This real life story, shared by a former client, demonstrates how continuous learning leaders benefit the companies they work for. (Names and industries have been changed to protect client confidentiality.)
Continuous Learning: Steve’s Story
When Steve returned to his former company after a 3 year stint with a late stage start up, he saw his old company with fresh eyes. Steve noted the complacency of many former colleagues. They had arrived at their desired destinations, senior executive roles, and were no longer reaching, stretching, or learning.
Joe, who used to work for Steve, was an exception. Dan, on the other hand, was one of the more complacent executives. They both led large sales organizations with goals of increased sales in Asia. While focused on different customer companies, they encountered similar challenges. Joe and Dan were using techniques, that had worked in the past ,to get information from, and about, potential customers. But in this case they bumped up against a closed culture and couldn’t break through. They weren’t able to assess the potential business opportunity or get information about key decision makers.
Dan assumed it wasn’t worth the effort and gave up.
Joe assumed he didn’t know if it was worth the effort and adopted a continuous learner approach to find out. He was determined to learn how to learn about the customer company.
He researched. He read. He scrubbed his professional network for any and all information about the company. He picked up bits of information that led to other bits of information. Over time, this trail of bits formed a cohesive story. He understood the company’s history, culture, product successes and failures. He knew which vendors they worked with and why.
It got better. The trail led to someone in Joe’s extended network who worked for the company. One dinner and a few phone calls later, Joe scored an introduction to a key decision maker. When they spoke, Mr. Customer was impressed by Joe’s knowledge of the company’s technology and the learning process he created for himself. Mr. Customer imagined Joe would bring this same enthusiasm as they worked together to design new parts for future products.They met again and again. Eventually, Joe uncovered $300,000,000 worth of potential business for his company. Joe’s organization is well on it’s way to earning this jackpot.
What Makes Someone a Continuous Learner?
Joe’s curiosity and engagement in the discovery process remind me of Frank, the guy my husband hired to remove an underground oil tank from our property. Frank had to dig deep into the ground then walk inside the tank to make sure there were no leaks. He couldn’t have been more excited about doing this very dirty work. My husband, surprised by Frank’s enthusiasm, asked “What do you find so exciting about walking around inside an oil tank?” Joe replied, “I never know what treasure I might find there. Once I found an old doll and had the best time imagining the life of the child who once played with it.”Continuous learners share Frank’s excitement about the process of discovering what they don’t yet know. They delight in the joy of finding out.
For more on the value of Continuous Learning, Curiosity, Inquiry and Discovery check out The Candy Diet in Seth’s Blog. Be warned, however, your reading and television watching habits may be forever changed.