Learning is the way to aquire the skills needed to handle the challenges of life. But apathy, anxiety, and the desire for comfort can prevent us from learning.
The learning zone is where we develop skills, improve, and grow. The learning zone is a great place to be, but other danger zones threaten our ability to get there. There are things that we can do in each of the danger zones to help us get to the learning zone.
Amy Edmondson describes the Learning Zone as the ideal state of team performance, combining high psychological safety with high accountability. In this environment, people feel safe taking intelligent risks and admitting mistakes while remaining intensely motivated to achieve demanding goals. In her work (see her book and TED talk below), she emphasizes the importance of psychological safety and performance standards. Move into the learning zone with a growth mindset and actions that help to move us out of the DANGER zones. Team members can encourage each other and provide support in learning and development. Explore Learning TED talks and the Work Engagement pathway and get to the learning zone with TEAMS.
• Trust in abilities
• Expect effort
• Accept challenges
• Mistakes = learning
• Support squad
Beware the DANGER zones that prevent learning:
The comfort zone is a place of safety and security, however no learning happens there. The comfort zone is often a default position, because to change means expending effort and facing obstacles like fear with courage. But the satisfaction of achieving goals is important to our well-being and growth. Follow pathways to Aspire and overcome obstacles. Take a small STEP out of the comfort zone into the learning zone:
• Set correct goals (slightly challenging, but not overwhelming)
• Take action with agency and small steps
• Engage strengths
• Practice helpful microhabits
The anxiety zone is the place where there are demands beyond our skill level. To HEAD out of the anxiety zone into the learning zone, develop skills, increase awareness and emotional intelligence, and learn to handle anxiety and stress with coping skills. Find Emotional Intelligence TED talks, and follow the Clarity pathway. Use your HEAD to fly out of this zone into learning.
• Handle stress
• Emotional regulation
• Add awareness
• Develop skills
The apathy zone is the place where we are uninterested and uninvolved. We stop trying and check out. We can get there from either the comfort zone (understimulation) or the anxiety zone (overstimulation). Inspire the motivation FELT when exploring with curiosity and purpose. Follow the Create and Purpose pathways to move out of the apathy zone into learning:
• Find purpose and flow
• Expand creativity
• Lead with positive self-talk
• Try an experiment
Four Stages of Competence
The Four Stages of Competence describes the stages we go through when learning a new skill: I. Unconscious competence (ignorance), II. conscious incompetence (awareness), III. conscious competence (learning) and IV. unconscious competence (mastery). This model came from management coach Martin M. Broadwell in the 1960s. The Journey is about discovering that change is needed, preparing and gaining awareness, and proceeding through learning, to mastery.
Books and TED talks:
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- The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson, TED talk How to turn a group of strangers into a team
- Sona Sherrat TED talk What your body knows before you do
- The Performance Paradox by Eduardo Briceño, TED talk How to get better at things you care about
- Trevor Ragan TED talks Learning like a jungle tiger and How to “overcome” fear
- The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman, TED talk The first 20 hours
- Tiffani Sadek TED talk Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
Find more at Learning TED talks at Pinterest and at TED talk book discussion.
I seek to create order from the chaos of complex information. Join me at the Daily PlanIt to gain insights, inspiration, and information to increase skills for a better life. I unlock the power of teaching reading with phonics in the pursuit of literacy at www.phonicspow.com. In my spare time I explore books and movies, often choosing titles available on both screen and page.
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