Learning to Learn (Syllables of Work)
If we are open to evolving, and to recognizing the various iterations of life as time passes, it’s important that we regularly reflect on how we learn best; that we identify what we need to thrive amidst the certain condition of change.
When I was young, I’m embarrassed to admit that I never loved learning the way some of my peers seemed to. Then something shifted in college while roaming the stacks in the library: one afternoon, I discovered a lesser-known book by JM Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. It appeared to be a children’s book for adults, and I couldn’t put it down; later, it became part of my senior thesis.
What changed in the library that afternoon was the sense of my own agency, of my own ability to discover. Which is to say, I’ve found that ever since I stopped being in school, I have enjoyed learning more.
Like many people, I have an easier time learning when other Syllables of Work are activated—when there is acknowledgment of the nature of creativity and uncertainty, and the correlating possibilities of mistakes and even failure. Not surprisingly, I learn especially well when I’m among people I trust and when I feel comfortable asking for help.
Almost two years into running Culture Forms, I’m learning some things that weren’t apparent to me at first. For example, I’ve begun to consider the attributes of organizations I’d like to partner with. I’ve learned that I love working with groups willing to do trust and community building work proactively.
I built Culture Forms because I saw that trust is a necessary precondition for important conversations in a workplace, including any diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I want to work with groups that are interested in becoming more comfortable navigating uncertainty. I’m eager to talk about Maurice Mitchell’s thoughtful and practical map of how to build organizations that can thrive today; to work with organizations that understand and demonstrate that people matter.
At some point, all groups will need to learn how to navigate these common Syllables of Work. I am inspired by groups that are open to discovering what’s possible.