In the last chapter, Bennis is talking about knowing what is inside of us. This chapter focuses on learning through what is (mostly) outside of us. "Clearly, to become a true leader, one must know the world as well as one knows one's self."
He lists specific experiences that facilitate this knowing:
- Broad and continuing education
- Idiosyncratic families (not to be confused with dysfunctional, right? Although, you can learn a lot..)
- Extensive travel and/or exile (exile! Who is that committed to learning leadership?!)
- A rich private life
- Key associations with mentors and groups
He talks about two principal modes of conventional learning:
- maintenance learning - "the acquisition of fixed outlooks, methods and rules for dealing with known and recurring situations...It is the type of learning designed to maintain an existing system or established way of life." I think this is a really important definition because it is the axis around which 'management' turns... maintaining repetitive systems. If only all of life was predictable and controllable!
- shock learning - occurs when events overwhelm people. "Learning by shock often follows a period of overconfidence in solutions created solely with expert knowledge or technical competence perpetuated beyond the conditions for which they were appropriate."
Ultimately, Bennis suggests, these two types of learning are reactive. They involve being told what to know instead of discovering on your own what you believe. He calls this higher-level learning innovative learning.
He says there are three main aspects of innovative learning:
- Anticipation - being active and imaginative rather than passive and habitual
- (Second hand) - learning by listening to others (i.e. observation, listening, getting feedback)
- Participation - shaping events, rather than being shaped by them (we'll discuss this idea when we get to the EQ Skill #6 - Conscientiousness (Citizenship)
"Innovative learning is the primary means of exercising our autonomy, a means of understanding and working within the prevailing context in a positive way. It is a dialogue that begins with curiosity and is fueled by knowledge, leading to understanding. It is inclusive, unlimited, and unending, knowing and dynamic. It allows us to change the way things are." (p. 73)
I would love to hear your reactions to these three types of learning and perhaps your own experiences with one or more of them. Which of these should be a part of a learning initiative? How will each help Ebco become and stay competitive in the commercial contracting market?
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