Why Do You Need Continuous Learning at Work

Continuous learning has been a popular buzz phrase for a long time, decades in fact. Theres a reason for that. Its a good idea to keep learning at work, no matter who you are or what you do. Why? Whats in it for you? If you dont stand to gain everything, you’re not in the right place. Trying to teach someone to do a job they don’t enjoy doesnt work. It makes for an unhappy employee and a poorly-done job. Take control of your happiness. It’s yours, after all. Figure out which job is right for you, and learn how to do it. The more you learn at work, the more valuable you are to your employer and the more likely you are to be promoted. Be Curious What do you wonder about? Do you wish you knew how a certain process works or what might happen if you changed the process? Be curious. Look around and wonder — about anything, about everything, and then go find out. Curiosity is one of the foundation blocks of learning, no matter how old you are. So is critical thinking, and thats what were asking you to do here. Critical thinkers ask questions, they seek answers, analyze what they find with an open mind, and look for solutions. When you do those things, you will learn, and you become far more valuable to your employer. If you dont become more valuable, thats important information. You are probably in the wrong job! Constant Learning If your supervisor doesn’t recognize the great potential just waiting to leap out of you, draw a picture for him or her. Create your own development plan and discuss it with your supervisor. Your development plan should include: Your specific goals (make them SMART goals so theyre well thought out)The knowledge and skills you need to develop to reach those goalsRequired activities associated with your goalsResources needed to complete your goalsObstacles to overcomeBenefits to the companyExpected completion date Request assistance in whatever form is available at your job. This may include time during work to learn, tuition reimbursement, a mentor. Mentor Others We sometimes forget how much we know. It’s called unconscious knowing. We know it so well that we do it automatically. If you look around, there are probably people coming up behind you for whom it’s not so automatic. Give them a hand. Teach them what you know. Be a mentor. It might just be one of the most fulfilling things you ever do. Think Positively One of the most important things you can do, if you do nothing else, is to have a positive frame of mind. When you think about what you can do instead of what you cant do, when you stand up for what you believe in instead of railing against what you dont like, you are far more powerful. Positive thinking works.