The How To Learn Podcast

It might feel like a boring chore to take notes at an event, or to 'cascade' some learning back to colleagues. or even to explain something that you know - or think you know.

But in this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan talk about the known 'Protégé Effect' - basically how teaching or explaining something helps you to learn it better. It can also add to your visibility in an organisation. Or maybe your pupil or 'protégé' is simply the you of tomorrow, who would already have forgotten what you learned today.. had you not taken some well-organised notes.

So.. are you ready to pass this on? Let's begin :)

"Learning on the job" starts on Day 1. Here are three tips from Thembi and Jonathan:

- avoid the experts! (or rather: find somebody who can remember what is was like NOT to know what they were doing..)

- be curious: start volunteering for stuff beyond your role

- remember you need to induct THEM to YOU

It's also never too early to work out the skills you will need further down the line.

In this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi brings up a skill which is often neglected: conversation. We talk all the time, but how often do we think about it, consciously, as a skill which can be improved?

From active listening to building rapport, conversational skills are crucial for our working and social lives. Thembi talks about 'How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks' by Leil Lowndes as a way into this set of skills we should be talking about more often.

A cheerful mini-rant about good intentions and bad habits. Why do we trip up our own learning with procrastination, poor planning, bad filing and other habits? Or maybe it's just Jonathan? Plus a bonus moan on how the route to free content is strewn with annoying extras and roadblocks. Rant along with How To Learn..!

"You can tell when you're reading from the notes."

In this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan chat about office skills, and plunge straight into two examples: how to facilitate meetings, and how to deliver presentations. How did they actually get better over time? (assuming they did)

The episode covers:

- the role of observation, copying and practice

- using an emotional reaction to things you don't like, to motivate yourself to do better

- seeking out the things you won't observe for yourself: eg getting feedback, and getting insight from experts via formal learning.

Improving your impact is a messy process, but you can also get better at getting better!

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A new study shows the difference that managers can make in encouraging their staff to pick up training opportunities. 'High-training managers' see up to 50% more participation - with benefits for performance and productivity.

In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan discuss:

- the link to leadership potential: are 'high-training managers' the leaders of the future?

- what to do if you've got a different type of manager..

We're all tempted to rush into a new job or project, to show that we can 'hit the ground running'.. but in this mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan say: Please don't.

Much better approach:

- take your time, you have to crawl before you can walk (let alone run)

- be kind to yourself, it's ok not to know things

- don't abandon your induction halfway

- keep an induction mindset, and never stop asking questions.

We have a disagreement in this podcast: when you see a colleague demonstrate a real skill, is it intimidating ("oh wow, I don't know how to do that") or is it inspiring ("oh wow, show me how")? Either way, we think we should definitely learn more from others in the workplace.

The discussion also covers:

- are we losing random workplace learning?

- how can we be more curious, and more grateful? 

Please share your ideas on getting the most out of workplace learning!