We continue to hear from business leaders that people come to work unprepared – especially for innovation and change that adds improvement. Charges come in daily that American learning is too broad to compete… too simplistic to motivate… and too superficial to lead.
One comeback out there seems to shout … “You’re jealous of us … and we’re none of these things….” Another… more mature response … is to fix what’s going wrong with learning and leading systems in our nation…. My reaction is to create prototypes that come with more 
innovative approaches and high performance targets. Here are ten ways to stir up innovative changes that others admire and respect ….
1. Start with the known. People bring many intelligences as well as personal knowledge to every learning setting… but usually leave learning sessions having engaged none of these capabilities.
2, Build on people’s natural curiosity. Want to teach web design…? Then ask the question…”How could a web design you create here this week … reboot your business and your brain for lasting benefits…?”
3. Capture and make use of the science all around you through two footed questions. For instance ask learners … “How can you use this lesson on …. (name the topic) in your work today … as a way to improve what you did yesterday? Expect results when you link to the brain on the one hand and doable solutions to real problems… on the other.
4. Replace rote memorization of disconnected facts … with integration of current facts … to solve a genuine problem your industry faces. Rather than memorize prescription names … the
5. Learn from other countries that have begun to surpass us in mental skills … such as . Build better relationships through interactive knowledge exchanges…. How so…? Japanese leaders could teach ours how to explore core set of ideas, with increasing depth as the learner masters basic skills.
6. Use the same set of criteria or checklists for assessing skills learned… as you use to guide learning of these skills. Suck checklists clarify so that learners see what they are required to know and how they are expected to apply their knowledge …. Then… use that same checklist as an assessment list to guide evaluations of completed work.
7. Employ masters in their field to apprentice newbies in the trade until evidence is clear that new recruits are headed for mastery … beyond basic skills … toward the cutting edge of creativity and new designs.
8. Position literacy at the center of every learning session … so that language for any shared vision … is clearly communicated … and motivational to stakeholders, clients and employees in ways that add mind-bending profitability.
9. Teach tone as a vital engine for every learning session… so that creative learning environments remain electric … with ideas that develop and lead us into a better future. Require tone that builds goodwill … even among those who differ … in all learning settings and watch creative results from extravagant minds … when challenge is raised … and threat is lowered.
10. Ask where to from here … after every session … to determine clear evidence that learning took place … because of the way people applied new content to solve problems at work … or create products that bring mind-bending profitability.
What would you add to my list that could help the West to reboot learning with the brain in mind?
My friend, Bob Worrell, of www.worrell.com, himself a worldclass innovator has a unique vision. His concept is to convince a local university to develop an innovation center, that actually teaches and gives masters students the ability to do some real world development type work. IF they do this, it will do much to counter developments in this area in other parts of the world.
As you know, we graduate more sports medicine graduates than engineers---this must change. There is no one better than Bob at teaching this, IMHO.
Posted by: gl hoffman | September 29, 2006 7:54 AM | Permalink to Comment