Going Rogue: How Independent Study Trumps Workshops for Continued Learning in the Workplace

Several months ago I attended a corporate seminar in Chicago that promoted lifelong learning in the workplace.

Fifteen minutes into the event, I would not have been the least bit surprised if guys in white lab coats had begun showing up to harvest organs from the seemingly dead and utterly lifeless audience of better than six hundred.

Indeed, not even the daily turmoil of Jon and Kate Gosselin can inspire a flurry of eye-rolling the way a cookie-cutter lecture on the importance of "continuing education" can.

Conjuring images of laborious classes and mind-numbing workshops, the mere thought of voluntarily - or involuntarily - enrolling in a continuing education program for work is a borderline traumatic thought for some. Yet, as working professionals, we are frequently encouraged to participate in lifelong learning endeavors.
Of course, actually getting most of us to go through with it usually requires the "mandatory" tag from an employer.

Since the last half of the 20th century, a steady increase in the emphasis placed on continued learning in the workplace has spurred tremendous economic growth and productivity, all of which increase the competitive landscape of contemporary corporate America. And, in order to stay competitive ourselves, few of us can afford not to embrace some degree of lifelong learning.

A Genuine Pain in the Class

From Kindergarten to college, there is much we have learned in the classroom that we have subsequently forgotten in the real world. But there are even more things we have learned in the real world that will never be forgotten and certainly couldn't have been learned in the classroom. Needless to say there is no shortage of folks who attend every workshop and seminar within a 2000-mile radius and still never climb higher than entry level in their field. Why is that? One possibility is that the overwhelming majority of these workshops fail to stress the value of independent study in the process of lifelong learning.

Going Rogue

The best manager I ever worked for never advocated educational seminars beyond those that were directly related to changes in our operations or policies. Instead, he would occasionally place on my desk a new book on corporate leadership that would rouse my interest. He would forward to me a newspaper article that inspired my creativity. And he would never fail to broach new issues and ideas to broaden my horizons, even when such matters weren't directly related to work.

Without ever mandating a single workshop, this manager did more to foster a thirst for lifelong learning in me than anyone else I have ever known. In essence, he inspired me to learn more about my work and the world around me because it was ultimately in my best interest, not just my company's.

I learned to go rogue with my continuing education - that is, I took it upon myself to find fresh ways to embrace new ideas and find new learning opportunities. There are myriad ways to supercede the value of workshops and use "independent study" to continuously advance both professionally and personally through lifelong learning.

Independent Study Guide:

Although there is no scarcity of opportunities at our disposal to foster lifelong learning, there are some that never fail to kick-start the process.

• Nightstand companion

Sometimes we can finish reading a book in one weekend. Other times, it may take a few years. But what matters more than how long it takes to read a book is the fact that you're actually reading one. Indeed, there is no greater tool for lifelong learning than that which we place on our nightstand. By reading books on subjects that we may have never before considered, we become well-read individuals who can suddenly converse with an entirely new group of friends or associates already well-versed in the subject matter.

• Use it or lose it

According to Albert Einstein, "Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking." The reason so many of us forget the things we've learned in classrooms and in print is because we fail to proactively apply our knowledge in daily tasks. Accordingly, one who doesn't actively apply their knowledge to an endeavor, a goal, or even just a conversation will ultimately fail to retain or truly benefit from the time spent learning something new in the first place.

• Clean out your idea cupboard

Our minds tend to get so crowded with ideas and beliefs that it can be difficult for fresh concepts to soak in or even be noticed. From time to time, it is both imperative and practical to read books, entertain thoughts, and engage in conversation with people who possess views different from or conflicting with your own. By taking inventory of your idea cupboard and replacing stale views with fresh ones, you avoid running the risk of being limited by your outdated belief system. Newsman Jim Lehrer once observed that some of the dumbest people he had ever known held prestigious degrees from the finest universities in the world. They were "dumb" because they never entertained a new idea that challenged their own beliefs after departing the classroom decades earlier.

• Learn a new skill

An octogenarian with whom I once shared an office decided to switch from her comfortable PC to a Mac in order to become more helpful and versatile behind the receptionist desk. Her effort was not only admirable, it was enormously helpful to the office of Mac-illiterate workers who occasionally need the assistance of a Mac. It is true that we are never too old or too young to learn a new skill. And there is never an excuse to argue the opposite with others or, more importantly, to ourselves.

• Give it all back

It's incredible just how much we stand to learn ourselves when we venture to help others learn. In every aspect of lifelong learning, there are opportunities to share with others what we've learned from our own efforts. Look for those opportunities and pounce on them every chance you get. Hopefully, others will do the same for you.

A Journey That Begins With Priority

These days our lives tend to be cluttered with sticky notes on a seemingly perpetual basis. Day after day, there is no shortage of tasks to complete or projects to begin. And while it may appear impossible to find the time to learn something new, all it takes to foster continued learning in the workplace is a willingness to look for new opportunities to learn. Believe it or not, all it takes to make lifelong learning a reality is to first make it a priority. From there, all the pieces will simply fall into place.

With a diverse professional background ranging from entertainment to economics, Michael Essany has a distinguished track record of managing exciting projects and inspiring people. Michael comes to OfficeArrow as a bestselling author and former broadcast personality from E! Entertainment Television. With better than a decade of management and mass communications experience to his name, Michael has never been more passionate about the power of innovative leadership techniques and finding new ways to educate and inspire through the written word.