14

Lifelong Learning

14.1 Introduction

When you graduate and leave the boundaries of your college, carrying pleasant memories of the beautiful campus and the carefree days, there may also be a sigh of relief that the days of learning, exams, tests and assignments are behind you. Well, think again. We now live in an age where for career success you need to be on a path of ‘lifelong learning’. It does not matter how old you are or how many years you have spent on your job or how important you are; if you stop learning, do not expect your seniority to automatically carry you through the rest of your career. You will realize that just as your formal college education ended, the next phase of your learning has now begun. If anything, your entire career can feel like it is one long semester—full of learning and featuring much tougher tests and assignments than when you were in college.

We do not have to preach to you the virtues of lifelong learning. Learning keeps you fresh, vigorous and sharp. It enables you to keep your skills current and useful and upgrade them as often as it is necessary. You can add to your skills list by learning newer skills and cross-training yourself in other related fields. You can, thereby, stay intellectually vibrant and avoid becoming obsolete. If you are perceived as someone who has stopped learning, you will see your role and value in your organization greatly diminished and you will be assigned only to routine and menial jobs. Your own personal energy level will come down and along with it will come mental laziness, fear of challenges and incompetence.

In this chapter, we will go through the various aspects of lifelong learning from a work-related perspective. Section 14.2, focuses on some of the avenues of learning you are likely to come across in your career. Section 14.3 gives you a process that can act as a road map for lifelong learning. Section 14.4 gives some tips on how to effectively engage in lifelong learning. Section 14.5 alerts you to some of the challenges in lifelong learning. Section 14.6 demystifies certain myths that are floating around about lifelong learning. We conclude with a summary in Section 14.7.

14.2 Avenues of Lifelong Learning in a Job

Your learning in a job can come in different forms:

Orientation, training programs and internal workshops: When you join an organization, you generally go through an orientation program that familiarizes you with the company’s business as well as its operating procedures. This program can help you acclimatize yourself with the organization and get absorbed into its culture. From time to time, you are also asked to attend internal workshops/training sessions/short courses on various technical and non-technical matters.

On-the-job training: What this means is that after all the orientation programs and other training classes, you are put in the pond. You may be asked to solve past real-life problems or be made to solve a current open problem under the supervision of a more experienced person.

Skill-enhancement programs: Before an organization launches a new initiative or adopts a new technology, it may ask its employees to go through a skill-enhancement program With frequent technology changes, this kind of learning is becoming more common. Cross-training in other related areas belongs to this category.

Learning for self-actualization: You may have other desires, such as becoming a good guitar player or doing a course on social work to contribute to society. You may find that investing in such endeavours will give you fulfilment and satisfaction that could propel you to greater heights in your actual work. Taking up fundamental research in your own areas of specialization (such as thin film transistors) for your own erudition belongs to this category as well.

Continuing formal education: Some organizations support and even encourage its employees to take up formal classroom training like an executive MBA program. Going through such programs will not only upgrade your skills but also give you the satisfaction of being back in a classroom environment.

Incidental or tacit learning: This kind of learning is what happens in the background. You continually learn from each and every activity, sometimes implicitly or informally. Assimilating all this learning and putting it to effective use is very much part of your lifelong learning.

E-learning opportunities: There are a number of online resources available for continuous learning. These range from videos to short programs to full courses offered by universities. Many of these courses are available free of cost. Additionally, they are usually ‘on demand’, and so you can do them at your own pace.

14.3 Stages in Lifelong Learning

You will discover that your workplace is the biggest source of learning that you will ever come across and provides you with the motivation to learn. Even if you work in just one area or domain throughout your career, you will see that there is enough to learn for an entire lifetime.

You go through four stages of learning as you advance through your career. These are shown in Figure 14.1.

Stage 1: Learn to learn

Sameer Mohanty has just been recruited by a large IT consulting company. Right after the orientation program, he is put in training. This week he is getting trained in using and implementing computerized accounting systems. Although one of Sameer’s college courses had a chapter on these systems, he cannot recall any of it—in fact, he even skipped that chapter while preparing for his exams because there were enough choices of questions from other chapters that he could answer. But now he has a different attitude to learning about computerized accounting systems. He knows that there is a probability that, after training, he may be asked to work on Tally, a popular computerized accounting package. Therefore, he wants to immerse himself in Tally and put in the efforts to learn it well. He also knows that he will be learning it from real-life experts who discuss real-life examples and, therefore, this can be an excellent chance to learn the subject well. Additionally, he expects the training to be very effective because he has heard that the instructors emphasize the hands-on approach and learning from practical exercises.

During the training, Sameer notices that the learning tools, classroom atmosphere, interaction with the instructors and, in fact, everything else about learning in an organizational setting is different from what he was used to in college. At the end of the training, he is not only able to conceptualize the working of Tally but is also able to use it in new situations. As much as he picked up the basics of computerized accounting, he has also ‘learnt’ to adapt to a new system of learning in an organizational setting. He has learnt to learn.

And what is this new ‘system’ of learning and why should you learn to learn it? Here is the answer:

• In an organizational setting, the learning atmosphere, tools, teaching methods, infrastructure, etc. can all be very different from what you had in your schools and colleges.
• The subject matter may be totally new and may even be completely unfamiliar. Often, you do not have any choice but to learn it—and learn it very quickly.
• Most of the instructors are not professional teachers. They are often senior employees, and they may not have the teaching abilities or experience of the faculty member of a college.
• Classes in an organizational setting are small and intimate. Proactive and continuous classroom participation and frequent interaction with the instructors is expected. And a variety of practical examples are used to drive home the points.
• You may have to unlearn some of the material you had learnt in college.
• You may also have to unlearn some of your learning styles and methods. Learning is more analytical and problem-solving oriented in organizations. Everything you are taught is important, unlike in college where you could afford to not study some of the portions.
• You may have to be flexible and appreciate that there may not be anything like ‘THE’ right answer or ‘THE’ right way of solving a particular problem.

Stage 2: Learn to apply

The training program is over and Sameer is now assigned to a project—using Tally—tasked to computerize the invoicing in the company. He realizes that he has much more Tally to learn than what was taught in the training program and embarks on learning and sharpening his Tally skills. He also learns specific tricks and techniques in Tally by extrapolating his knowledge of accounting and Microsoft Excel (which he knows quite well). He does not know anything at all about invoicing, and so he attends a 2-day workshop on it, talks to the invoicing people in Finance and looks through old project reports. As the project progresses, Sameer becomes more adept at both Tally and invoicing. He no longer needs tight supervision from his project leads and understands exactly what needs to be done. By the time the project ends, Sameer is considered skilful in computerized accounting and Tally.

During the project, Sameer learnt to apply. By this we mean the following:

• In organizations, mere textbook and theoretical knowledge is not enough. You have to learn to apply what you have learnt, so as to solve real-life problems.
• In real life, there are no ‘syllabi’ or ‘portions’ or chapters into which problems conveniently fall. Knowledge has to be moulded and adapted for the situation on hand. You have to learn how to do it.
• You should know how to approximate some real-life situations so that you can use some of the concepts and theories you have learnt.
• You should have the ability to know which technique is applicable where.
• You may have to combine concepts from several different domains to tackle a given problem.
• You should be able to learn from other similar applications.
• You should learn how to break a large problem into smaller problems.
• You should be aware how your part is integrated with others’ modules.

Stage 3: Learn to teach

Fast forward a few years. Sameer is now a project leader, responsible for the development of accounting software for a medium-sized company. Even though Sameer does not do any hands-on work, he helps and supervises several junior staff in the project. He teaches them several tricks and shortcuts regarding computerized accounting packages. He also deals with many domains, such as invoicing, order processing and tax returns and mentors his team members. He is considered a guru. But he still tries to learn how to be more effective as a teacher and how best to pass on knowledge to his junior colleagues.

