MUR
Learning Agility
An overlooked leadership competency?
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” ~ Alvin Toffler
What Alvin Toffler was defining way back in 1970 was “Learning Agility.” Put simply, it’s the ability to be in new situations where one doesn’t know what to do, and yet figure out a way through it. In other words, it is knowing what to do in situations of uncertainty. The learning agile amongst us know how to connect information from past and present experiences in a way that helps them make sense of the world, even when it’s changing. And, perhaps most importantly, they’re comfortable with being uncomfortable. To further define learning agility, Dr. W. Warner Burke of the Teachers College at Columbia University, broke it down into 9 dimensions:
In a fascinating workshop that touches on all these dimensions, FocusU brings the concept and importance of Learning Agility alive through a mixture of theory, introspection, experiential activities and experience sharing.
Learning agility is not a new concept, but it took years of research to prove that it really does exist and can be quantified on an individual level. That research led to the development of the Burke LAI, which offered the first reliable, theoretically grounded way to measure learning agility. And, now that learning agility can be measured, individuals and organizations need to know how to develop it.
FocusU Facilitators, help individuals or teams understand the comprehensive report generated from the inventory, offering individuals insights into their level of Learning Agility across all nine facets and as a whole. The structured feedback within the report can then support individuals in building on strengths, addressing critical weaknesses, and practicing skills & strategies for improving their own Learning Agility.
A few key parameters:
Is this workshop right for my team? Learning agility is critical for everyone. If employees can’t learn from experience and acknowledge past mistakes to avoid repeating them, they will become a liability. Warner Burke’s team’s research findings support the view that Learning Agility is a collection of practices that allow team members to continually develop, grow and utilize new strategies. This will equip them for the increasingly complex problems they face in their organisations. Recent research shows that the Burke Learning Agility Inventory™ (Burke LAI) Total Score is a strong predictor of results orientation (driving aggressive goals to strategic targets) for mid-level and senior leaders. It also found that the Burke LAI Total Score correlates with business growth. Both these together indicate that Learning Agility is invaluable in the prediction of business outcome and leadership success. If you are looking for a path breaking new measure that can make a tangible difference to your team, FocusU invites you to explore our workshop on Learning Agility! Contact Us today – we will be glad to meet up and discuss the possibilities for your team!
