Curiosity? It Matters to Your Top Performers

March 1, 2017

“In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.”
-Eric Hoffer

This quote opens a blog post by Ben Nesvig: Becoming Adaptable: 3 Ways Companies Can Succeed During Change. In it he suggests several ways organizations can adapt in today’s fast-moving marketplace:

  1. Have a clear mission and values
  2. Develop a growth mindset
  3. Commit to continuous learning

While I’m sure it comes as no surprise that his continuous learning strategy caught our attention, we also appreciate how he brings in the connection between employee engagement and performance.

To become an organization that thrives in the age of change, companies need to become a learning organization. This means learning is a top priority and it is embedded within the culture. Constant learning can’t happen with just e-learning modules, instructor-led trainings, or webinars. Not only are they time-consuming and costly to produce, but who really has time to sit down and learn like that anyway? And arguably the most valuable insights aren’t in a formal training program, they’re in how people work, because that’s where they’re leveraging what they know and applying what they’ve learned.

So what might this “commitment to continuous learning” look like in your organization?

  • Professional development is a part of performance reviews
  • Employees are eligible for a generous tuition reimbursement
  • Online learning is used for more than just delivering compliance training

Mr. Nesvig’s answer to that question: a social learning platform.

“The most talented people in every organization are curious and interested in learning more about how they can perform their specific role better and help the company. Companies can leverage the curiosity by providing a learning management system for self-directed learning or a knowledge management system to open up the exchange of ideas and allow people at the company to teach others what they know.”

stan_portraitStan’s first experience with instructional technology occurred in 1999 when he used SMART Boards to help employees learn how to use the Microsoft Office Suite. He then became an instructional designer and systems trainer for a variety of proprietary CRM software solutions. From there, Stan worked as a Training Manager and later as a Project Manager for an early leader in online education. As his experience with online learning grew, and as his understanding of the need to connect strategy with technology evolved, Stan began to focus on the relationship between blended learning and social business. It was these insights that attracted him to Jive and Pokeshot’s SmarterPath LMS the first time he saw it in 2012. Stan’s current role with the company not only allows him to support the sales, marketing, and product development teams, but it also allows him to work directly with customers as they implement SmarterPath. Prior to joining Pokeshot in October 2016, Stan spent several years working as a freelance consultant, successfully completing learning technology projects for such clients as Right Management, National University System and the U.S. Forest Service.