Professional Development and the Cycle of Learning

Continuous learning has always been a core professional requirement, and with the increased pace of change, learning continues to be a necessary requirement. Organizations need to encourage efficient learning that includes lasting behavior change by considering the requirements needed for people to learn new methods of completing tasks.Our most facile and greatest facility is the ability to learn and adapt, yet learning is predicated on exposure. A person learns primarily by observing peers and role models perform. If your professional staff is under-exposed to alternative ways of communication, production, conflict resolution, delegation, and management then how can you expect your organization to grow and compete in the global marketplace?Once leadership clarifies its vision and aligns its resource requirements to mid-range targets, a systemic training program can be designed. The best training programs mix peer groups, team activities, role models, and individual coaching. For analyzing and developing a professional training program, consider incorporating the following components into your system.Individual Learning PlanStrive to create learning environments for each professional. The best ones include matching tasks important to them, developing clear expectations, including oral, visual, and tactile styles of learning, and providing multiple opportunities to observe peers and role models.


ExposurePeople require exposure to new techniques and ideas. Exposure in professional settings take the form of workshops and professional discussion groups, availability of new tools, accessibility to new locations, and observational opportunity of role models and peer groups.PracticeOnce people are exposed to new techniques or ideas, they need a chance to practice unfamiliar techniques and behaviors. Professionals can practice with new and various assignments developing new products, and being part of different teams. For this stage of learning to become institutionalized, delegation needs to be part of the culture. The senior professionals must feel protected as they delegate responsibilities and tasks.MaintenanceWith learning new and unfamiliar methods, mistakes and failures are expected. Individual coaching helps professionals increase their insight into the process of learning. This stage of learning focuses on reducing seemingly insurmountable problems into smaller solvable issues, allows the person to build on small successes as he masters more complex techniques, and corrects difficult emotions as they arise, reframing problematic thinking and destructive behaviors.