Are you a Learnatic

This week I attended the ATD International Conference here in Denver with over 12,000 colleagues focused on leadership, learning, and developing talent. It was an incredible learning experience with keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking with colleagues. I think everyone should attend a big conference like this from time to time to get inspired. I’d love to hear what you think of conferences and which ones you like.
My favorite new word is learnatic… someone who is crazy about learning (not just crazy). “A learnatic knows what to do when they don’t know what to do” ( www.themindgym.com). So what does that mean? I bet a typical day for you has a lot of shifting, changing, and adjusting to new challenges and priorities, right? That means you have to figure out new ways to solve new problems all the time. It’s not the knowledge, or the “book learning”, or what you learned in college that helps you. It’s the ability to embrace learning. You have to trust that you can dive in, even when you don’t know what to do, and you’ll figure it out.
It is very clear that companies with learning cultures have more productive employees, more satisfied customers, and higher performance and market leadership overall. I believe for you, an attitude of learnacy brings more confidence, success, and joy in life. I think we all intend to be life long learners, but in our day to day challenges and struggles we forget. The speed at which our lives are passing by makes us want to pull in, keep safe, and minimize the risks we take. It’s in these moments that we need to notice what we’re doing and choose to be brave. We need to choose to be a learnatic instead. It may seem risky, but it’s worth it!
Here are four ways you can be a learnatic today…

GET CURIOUS
Just take a breath… Look around… Ask a question that starts like this… “I wonder what would happen if I…” or “What If…” or “What’s another way of looking at this?”
Keep asking curious questions all day long!

USE YOUR RESOURCES
In the middle of solving a problem or shifting, pause… take a breath… think of all the sources of information and help you have available. Now collaborate, research, and leverage like crazy.
Think like MacGyver!

STICK WITH IT
Stay with your challenge just a little bit longer. Think fail forward rather than fail and done.
Don’t give up!

PROMOTE NOT PROHIBIT
Enable, encourage, and say yes more today. Before you say no, stop and really think about it… is it necessary to say no?
Say YES!

Have a fantastic day being a learnatic! I have a lot more learning from the conference coming your way in the next few
weeks, so more to come.
Barb