“We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.” – Peter Drucker
Given the global competition, the need for every organisation in this new year and decade is to innovate, adapt and update. This is true for each one of us, whether a CEO or the junior head of marketing, we just cannot afford to lose momentum going forward.
Continuous and lifelong learning is important for you as well as your amazing team members.
If you ever find yourself ignoring education and learning because you set up your own dream company or rather because you are working at one, the odds are that you will rarely initiate or accomplish something new in your organisation after a point – unless you are constantly learning, growing and accepting new opportunities.
Continuous and lifelong learning certainly means something different to each of us and depends on an individual’s needs, motivations and interests.
So, how important do you consider continual learning for your business and personal growth?
DID YOU KNOW: In 2018, almost one fifth of Australians between 15 and 64 years are studying. Research studies also show that Australians show a trend of enrolling in formal education at various stages in their lives to stand out in their career or when they seek a career change.
How continuous and lifelong learning can help you personally and professionally
Continuous learning is when you make a commitment to acquire new skills in the short term. For instance, enrolling in a specialised training or course that could complement your current job role.
Lifelong learning, on the other hand, is when you commit to continuous learning and make it a priority in the long term, to help you achieve personal as well as professional growth. For instance, reading the news every day to improve your knowledge not just for your career but for self-development.
I encourage you to take it easy, start with one small step at a time and incorporate different ways of learning in your personal and professional life.
These are a few of the most common ways to start the learning process:
– Take a course at a university in your city.
– If you prefer learning online and at your own pace, e-learning is a few clicks away.
– Attend interesting and useful workshops, conferences and seminars in your city.
– If formal education is not your cup of tea, dive right into YouTube videos or podcasts for informal ways to grow your knowledge.
– Initiate and contribute to discussions and debates on social media.
– Get together with your colleagues, friends and professional connections to learn and grow together.
– If you feel like none of the above works for you on an individual level, explore and find out how best you would like to keep learning.
No matter how much we hear or read about how learning is the best investment of your time, we would all always like to know why exactly that is the case.
1. Be more employable: According to a research study of baby boomers, it was found that on average, an individual changes their job 12 times. Some seek better pay, for others it could be a desire to have a better work-life balance. But today, with amazing employment opportunities readily available, staying more relevant, updated and valuable could turn things around for those looking for a career change.
2. Be self-sustaining: Learning does not have to be simply about getting that MBA degree. It could also be about “practicality”. Learn a thing or two that could help you in your day-to-day life that you would usually hire an expert for. Maybe watch YouTube videos and join the DIY bandwagon.
3. Find and pursue your passion: Some of us have been lucky to have bagged that amazing dream job and others might not even know what their dream job is. Take all the time you get outside of work to learn, explore and narrow down to what your perfect career is or try your hand at that language or musical instrument you have always wanted to, but put off for later. Do what you love, right now!
The future of work: Lifelong learning
According to a recent McKinsey Global Institute report, more than 375 million workers may need to completely change their skill sets by the year 2030.
Why? At the rate the trends of education, employment and technology are advancing, you just might be working in a job that you never would have imagined or dreamed of, a decade from now. To be better off and better prepared for the near future, lifelong learning is key.
AlphaBeta’s Future skills report in 2019 predicted that “Australians will be required to invest greater time in formal learning in the future, especially those individuals considered to be ‘mid-career’.”
For all the entrepreneurs out there growing your own business, when you urge and engage every employee in your organisation to learn and grow, you are working together to ensure that your organisation thrives as a whole.
Conclusion
Open up, step outside of that proverbial comfort zone and start small. Whether you spend five minutes on Duolingo learning a language or three hours a week on Coursera, just keep at it!
Whether you believe it or not, I am certain that there is an impending TED-talk worthy story in all of us. All it takes is for you to walk in the footsteps of successful thought leaders like Warren Buffet.
By not choosing to upskill or reskill, you are snatching away the opportunity of growth from yourself – or even worse, from your team members in your business.
Other ways we can help you
If you need some work-life balance, we can help. Here are 5 ways we can help you accelerate your Lead Generation results:
1. Grab our free 4-Week LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Course
It’s the road map to positioning your profile in the top 5% of the 700 million LinkedIn users currently active – Click Here
2. Join our FREE LinkedIn Group and connect with entrepreneurs who are scaling too
It’s our Facebook community where smart entrepreneurs learn to get more leads and smart ways to scale using LinkedIn — Click Here
3. Register for our FREE LinkedIn update webinar
Every 12-Weeks you can join us for a free update on all the latest news, ninja tips and outline of new features released by LinkedIn – Click Here
4. Join our LinkedIn Inner Circle Solo Program on our Free Trial
Click Here for more details
5. Work with our team privately
If you’d like to work directly with us to create new marketing opportunities send us a quick message Click here… tell us a little about your business and we’ll organise a time for a deeper chat
