Begin by asking yourself what you have learned recently and in
which situations your greatest learning takes place. Did you learn
more from a formal event or an impassioned conversation with
colleagues? Do you learn during a walk around the block or while
taking a hard look at yourself in the mirror? Challenge colleagues
who tell you that you have something to learn by asking, “How can
you help me learn it now?” Become mindful of all impromptu
opportunities, and allow for moments that can become openings to
learning. Express to others you see that you are learning from many
sources, and show people that you are dedicated to creating a
culture in which everyone learns every day.
Uncover Learning Around You
At San Diego–based WD-40 Company, people talk about what
they have learned every chance they get. At a meeting of global
brand managers, for example, everyone presented five or six hard
lessons they had learned in the past year. People have found that
when they share their learning moments—the times when they
screw up and learn something as a result—everyone becomes deeply
involved in one another’s success and can help in unanticipated
ways.^2Modern work relies on interaction and ingenuity, where peo-
ple become bricoleurs,making do with whatever or whoever is at
hand. Many surveys report that the typical knowledge worker
spends more than 25 percent of his or her time in face-to-face
encounters; for executives, this figure can reach 95 percent. When
people interact, the question is not, “Is informal learning going
on?” but rather “How much was learned?” and “What was learned?”
Ask people what they discovered today that would enable the
company to outshine its competitors tomorrow. Invite them to
share what they learned since the last time you saw them and what
lessons they’d like everyone to understand. Collect stories about
informal learning in your organization, and post them where
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