There’s a definition of learning in some areas of psychology that goes along the lines of: “Learning is only said to have taken place when you can observe a relatively permanent change in behaviour.” We find that a very useful performance focused definition as it really makes us make sure that when we talk about learning (or focused learning) we mean much more than just acquiring new knowledge or new information – the knowledge or information has to impact on behaviour if it’s really going to be relevant or useful.
The changes in behaviour that result needn’t be wholesale changes; small refinements to existing ways of performing is normally what is most useful. Increased consistency in delivery of best performance is also a positive change that is worth having over time. When you’re already very experienced and delivering great results, the nature of “learning” that you strive for is where your real performance gains are going to come from. So, where do you want to focus your learning over the course of the next 6 months?