Question of the Day – What’s Your Position on Continuous Learning?

Key Question – Does your leadership reflect continuous learning? The famed political leader Winston Churchill once said, “The empires of the future are empires of the mind.” As this thought sinks in, consider the extent to which knowledge serves the commodity that catapults successful companies into the future. All around us we see the successful organizations transforming themselves with growing knowledge at a very rapid pace.

For most of us, our work responsibilities and environment change constantly. Computer processing is replacing whole groups of workers who used to process paper. Part-time or contract workers are growing in numbers. Job security is diminishing, particularly for those not keeping up with the knowledge explosion. Today, security comes from what you know how to do, what you can learn to do, and how well you can access knowledge through collaboration with others.

The ability to learn is becoming the new “core competency.” We are convinced that we will find that the greater our capacity for learning and building knowledge, the greater the likelihood of enjoying continuing success. This is true for both the individual and the enterprise. Tom Peters put it quite succinctly: “Brains are in; heavy lifting out. Thence the development of knowledge is job one for corporations”. The ability to learn is becoming the new “core competency.” I am convinced that we will find that the greater our capacity for learning and building knowledge, the greater the likelihood of enjoying continuing success. This is true for both the individual and the enterprise.

Clearly, knowledge is the critical commodity. The question is, what are we willing to do about it?

One response to this critical question is to create a learning organization as described by Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline). Comprehensive organizational learning is at the heart of a dynamic, energized company. That is what it will take to compete in the decade ahead. This requires an organization to change just to compete. How do organizations change? They change through their people. The focus of meaningful human-resource change clearly should be based on learning. This is one of the most significant challenges facing family business succession planning.

The Academy of Family Business has the knowledge, curriculum and coaches to help you develop your continuous learning program. It’s actually very culture building as well. To learn more about developing best practices and their application to your business, please email us at: info@myAFB.org