TODAY: School is over, and learning becomes work and life-relevant.
PREFACE: This is our 4th and final Tuesday Coaching Essay for July, on ‘Ike loa, the Hawaiian value of learning expressed via the Managing with Aloha philosophy. Here is a quick index to what we have studied so far:
- Day One Essay: July 1st ~ ‘Ike loa, the Hawaiian Value of Learning
- Tuesday 1: July 8th ~ Learning as a process: Beginning, Middle, and End
- Tuesday 2: July 15th ~ The Learning Process of Managing with Aloha
- Tuesday 3: July 22nd ~ Learning from People
From Assignment to Relevance
You would think that after being in school for at least 12 years, and often longer, that we’d all have a good solid learning habit, but alas, that is just not the case. If you want to be a lifelong learner and claim ‘Ike loa as one of your personal values, chances are you need to cultivate a new habit with learning.
One reason is simply that we got distracted: Life truly was a whole new ballgame when we graduated from school and entered the world of work. Second, the learning is different. The goal is not simply to pass a test or write a thesis, but to succeed at mastering life. Suddenly we have a vested interest in succeeding at our learning personally, and not just going through the paces for someone else, be that someone a teacher or parent.
This is where management can be such a fulfilling profession: As a manager, you’re the next and most valuable teacher. The role of “boss” is one like no other.
Great managers are those who help people learn what is most useful to them on the job, learning which in turn will be the most useful to them the rest of their lives. Learning becomes another skill-set, and in the Managing with Aloha philosophy it is essential and basic. Within their MWA role [see The Role of the Manager Reconstructed] the manager is the one most suited to coach people within these four specific areas of learning:
1) Individual Growth: We learn to capitalize on our strengths within the workplace, and make our weaknesses irrelevant. We learn the differences between our talents (which are innate) and skill sets (which we learn and groom) and we get the practice we need (place and opportunity) to apply them well. We stretch our capacity as we fulfill our responsibilities to others.
We think of this as Living with Aloha.
2) Day to Day Accomplishment: We learn focus, self-discipline, and how to overcome any barriers and obstacles to better productivity. We learn contextual substance, so that we can be accomplished and not just busy. We learn how to be team players in a win-win way, so our individual accomplishments can increase exponentially.
We think of this as Working with Aloha.
3) Meaningful Mission: We learn economics, industry and enterprise, cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset that generates new ideas and fosters creativity. This is the self-sustaining mindset that will be our greatest asset as we age and need to adapt our role within community and society.
We think of this as Managing, and Self-managing with Aloha.
4) Visionary Thinking: We learn to road-map our own sequential and consequential learning over time so that we become the collaborative visionary and not solely the follower. We learn to serve and become unselfish, learning to self-evolve in the creativity and generosity of our thinking.
We think of this as Leading, and Self-leading with Aloha.
Yes, we left “reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic” behind a long time ago.
Why develop a learning habit?
Hopefully, our value study on ‘Ike loa has answered the “Why learn?” question for you.
Why make it habitual? The word habit has a bad rep; when the word is said we will normally think of bad habits like smoking or chewing our fingernails, but creating good habits is one of the best things we can do: Good habits put us on automatic pilot with good practices. This habit riddle, which I had first heard in a Stephen R. Covey workshop, explains this best:
“I am your constant companion. I will push you forward to success or I will drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. 80% of what you do, you might as well hand over to me and I will do it promptly and I will do it correctly. I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me. Show me what you’d like to have done, and after a couple of lessons, I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people. Alas, I am the servant of all failures as well. All who are great, I have made great. All who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine; but I do work with the precision of a machine and the intellect of a human. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I’ll lay the world at your feet. Be easy with me, and I will destroy you!”
“Who am I?”
“I am your habits.”
Our goal this week, with this final Tuesday Essay in July is to match up these two concepts: Create learning habits in the four areas of 1) Individual Growth, 2) Day to Day Accomplishment, 3) Meaningful Mission, and 4) Visionary Thinking. Do so and you create a dynamic organizational culture at the same time.
‘Ike loa: Good for business, good for us
So what do you think? Will ‘Ike loa be a lifelong value choice for you?
My goal this month has been to give you a broad yet suggestively structured way to consider all the possibilities you have with creating your own learning plan, a plan that will be
- Sequential and Consequential for you,
- Packed with the Tertiary Learning of your choice,
- Meaningful, Useful and Ho‘ohana-directed, and
- Sensibly incorporated into your business planning and daily practice.
A final reminder about Joyful Jubilant Learning, our sister site:
If you are new to the Ho‘ohana Community, every month there is a new theme on www.JoyfulJubilantLearning.com which is connected to ‘Ike loa, learning, and to Kākou [togetherness and inclusiveness as a value]. Together, these two values merge within the power and “Language of We” and collaborative learning. Therefore, you will want to check with JJL on the 1st day of the month to find out what the learning theme there will be as well: Why go it alone when you don’t have to? Engage with the rest of the Ho‘ohana Community for more ideas, for more support, and for infectious joy. That’s what collaborative learning does for you.
I hope you will join me again on August 1st for a new month, and new Day One value essay. Until then,
Ho‘ohana!
~ Rosa
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