How to get better at anything, and how does it relate to Recruitment?
Eduardo Briceño (a learning expert) reveals fascinating insights in his Ted talk on the connection between the way we learn and how far it can take us , it turns out that there is something we miss and it’s big, it affects all of us! schools, children's education, universities and even our work environment.
He says the most effective people and groups act differently and constantly manage to improve results in a way that does not add stress, on the contrary, prevents burnout and promotes creativity.
The secret lies in the mental transition between two spaces: the learning space and the performance (execution) space.
In the performance space, the goal is optimal execution, which means that the focus is not on acquiring a skill but on existing skills, there is no room for mistakes, if there are mistakes, expect to be judged.
In a learning space however, the goal is to get better. The actions are designed to lead to improvement and are focused on what we have not yet managed to specialize in. That is, mistakes are a normative part that aims at analysis and learning.
To improve abilities in any area we needs both spaces to be present in our life. It is our job to identify where we are at each point in time and where we wish to be.
In the execution space we can achieve optimal performance, but in the learning space we can develop capabilities for the benefit of our future.
The reason for why most of us hardly get better from a certain stage onwards, (even if we work hard), is that our culture constantly places us in a performance environment where mistakes are not welcomed and we usually do not stop to learn from them. As a result, our development is stunted over time, and so is our performance.
A study has shown that after several years at work, the quality of workmanship becomes constant and even declines. This claim has been found to be correct with regard to teaching, medicine, nursing and other fields. It happens says Eduardo because usually once we think we're good enough, we stop spending time learning, most of our time is devoted to work i.e. performance only, and it turns out to be just the way to burnout.
On the other hand people who continue to invest in learning always keep getting better. Eduardo suggests combining reading, simulations, consulting with others, experimenting with different strategies, all of which preserve a learning space and as in the story about the lumberjack help sharpen the saw.
When Beyoncé is on a tour, during the show she is in a performance space, but every evening when she returns to the hotel, she returns to the learning space. She is watching a video of the show. Identifies what needs improvement for her, for the dancers, the musicians and the photography team.
The next morning everyone gets a list of comments about the required adjustments, they can work on them until the next show. This method leads to continuous improvement.
So what do we need to do to get into a learning space?
We will first address the mindset aspect, according to Eduardo it is necessary to believe that anyone can improve, what is called in professional parlance “a growth thinking pattern”.
Second, our intention to getting better is crucial along with how important the change will be to us, because change requires investing time and effort.
Third, we will investigate, what is required to be done.
And fourth and most important, we will make sure to practice in a low risk environment, meaning that mistakes will not have significant consequences.
In our culture we spend a lot of time in a high risk environment (no room for mistakes) often unnecessarily.
In schools, whose purpose is learning, students fear that if they make a mistake, the appreciation for them will decrease.
We are taught that mistakes are undesirable , teachers and parents seek only correct answers, mistakes are not accepted with understanding. Mistakes says Eduardo should be welcomed and examined to learn from.
When all homework or assignments are graded and weighted in grade, instead of being used for practice, and re-examination, we send the message that school is a performance space only.
In most workplaces, we witness a performance culture, cultivated apparently to encourage work quality. In fact says Eduardo it makes employees stick to what they know and not try new things, as a result innovation is hurt.
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I remember my professor in organizational behavior class telling us about one of her clients she served as a consultant, and how they came to consult her about the heavy atmosphere in post-mission investigations.
(Surely you now think that conducting investigation, debriefing and task analysis created a learning environment? Well it did not..),
“have you started the debriefing with what did work and analyze it, or go straight to what did not work?" My professor asked. "no," they replied, “there is no reason, the purpose of the investigation is to look at what did not work” She instructed them to start with what worked, linger on the achievements and explain what exactly worked so that everyone would learn from it and only then address what did not work. They were skeptical but agreed to try, only to learn it made a drastic change for the better.
When conducting such investigation on what did not work alone, it does not create a low risk environment, more of an execution space .
When you focus initially on what has worked and look into notable moves, you transfer the conversation to a low risk space and then even examining what did not work is accepted more openly and a safe space is allowed.
How does all this relate to recruiting?
If we take a work culture that focuses only on an execution environment, and add to it a shortage of workers as a result of market conditions, delays in schedules, and double pressure on existing employees to deliver unrealistic goals, and offer management to invest in incorporating some learning space, many will refuse and see it as a waste of time.
I argue that it is just the opposite, in a performance culture alone there is no room for development, there is high burnout, and in a market of high demand for workers, even wage increases will not always make people stay, today more than ever (especially during the pandemic) people try to bring more balance and sanity to their lives, work life balance is getting stronger. Some of you have probably read about the phenomenon of the mass resignations in the United States, We are talking about millions of people who wanted to change their life for the better as a result of the pandemic.
Given the high demand for candidates at the job market, a rigid performance environment is definitely one of the triggers for attrition and abandonment.
Investing in a learning culture can produce breakthroughs, foster smart solutions that may make it possible to overcome deadline gaps and maybe save time, money and even manpower.
Some time ago I interviewed a number of candidates who came from one of the leading companies in their field in the world, the company that for years led the global development race, lost or was about to lose the premiere, to a small and kicking sister that managed to produce better and cheaper products.
The company's development departments went into a crazy race to secure the premiere back, and a lot of pressure was put on the developers to meet extreme targets.
The candidates reported work of 6 to 7 working days a week, working into the night for about two years, people were squeezed to the end because they were promised enormous rewards if they meet their goals, but after two years, I do not know exactly what happened, but the company ignored its promise and the workers were devastated.
When we first heard these stories we thought they might be unfounded, after talking to the recommenders the story unfolded, many left in great disappointment, the competitors happily accepted them, but the trauma no doubt remained. This is an example of how a performance culture can get out of hand.
what do you think?
In the current market, which culture has a better chance for a positive influence on recruitment and employee retention ?
Companies who offer a more balanced work and learning space?
Companies who offer opportunities for growth and development?
Or companies who let the performance culture completely manage the workspace?
Let me know what you think
For the full lecture on Ted, click here: