What to learn next…it’s your big chance

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“But I already know how to use Windows 95…”

A senior project manager started work in an IT Project Management Office. He had more than 15 years of experience, interviewed well and came with good references. At first everything seemed fine. Yet he appeared stressed whenever he had to join a conference line, connect to the internet messaging client (which was a requirement for work at home), or publish a project plan. It turns out that he did not know how to operate Windows XP, and was at the most basic level with MS Word. He had obviously never used Excel, Visio or Project. This is a true story.

There are many leaders who are amazed when introduced to such valuable productivity tools as Firefox, workrave, Miranda IM, or Bonsai outliner. All of these have portable USB versions which require no installation on a work PC. With a little exploration your efficiency and day to day enjoyment at work can increase tremendously.

Just because you know your job does not mean that there’s nothing of interest for you to learn. If you work in information technology, have you taken the time to read through the latest version 4 of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)? Some terminology has been updated, and a few processes merged. Why should you care if you are a formal “project manager” or not. Who knows what ideas you’ll come up with to improve your company, projects and teams. Such work related learning keeps you relevant.

How continual learning can help you

You stay fresh.
Your overall competence keeps increasing
Your life will have meaning
You will discover, develop and deepen your unique areas of expertise
You will become more skillful at the game of life

Remember: the best learning for you may very well be related to something other than work.

Effectiveness is not necessarily Efficiency

Human effectiveness is something very different from machine efficiency. If you treat yourself like a machine, you will find it very difficult to create your best work. Whereas machines are designed, programmed and constructed for a specific purpose, the nature of you is infinitely more complex. In the long run, pushing yourself (or your team) harder will not help you deliver better project results.

The best leaders make a regular practice of stepping away from their projects to set their focus temporarily elsewhere. This refreshes their minds, reduces over-intensity and allows their subconscious to communicate ideas, alternatives and other possibilities. Paradoxically, slowing yourself down is a major way to better, faster and more efficient results.

“Life as filled with wonder..”

Like most great movies, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park included a great mix of nuanced characters. One of my favorites is the Scottish entrepreneur John Hammond (played masterfully by Richard Attenborough). Television and film characters over the age of 50 are often portrayed as lacking in energy. John Hammond is enthusiastic, positive and filled with joy at the possibilities of life. He seeks out and appreciates quality in himself and others. He is a lifelong learner who uses what he learns to advance his goals and manifest his personal dreams. Had he surrounded himself earlier with advisors he trusted, he may have avoided some of the Jurassic consequences. Of course, we would then not have such an interesting film.

What to Learn

What did you want to do when you were eight?

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie-Mellon computer science professor who captured the internet’s attention with his Last Lecture, posed this question as a key way to start getting at our core life desires. You may have read the book or watched the lecture on the net, but did you ever take some time to answer the question? Why not add an appointment with yourself this week to spend an hour at a cafe with paper and a pen (preferable) or a laptop and come up with a list.

What do you long to do? What would you do if you had unlimited time or money?

Who do you envy?

Jealousy and envy are wonderful tools. Rather than fight them, use them! (The other options, feeding or ignoring, tend not to work.) Here’s how you use your envy. First, give yourself permission to feel it. Next, think clearly of the person. Now, picture what it is that they have that you want. Write it down.

For objects, you now have a subject to explore. Become an expert in this thing. Do not say that you don’t have enough money to have this thing. Instead, replace that thought with gratitude that this particular object of your desire exists in the world. It may sound unlikely, but give it a try. I know a man who loves classic Ford Mustangs. He now has a garage filled with 6 of them, and has collector friends all over the US.

If you envy a quality someone has (such as love, personal magnetism, self-confidence, or intelligence), the process is similar. Become an expert in this area. Learn everything you can about it. Make a list of famous people who have this trait. See if you can find people who developed this trait. As you identify things that you yourself can do to develop this quality in yourself, add them to a Someday-Maybe list. Every few weeks examine your Someday-Maybe list and see if you are willing to do anything on it.

“I always wanted to own a store like this…”

Early in my career I co-owned a small retail store. It broke even (barely). My partner and I worked day and night to keep it going. The shop was located in a small town near a US military base. Many of the older career officers and staffers loved coming in. These same people often helped and encouraged us greatly. In contrast, many others from the town would come in and say with longing, “I’ve always wanted to own a bookstore”. Most seemed healthy, strong and relatively prosperous. Some were even retired with lots of time to spare. At that time, we would have gladly welcomed financial partners or even volunteers. But not one of these erstwhile “owners” even asked. Their “dream” was right in front of them, but they could not see the possibility.

What dreams are you convinced can never happen? