Measuring for management: choosing to learn

could we ever afford to choose not to learn, not to evolve, not to grow? Even before the pandemic, rapid technological advances, growing economic interdependence and constant political instability were already intersecting to make the future increasingly hazy. Uncertainty became such a constant certainty that it spawned acronyms like VUCA or TUNA (Turbulent, Uncertain, Novel and Ambiguous). If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that nothing should be considered a surprise. And that, therefore, the best strategy to be prepared for the future, is to be prepared to constantly and evolutionarily learn, unlearn and relearn. Never has the phrase, "it is not the strongest that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that best adapts to change", attributed to Charles Darwin, made so much sense.

According to experts, around 40% of what university students learn today will be obsolete within a decade and the jobs they will occupy then do not exist today. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report highlights that the 10 jobs in greatest demand today did not exist 10 years ago. However, although curiosity and the desire (and need) to learn characterise our childhood, as we grow up, we lose these characteristics.

After entering the labour market, and throughout their career path, most people tend to stick to what they know and prefer to avoid contexts or situations that push them out of their comfort zone and lead them to learn something new.

Experts in organisational change agree that one of the greatest risks to the success of transformation processes is people's resistance to change and the need to review their mental maps.

The complexity of the context we inhabit requires us to have the ability to understand and progress in undefined situations, in a permanent state of adaptation - continually unlearning old rules and codes and relearning new ones. It requires us to have the courage to question assumptions and the "how it's always been done" way, challenge paradigms, and be willing to develop new habits, methods and skills relevant to our work, industry, career or our life. And, in a world where change is exponentially faster, the agility with which we carry out this process of unlearning and relearning (learning agility) is, therefore, the key competence for change proficiency and the future success of both individuals and organisations.

As the global economy evolves, competition for new roles and new positions in the business market chessboard will reach new levels and it will be those who have proactively worked to expand and diversify their range of capabilities by learning new skills who will be best positioned to make the most of the (expected) upturn. Learning is not a given, but a choice for each individual and organisation. And in a world that changes every day, then the best possible choice is to learn continuously.

This article is republished under the partnership between Nova SBE Executive Education and PME Magazine.