Are you embracing the era of Perpetual Learning Agility?
If not, you and your team are at risk of becoming irrelevant.
Perpetual learning agility (PLA) is the ability to continuously learn, adapt, and apply new knowledge to new situations. It’s a critical skill for success and growth in today’s rapidly changing environment, and it can help individuals and organisations thrive in a world of constant change.
PLA helps us to anticipate change, respond to change, and to shape it accordingly to meet our needs. It helps us to be more proactive, resilient, and impactful and it helps us to develop a growth mindset and a culture of continuous improvement.
PLA is the ability to learn from a whole range of experiences and apply those lessons to new situations. It’s being able to adapt to new circumstances and opportunities, it’s about being open to new experiences that may be outside our comfort zones and most importantly it’s the ability to develop effective behaviours to keep pace and manage our changing world.
My youngest daughter has just finished year 12 this year and although she secretly wishes that study has come to an end forever, she is acutely aware that although formal study breaks are needed, she will be learning at some level for the rest of her life if she wants to succeed in life. And that’s not always a welcome thought for many.
How are you and your team faring with PLA
Learning agility is not always about change either.
It’s also about Mental Agility, People and Relationship Agility, Results Agility and Communication Agility and a deep sense of Self-Awareness.
Like many skills, we were not born with the knowhow or the mindset of perpetual learning agility. Some people have much more of a natural thirst for learning while others struggle to be in a cycle of constant change and the requirement for constant upskilling.
However, you can develop and help others develop PLA? Here are thirteen tips to get you started.
- Develop creative and critical thinking skills
- Cultivate a growth mindset
- Practice self-reflection
- Be open to new concepts
- Develop a habit of learning, unlearning, and relearning
- Encourage and reward self-directed/independent learning
- Consistently practice applying what you learn
- Make learning a regular part of your daily routine
- Diversify learning methods
- Develop and master questioning skills
- Learn how to communicate/share your learnings with clarity and confidence
- Be intentional to avoid information overwhelm
- Connect with a learning community either internal or external
Imagine if you and your entire team developed PLA? How far ahead of the game could you be?
And if you are looking to measure any of the above Dr. W. Warner Burke of Columbia University suggests using the nine dimensions below to measure learning agility.
- Flexibility: Being open to new ideas and solutions
- Speed: Acting quickly
- Experimenting: Trying new behaviours
- Performance risk-taking: Taking on new challenges
- Interpersonal risk-taking: Discussing differences in opinions
- Collaborating: Working together
- Information gathering: Gathering information
- Feedback seeking: Actively seeking feedback
- Reflecting: Taking time to reflect on experiences
So, invest in training, always make training and development opportunities a reward for you and your team and re-invent your
new learning organisation in 2025.
Reach out if you need some help.
