Learning Business Communities

Learning is unquestionably invaluable. Whether it is a formal education setting or the experiences of life, learning ensures we evolve and enables us to achieve more because of the wider view learning provides to us.

Learning affects how we solve problems or issues. Do you go with the first solution that comes to mind or do you take some time and a few more steps to find the solution?

It is only natural to go with what you know first, that is, your experience with a problem of a similar nature. However, not every situation will be exactly the same and that is where your experience may limit you in finding the best solution.

Then there is the old chestnut, research. This still refers to books and manuals to find an answer to your problem. Yet the majority probably now go to Google to find answers to their problem. That’s okay if the information is legitimate.

Lastly, we can look to the experience of others. The value in seeking the experience of others is their knowledge and experience in their environment.

The combination and utilisation of all three aspects is known as the Learning Triangle. However, the benefits depend upon how much effort is put into each aspect. For example, reading a couple of articles will provide some benefit whereas conducting substantial research will provide very high benefit.

By the same token, working with the experience of people well known to us, will provide some benefit. Yet we will receive higher benefit if we utilise the experience of people we don’t know and from different environments and very high benefit if we learn from other organisations.

Unfortunately, not everyone is open to this or finds the prospect of approaching someone they don’t know daunting. Yet if we keep looking for knowledge and experience from one source how do we learn anything different? The concept of the Learning Triangle is to provide opportunities to widen your area of experience and knowledge.

Are you restricting yourself and your business to one source of knowledge and experience?