To Learn, Un-learn and Re-learn

Connecting Learning and Creativity

The Need for Learning Agility

Lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important. There is a heightened awareness that robotics and automation will remove some of the roles we have in today’s society, albeit whilst creating new ones, many of which we are yet to imagine. To adapt, we will be required to learn, un-learn and relearn, more than ever before. We are increasingly see the Learning agenda become a central tenet of forward thinking HR strategy, and the way how people are processing information is evolving. Learning is critical to future-proofing our careers yet how often do not actively strengthen our own learning agility — our own capacity to learn? I think; not often enough.

Tickling the Synapses

To get the synapses going I decided to forcibly push myself out of my comfort zone — learn something new, something different. Consequently, I have signed up for… “An Introductory Course to the Acoustic Guitar”!

This is mildly amusing as I possess a general inability to to clap in time to any form of music. I would like to think as I go about my daily musings between zones 1 and 2, my gentle jig through London’s Underground, is quietly the object of admiration for London’s commuting community. I realise however, between the mad dash and the struggle for space, I think my wannabe Beyonce-esque wiggle, and misplaced sense of rhythm is the least of anyone’s concerns. Nevertheless I love music. Although what I think can be described as an eclectic taste in music (from Bieber to Whitney, Oasis to Counting Crows), I cannot read music and could be considered by some, as tone deaf.

Challenges aside, I have chosen the guitar as my instrument of study. Dedicated learning to a) sharpen my own learning agility, and b) improve my creative potential.

Enhancing Creativity & Bottom Line Impact

There are various studies which link creativity to business value. An example of this is McKinsey’s 2017 “Creativity’s Bottom Line; how winning companies turn creativity into business value and growth”. With innovation becoming increasingly important, out-of-the-box thinking is often sought after, yet not actively encouraged. It can be argued that if you allow people to flex their creative potential, they’ll see beyond perceived limitations. Nevertheless science and maths are heavily focused on in our education systems, whilst music and the arts take a back seat. As a society, we almost expect the focus on maths and science to produce highly intelligent, creative problem solvers, yet it is music and the arts that enable us to think in abstract terms. Could it be music, poetry, painting and sculpture provides us with a process where something is created from nothing, perhaps leading to truly creative mindsets?

Creativity helps you to establish patterns out of data. In my mind, the power of science cannot be fully realised without art. Creativity and art are the heart of problem solving.

After all, without art and creativity — the earth would still be flat.

The Power of Experiential Learning

On the job learning is powerful, yet are we forgetting the magic of studying something completely new? When was the last time we carved out dedicated time to ameliorate oneself, and furthermore, to do so unashamedly in front of complete strangers? Has the concept of learning through experience narrowed our focus, creating a very deep, but streamlined perspective in a particular area, industry or profession, causing us to inadvertently limit our peripheral vision? Do we need to be more comfortable with the uncomfortable feeling of being a novice?

One of the most intense and powerful periods of learning are during our childhood years, where we instinctively use our innate curiosity and the concept of play, to form strong building blocks for future development. Could the practice of study, coupled with playful exploration provide us a way to create the stretch required to further develop our learning aptitude?

Whilst sharpening my learning agility and creativity is the aim, I’m still left wondering whether I will have the dexterity in my figures to strum a decent tune. As I acquaint myself with the wooden hollow box and six strings, I’ll soon enough find out — let the active learning begin.