Teaching is a fine art. And learning to teach can be a very rewarding experience for the following reasons:

• You get to appreciate a lot of concepts only when you teach them.
• A high level of expertise comes with teaching experience.
• You are able to quickly spot others’ mistakes and poor understanding and suggest help, shortcuts and tricks.
• Your own understanding and abilities get well rounded and sharper.
• Teaching improves your self-confidence.
• Teaching enhances your faith and commitment to the subject matter.
• It does not have to be formal classroom teaching. It can even be supervisory.
• You have an obligation to teach others and improve the level of knowledge in the organization.

Stage 4: Teach to learn

We are looking at Sameer some 15 years after he joined his organization. He has now become an indispensable member of the organization, running the entire European operations and overseeing a lot of projects. He has come a long way from being Sameer, the Tally novice.

Even now Sameer keeps learning. But his learning is less formal and less directed. And as contradictory as it may sound, he learns by teaching. He does it in two different ways. First, by teaching his peers about his domain and, in turn, learning from them about their domains and problems. Here, the exchange of information occurs at a higher level. The second way he learns is by teaching junior employees using his past experience and, in turn, let them teach him the latest techniques and concepts in their technology areas.

The ultimate learning that happens in an organization is through teaching. You trade knowledge. From your junior employees, you learn about the latest tricks, techniques and tools while teaching them important lessons from your experience. With people at the same seniority level as you, you have a lateral exchange of ideas about domains and thus learn about new domains. Because you are at a senior level, this learning takes place rapidly and at a very high level.

You also learn when the other person comes up with a totally different perspective on the subject. New ideas that stretch a concept to newer applications add to the learning experience.

14.4 How to Learn Effectively

Let us look at some ways to learn effectively, no matter which of the four stages above you are in.

Perform active listening: A lot of learning happens verbally, and hence, it is important to sharpen your listening skills if you want to learn effectively (see Chapter 13, Listening). You have to listen actively, which means that you have to pay undivided attention to what your instructor and the others say, asking questions and coming up with your comments when appropriate. In group discussions and class participation, learn to understand and appreciate the variety of views and approaches that are suggested.

Gain value by actually applying the concepts that you learn in real life: In organizations, unlike in colleges, you not only learn concepts but you also learn how to apply them to situations. This not only gives you the instant gratification of knowing that you have learnt something but also helps you understand the concept itself better. This corresponds to the ‘Learn to Apply’ stage discussed above.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes: When you apply what you have just learnt, you can make mistakes. But you can also learn from these mistakes. What you should be careful about is that your mistakes are not costly or upset your organization’s plans. Maybe you should go through practice runs with dummy parts before the actual application, do a simulation or discuss your proposed plans with experts. You can also study what mistakes others typically make and learn how to avoid them.

Internalize and make a habit of learning and applying: As you keep applying what you learn, you internalize your learning and it then becomes a habit. Once something becomes a habit, it comes naturally to you, whether it is using computer-aided design (CAD) software skilfully or negotiating effectively.

14.5 Some Challenges to Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning in an organizational setting has its own challenges, and these challenges are in addition to the usual challenges present in any learning environment. They include:

Finding the time to learn: The biggest challenge to learning in an organization is that you never seem to have a block of free time that you can set aside for learning. This is because your plate is usually full and you are always busy with your project commitments, job assignments and deadlines. Even if you scheduled your seminar or training months in advance, something critical can come up at the time you had planned your skills enhancement and there can be pressure on you to postpone or cancel your training.

Despite all these impediments, make the time for learning and follow through your plans. Give them the high priority they deserve. Learning is what Stephen Covey calls ‘Important but not Urgent’ (refer to Chapter 7, Time Management). Just imagine, even machines have downtime, when they get oiled and maintenance work is done on them. Ask yourself whether you would go to a doctor who has not upgraded his or her skills in several years?

