What Learning Looks Like...

Leaders who speak in catchy soundbites certainly get quoted a lot. But I don't think we grow as leaders by simply capturing their quotes. It drives me crazy whenever I see people dictate conferences. Here's what I think learning looks like...

1. It's a well-worn book with notes scribbled in the margins and inside the covers... a permanent position in your bag.
2. It's frustration and anger that you've been doing something the wrong way all this time... if only...
3. It's tear stains all over your notebook, as you wrestle with what God's been showing you...
4. It's the agony and humiliation of having to make a phone call to apologize for something...
5. It's sitting around with other leaders after a conference, arguing about what you heard throughout the day.
6. It's NOT sharing something right away because you're disconcerted with the implications for your own life.

Comments

[Rhett Laubach]

Ben, I really appreciate this post. I subscribe to over 150 blogs and read them daily. Those posts where someone looks at a common act in a different way are most interesting to me. Thanks!

I was turned onto your blog from a friend in Oklahoma, Wade Tower. I just subscribed a few weeks ago. I have already been impressed and impacted by what I've read and I look forward to your future posts.

You might want to check out my blogs:

Leadership Blog - http://plileadership.blogspot.com

Speaking Skills Blog - http://www.AuthenticityRules.com

Leaders in Gear Book Blog - http://www.LeadersInGear.com

Rhett Laubach
www.YourNextSpeaker.com

[Cory Henderson]

Rich stuff!

[Mike O]

Great stuff, Ben!

and great stuff Rhett!

[Joseph Radosevich]

That goes for preaching and books as well. I would rather people use their own words to describe what they learned through a sermon than use my words. Information and transformation are different (thought information may feed transformation).

[Ronswanson]

Great reminders Ben!

[Matt Lewis]

It drives me crazy when people tell me how I should learn. Everyone is wired different. It drive me even crazier when people hear or read something insightful and do nothing about it. That's not learning. Like your pictures/examples of learning - it's a process. But if you don't do anything different, have you really learned anything? Learning is a verb. I think that's a DC Talk rap.

[Billy Ritchie]

Thanks Ben
Nothing better than great times with great friends, sharing, discussing, challenging each other to be more like Jesus. Skin on skin - face to face.