What’s more important than learning theory?
What I learned from business coaches about learning
I was wrong about something.
In a recent blog post, I wrote about adult learning theory as if it was the most important thing course developers needed to know. I was reacting to seeing a lot of business coaches post about how to develop and market online courses and thought, “but where’s the theory?”
How are learners learning? Where is the educational foundation?
Yet, these coaches were receiving raving reviews. They were more successful, more than I was at that moment, in changing the behaviour of those who thought they couldn’t market a successful online course.
These learners were made to believe they could and so they did, with the help of these coaches.
These coaches were helpful in changing the narrative for these people and allowing them to see that anyone was capable of marketing an online course, if they believed in themselves and followed some faithful tips.
It slowly dawned on me that, while learning theory is important, so too is challenging the limiting beliefs of our learning community.
It’s probably the most important step.
We are working with humans after all and we are all imperfect. We all have stories that limit us from seeing the full picture, that stop us from even trying or thinking that we are capable of changing or being successful. These are called limiting beliefs.
Limiting beliefs are thoughts and beliefs we have about ourselves, other people and the world that we believe are true. They become our protective cloaks to keep us safe. If we already know that things can’t change, why would we even try? They keep us in our comfort zone.
Many of our limiting beliefs develop in childhood and over time, we can easily mistake them for our personality.
It’s important that learning interventions unpick this so that we are able to change behaviour and develop new mindsets.
This is why therapists employ strategies that help clients identify their beliefs and re-write their internal narratives.
You’ve probably heard of growth and fixed mindsets. Limiting beliefs reflect a Fixed mindset whereas we need to encourage a Growth mindset. This means having the belief that setbacks are learning opportunities and through effort we can improve our abilities and/or intelligence.
So what can be done about this?
Here are some helpful strategies that can help learners challenge their limiting beliefs and develop a growth mindset.
1. Share failure
Find out what they struggle with or, better yet, get them to share it publicly.
This helps remove the facade that we come to the learning experience as perfect humans with the perfect ability to learn. Everyone has something that they struggle with and bringing this into the open removes the pressure to only be right or share the perfect answers. Learning is ultimately a cycle of failing and trying again.
2. Celebrate failure
When we are pushing past what we are comfortable with and learning to develop new skills, failure is inevitable. It’s how we see failure that changes everything. Instead of letting failure define us, we should use it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
Fortunately, there are many improv games where participants celebrate failure.There’s the failure bow, where each participant shares stories of failure to triumphant rounds of applause. There’s the Alphabet Improv game where participants act out a scene but are required to start sentences with the next letter of the alphabet. Google them — there’s so many to mention here.
3. Take pause
Provide an opportunity for learners to take pause and observe the beliefs they have about themselves.
Our minds can bring us a million thoughts but we don’t always have to entertain them. Meditation is a practice that can allow us to transcend our limiting beliefs by being mindful of them. In times of frustration, allow learners to sit quietly, observe and give space to the thoughts that come, and then let them go.
3. Direct focus on strengths
Instead of focusing on the negatives, direct learners to see the positives.
We all have signature strengths that make us who we are and drive us towards certain causes and professions. The more learners become aware of their strengths, they can use it to their advantage and understand, they don’t have to be perfect at everything. There are quizzes online that can help learners identify their strengths.
4. Use positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are positive statements that help us challenge negative thinking. The more we repeat them, the more we can believe them and reaffirm positive beliefs about ourselves. Have learners write their own positive affirmations or find one that works for them and remind them that setbacks do not define who they are.
As mentioned, the stories we tell ourselves have a big influence on our beliefs, thoughts, and actions. By challenging the narratives that learners have about their capabilities, the more they can develop a growth mindset and do the work that gets them to their full potential.
