How do leaders create and elevate team cultures of learning? Almost half the skills that contribute to our lifetime earnings are learned on the job, not in the classroom. The more skills employees develop, the higher their incomes. However, not all workplace learning and development is cut from the same cloth. When leaders establish strong cultures of learning, they build more innovative and resilient teams that can weather any organizational change. But, relying solely on traditional departmental or formal training for career development means missing the opportunity to embed learning into a team’s DNA.

To survive, we must learn. W. Edwards Deming’s wise words exemplify the Growth Through Learning podcast. In this final episode, Hannah Brown explores practical first steps leaders can take as they work to implement or expand on cultures of learning in their organizations. We hear again from the people-focused leaders who have lent their voices throughout this series as they reflect on their own practices, listening and empathy chief among them, that helped cultivate success for their teams, themselves, and their organizations.

Lead your team in developing the skills they need for today and beyond:

• Why we must avoid the trap of focusing on results above all other metrics;
• The widespread benefits of caring about and investing in your team;
• Why it’s essential to clearly communicate your expectations around cultures of learning;
• How to continue fostering your own learning mindset.

Important resources from the episode:

• Frontiers in Communication: “Building Organizational Resilience Through Organizational Learning: A Systematic Review” - https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2022.837386
• McKinsey: “The State of Organizations 2023: Ten Shifts transforming organizations” - https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-state-of-organizations-2023#/
• The Journal of Neuroscience: “Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Brain Structure Changes During Extensive Learning” - https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4628-05.2006.
• DDI: “Global Leadership Forecast 2023” - https://www.ddiworld.com/global-leadership-forecast-2023

Connect with the leaders who share their stories on the show:

• Julianna Morris, People Excellence and Academy Leader, Porsche Cars Canada - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliannamorris
• Adam Stephens, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement, The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth - https://www.linkedin.com/in/astephens77/
• Chantal McIntyre, Talent Strategist, Workplace Consultant, and Leadership Coach - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantal-mcintyre-www-chantalmcintyre-com/
• Andrew Ambrose, Director of Learning, Aecon Group Inc - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewambrose/
• Christy Billan, Director of Small Business Lending Products, Farm Credit Canada - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christybillan/
• Robin Young, Director of Corporate Training Services at Durham College in Toronto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-young-mba-63b7639b/

Connect with Hannah:

• Order Hannah’s book, Into the Hands of Leaders: Employee Growth Through Learning - https://hannahbrown.co/resources/books-and-articles/
• Learn about the programs that help leaders and organizations develop a growth through learning orientation - https://hannahbrown.co/programs/
• Partner with Hannah to grow your exceptional team - https://hannahbrown.co/