Are You Willing to Adapt to Life’s Feedback?
Our minds need to be taking in new information that encourages us and stimulates us in positive ways. That feeling of ‘learning’, requires we place ourselves in the uncomfortable position of uncertainty and unknowing. The supportive process that moves us from unknowing to understanding and then to an initial level of comprehension is what makes the learning experience positive.
There are three primary stages to a healthy outlook to change and we instinctively know that feeling when we experience the right community.
1. Always be in an environment that we are engaged in. The broad definition of learning is always being in a place of unknowing. Drawing from our fundamental senses of hearing, touching, listening, feeling and tasting to the cognitive processes used when we are immersed in academic settings. These intakes of our environment allow us to learn.
2. The need to be a part of the process. The selection of what we wish to learn is an elevated mental decision we can make in order to direct the learning process that encourages and sustains our interest. Both andragogy and heutagoy are levels of mental competency that advances this notion towards self directed learning. Andragogy speaks to the learning seeking autonomy in their learning experience drawing from their own experience and that of others. Heutagogy is that level of learning where by the learning decides what they wish to learn, what novel means they will use and the benefits derived from the experience.
3. Shared experiences and lessons learned takes on a whole new meaning when you realize you can help someone else and learn from their perspectives. I wrote the article, the selfish ack of giving, explaining the value provided by helping others and the benefits received by the exchange of such relationships.
These three primary stages of learning and the manner that they are experienced play a significant role in our ability to manage change. Yet there are three additional steps I have recognized that are needed to be added to this process of adaptation and hence managing changes we all encounter.
4. The intent with which we enter each engagement.
5. The willingness to understand the environment we are entering and working with/in.
6. Based on life’s feedback, are we willing to adjust and formulate a fresh perspective?
4. Most exchanges between and among others are based on what we want out of that encounter, singular, lininar at best. What if we entered each exchange, encounter, each conversation with others with the intent of creating mutually beneficial outcomes? How would that change our conversation? Where would that allow us to go and create?
5. The expression of walking in another’s shoes is fundamentally flawed, because I do not want to. On the other hand before you get to walking in another’s shoes you ask questions that create a conversation. An exchange of stories that permit a meaningful learning moment that in turn allows you to engage more meaningfully.
6. As you receive feedback is your intent to apply what you learn and adjust your approach two, three, four times and more? Being willing to adjust your conversation based on what you are receiving back from those you are in conversation with, speaks volumes to your willingness to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.
By making these steps a game, elevates the conversation and permits you to encourage the other person to speak more freely of their own intent or hidden agenda. At the very least you will experience your ability to engage with others for longer periods of time and have some fun at it.
