When I take courses, I take the opportunities to try the material out in class. Classrooms are a safe environment where you can try new things. If I fail spectacularly, I know the learning will be even brighter.

What if the same conditions for learning were true in a work environment? Too often, I’ve seen where people don’t feel safe admitting what they don’t know. Despite talking a good story, management does not tolerate failure.

When people are not learning, they play it safe and only do what is tried and true. To admit you don’t know something is dangerous waters to tread in.

How can you expect growth and success without learning?

As a leader, one of your primary responsibilities is to foster growth and learning in others. Learning requires time and safety.

You might; book time each week for them to learn something on their own. Put up a post-it wall to allow people to identify topics they want to learn more about anonymously. Start a dojo for whatever skill your team would love to develop.

There are many ways to foster a learning environment. Find what works for your team and get the wheels turning.

Learning is, after all, what makes people better than they were yesterday.

You’ve got this.