Figuring out what to learn: What exactly to learn can also be a challenging question. Ideally, what you want to learn should benefit your organization and your career.

Getting over personal ego or complacency: A big obstacle to learning at work is your own ego and a been-there-done-that attitude. Your role is not to dispense gyaan (wisdom) and opinions. Many people feel uncomfortable to admit that they do not know something or learn from others around them, especially from people junior to them. Getting over your ego and complacency is half the battle won in learning anything at work.

Organizational or management roadblocks: A number of organizations have well-defined career development plans for their employees and insist on participation in lifelong learning activities. However, there are a few organizations that load their employees with work all through the year, and these employees can never find the time to upgrade their skills and learn new skills.

Some organizations view workers’ training as a ‘cost’ and a luxury and might not extend it all their employees. And then there are organizations that, when desperately in need of some expertise, force their employees to go through a highly accelerated ‘training’ and expect them to be experts overnight. Your organization should catalyse your lifelong learning process and not make it difficult for you.

14.6 Some Misconceptions about Lifelong Learning

Let us look at some misconceptions people have about lifelong learning.

Learning is optional and you do it only when you can find time: This is not true on both the counts. In today’s world, if you do not learn new things and new ways of doing old things, you will become obsolete with unmarketable skills very fast. Hence, lifelong learning is not optional. And modern workplaces are such beehives of activity that there is no such thing as ‘free time’ unless you can make some time yourself.

Learning means attending classes and getting certificates: Not true, again. While some subjects are better taught in a classroom environment, you learn a lot of things at work. Such learning will be informal, hands-on and on-the-job training taught by your senior colleagues. Many of them may not even be professional teachers, but what you learn from them can be far more effective than any classroom instruction.

Unmonitored self-learning is not useful: Think again. A lot of learning that goes on in organizations is unmonitored and informal. Plenty of self-directed learning also goes on, right from the old-fashioned ‘looking and learning’ from senior colleagues to modern e-learning.

Learning can be acquired only from professional teachers or seniors: Do not be so sure! You can tap any resource for learning. Sometimes, a junior colleague may know more about a particular topic than some of your more senior colleagues. Technology is changing so fast that you cannot wait for things to become textbook material with formal teachers to guide you through. Therefore, get ready to learn from anyone who knows. Just keep your eyes, ears and mind open!

14.7 In Summary

Lifelong learning has become a necessity these days if you do not want to fall by the wayside in your career. Gone are the days when you stuck to your job for 20, 30 years by the sheer weight of your seniority. Today, if you do not upgrade your skills and keep contributing to your organization at a very high level, you run the risk of muddling along from one meaningless assignment to another and, perhaps, even losing your job.

But you do not have to be scared into doing lifelong learning. You just have to look at all the positives that come your way—right from staying informed and being relevant all your life to being able to adapt to change and keeping your neurons firing. The hunger and desire to learn things should stay with you throughout your entire life.

Let us summarize the main points of what we have discussed in this chapter.

• Lifelong learning shapes your career. It helps you to expand your skill set and improve your skill level throughout your career.
• You should always have the desire and aptitude to learn. It should be a part of your well-rounded attitude.
• Lifelong learning does not occur automatically. You have to be hungry for career growth, chalk out a career path and learn the right things to achieve success.
• In the early part of your career, you keep learning to catch up with your senior colleagues. Later you keep learning to keep up with your younger colleagues. But you never stop learning, unless you want to drop out.
• As you may have heard, learning keeps your mind young and sharp.
• Do not make lame excuses for not taking the trouble to learn.
• In an organizational setting, there are many sources to learn from—both formal (like training programs) and informal (like discussing with a colleague).
• The process of learning that occurs in organizations is different from how you learnt things in schools and colleges. It is described as a four-stage learning process—learn to learn, learn to apply, learn to teach and teach to learn. You have to have an open mind about learning new things and discussing perspectives that are completely different from yours.