Learning Nerd’s Diary #89
Welcome back Learning Nerds!
This week we unpack learning & its many facets. From figuring out what to learn to reframing learning to looking at different analogies for learning - this week’s diary is designed to make you think about your personal learning journey!
👀 Sneak peak
Here is what I have in store for you this week -
💭 Learning About Learning: Learning with a Purpose: Tactical + Strategic
🥜 Learning Nugget: Learning = Innovation
💥 Coolest Thing I Learnt This Week:
The Rubber Band Model
The Learning Onion
Lessons from Juggling
🔦 Spotlight: Learning is incomplete without people!
Let's jump right in!
💭 Learning About Learning
Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist, wrote in ‘The Art of War’ -
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
In learning also, both strategy & tactics play a key role!
Do you remember the time you learned how to bake a cake for a friend's birthday party? Or perhaps that online course you took to master a new programming language?
Learning experiences come in all shapes and sizes, but they can broadly be classified into:
Tactical Learning 🎯
Strategic Learning 🔭
Let us unpack these!
🎯 Tactical Learning: Navigating the Recipe Book
Imagine you're in your kitchen, clutching a recipe book, ready to bake a delicious cake. Tactical learning is like following a recipe to the letter. You're on a mission to achieve a specific, short-term goal.
Tactical learning is about acquiring specific skills or knowledge for immediate use. It's like a soldier on a mission - focused, precise, and outcome-driven. When you engage in tactical learning, you're essentially learning to solve a specific problem or address an immediate need.
For instance, when you're learning to bake that cake, you're not trying to become a professional baker; you're simply aiming to produce a mouthwatering dessert for a special occasion. Once you've mastered the recipe, you've achieved your tactical learning goal.
🔭 Strategic Learning: Building a Culinary Empire
Now, let's talk about strategic learning. Picture yourself as a budding entrepreneur who dreams of owning a chain of successful bakeries. Strategic learning is like going to culinary school to become a pastry chef. You're not just learning how to bake cakes; you're developing a wide range of culinary skills that align with your long-term goal.
Strategic learning is like planting seeds. Each skill or piece of knowledge you acquire contributes to the growth of a grand vision. It's a holistic approach to learning, where you're not only thinking about the present but also how your efforts will shape your future.
In the case of our aspiring pastry chef, they're not just following one cake recipe; they're learning about different baking techniques, pastry arts, and business management. They're building a strong foundation for their long-term goal of owning a chain of bakeries.
Choosing Your Learning Path: Tactical or Strategic?
Now that you understand the difference between tactical and strategic learning, you might wonder, '“How do I choose between the two?” Well, the answer depends on your current needs and long-term aspirations.
Here is a quick guide to help you:
Pick Tactical Learning 🎯 When
You have an immediate problem to solve or a specific skill to acquire.
You have short-term goals like passing an exam, completing a work project, or learning a new software tool.
You’re looking to address issues efficiently and effectively
Pick Strategic Learning 🔭 When
You want to align your learning with long-term life goals and ambitions
Your focus is on career development, personal growth, and pursuing your passion
You’re looking to build for a future that enables you to adapt to changing circumstances
Imagine your learning journey as a toolkit. Sometimes you need a single, specialized tool to fix an immediate issue aka Tactical Learning. Other times, you need an entire toolbox to build a better future Strategic Learning.
In conclusion, both tactical and strategic learning have their time and place in your educational journey. By understanding when to use each approach, you can make more informed decisions about your learning goals.
🥜 Learning Nuggets
Learning is innovating yourself.
Whether it is incremental or radical innovation is key to staying relevant.
💥 Coolest Thing I Learnt this Week
The Rubber Band Model
I came across this post by Rachel on the Rubber Band Model for facilitation - but it works for learning too! How often do we ask ourselves these questions -
As someone who is constantly thinking about learning, my answer was NOT what I expected!
The Learning Onion
Learning is multi-layered! Karthick does a great job of illustrating it in this visual -
Think about the last thing you thought of learning, which layer does it fall in? 🤯
Lessons from Juggling
One of the biggest things that deters us from continuing to learn something is unrealistic expectations around progress. We see experts & what they can do and imposter syndrome kicks in. Instead of continuing on, we quit.
Jun does a great job of illustrating it in this illustration below and talks about some key lessons in this post.
🔦 Spotlight
Learning is incomplete without people!
This week’s spotlight is on Ross Stevenson. He runs a newsletter called ‘Steal These Thoughts!’ - for the modern L&D pro.
Every week he explores industry insights, tools and frameworks to make you a smarter L&D operator.
Love & Learning
Until we meet next week!
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