Posts Tagged ‘development’

Learning Fast

Friday, June 14th, 2019

I was asked yesterday by a friend how I learned to cook after leaving home. I explained that largely I was self-taught. I bought food I liked in Australia, and then when I moved back to London. I followed the cooking instructions, experimented a little, sort advice from people who were experienced and learnt through trial and error. I don’t recall having poisoned anyone in 30 plus years!

I didn’t need months of training, an expensive cooking course or a “cooking coach” to cook a Sunday roast lunch for 8 people. The same applies in business. Speed of learning is as important as the quality of the learning. Yet a great many people and companies don’t think and act like that. They defer to regimented training timetables that have little to do with those being taught, and all to do with the trainer justifying their value and fees.

Referral Learning

Friday, November 23rd, 2018

Before you instantly try to tear apart a business colleague’s, a client’s or a friend’s suggestion to meet with someone or explore a potential business opportunity, sit back and listen for a minute or two. There is three learning points: (A) the size, immediacy and relevance of the specific opportunity for you, (B) the individual’s current understanding of a high potential referral for you (clarity and accuracy) and (C) their current capability to be an immediately useful and relevant source of help, in ways you never imagined (who they are hanging out with, what they are immersed in and so on).  

Teaching Expertise

Thursday, June 21st, 2018

One of the most overlooked aspects of hiring expertise, is separating great teachers (how to do it) from great intellects (what to do). The former is a lot more valuable.

If you are novice standing on a riverbank trying to learn to fish for trout, as I was last week, we often run into passionate “intellects”, who seek to tell you everything they know about casting in a given moment. When what we really need is a great teacher, who excels at discussion, practice, feedback and application in that very same moment and exudes patience.

Who do your clients see you as? Is that the same person you see yourself as?

© James Berkeley 2018. All Rights Reserved.