlearning and relearning, because the world will continue to change disregarding your rigidity. Whatever you learn in school or college is only a precursor. Your real education begins with your career, which demands that you continuously learn, irrespective of how often you need to unlearn and relearn. This is because the true success of a company is in unlearning and relearning in accordance to the demand of the customer and the requirement of the business.

Finally, the process of continuous learning in all its stages of learning, unlearning and relearning, comes from the passion and desire of being knowledgeable in the present world.

Arjya Kumar Mishra - HR - Genus Power and Infrastructure