Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

want to capture the world, and young people are focused on identity construction (Illeris,
2007). Conversely, “a rule of thumb for understanding adults’ learning would state that:
 Adults learn what they want to learn and what is meaningful for them to learn
[note: this aligns with Piaget (1980) who opined that learning about a problem
occurs only if the problem interests the learner, as cited in Illeris (2007)];
 Adults draw on the resources they already have in their learning;
 Adults take as much responsibility for their learning as they want to take (if
they are allowed to); and
 Adults are not very inclined to engage in learning of which they cannot see the
meaning or have any interest in” (Illeris, 2007, pp. 207-208). Motivation to
learn was the only variable found to consistently have a positive impact on
developmental activity outcomes, according to an executive development
program study conducted by Bernthal, Cook, and Smith (2001). This finding
was similar to conclusions from McEnrue, Groves, and Shen (2009) research,
in which receptiveness to feedback was “the only significant, independent
predictor of EI training gains” (p. 164).
Merriam et al. (2007) described that the learner, context, and learning process are
configured differently for adults than for children. For example, an adult’s work
experience provides a robust foundation for learning that is simply not available to
younger people. The relationship between learning and adulthood was emphasized by
Lindeman (1926), who opined: “Adult education presumes that the creative spark may
be kept alive throughout life, and moreover, that it may be rekindled in those adults who