There’s something quite thrilling about having mastery of your domain, being in the zone, and zipping through your work. It feels good to be the expert.
Expertise often comes with the expectation of training others within your organization. But teaching is about much more than know-how. It requires patience and noticing when and where people struggle. Sometimes slowing down the pace is necessary. An important question to consider:
Are you willing to slow down for others?
That task you do on your own might take an hour. Explaining the process and training someone along the way is a different story, adding time and taking energy. This is the cost of teaching.
Yet the art of teaching brings its own gifts.
Knowledge sharing is generative. You may not Increase your capacity for your organization instantly, but over time, you’ll benefit from productivity gains.
Questions posed by a learner can Illuminate gaps or problems in how you explain things and help you see better ways to teach and communicate in general.
When others need to be shown step-by-step how something works, it can shut down autopilot tendencies. This methodical breakdown can give fresh eyes to your process, leading to unexpected tweaks or innovations.
The real beauty, though, is how transferring your skills can help others grow. What’s more rewarding than that?
One of the greatest honors is to teach, then be surpassed. Then, it’s your turn to learn. You can see this as a threat, or an opportunity to try something new yourself and shine in other areas.
To create a culture of learning and growth, you need to set the conditions. You may need to design knowledge sharing experiences and practices to jump start your organization. Learning requires physical and mental space, and resources (time, money, supplies) for learning.
IDEAS FOR CREATING A CULTURE OF TEACHING
Make professional development a priority. Allocate budget per employee. Publish any guidelines or process for approvals, if needed.
Create space for learning. Give it physical space in your office by creating a mini-lending library or a study room.
Autonomy wins. Let people choose what they explore, and you’ll get even greater buy-in.
Feature talent from the inside. Create a schedule with recurring show-and-tell sessions or knowledge shares led by employees who volunteer to do so.
Bring in fresh ideas. Hire outside facilitators or trainers for key subjects that will appeal to many of your employees.
Pair newer employees with a mentor in their first week of work. Schedule an initial meeting during their onboarding.
Acknowledge learning milestones. This might take the form of praise, such as a shout out at a team meeting or a highlight in an internal newsletter. Be free with praise when people show promise with something. People don’t always recognize their own gifts. It might also include pay raises or bonuses when specific milestones are achieved.
What can you teach someone today?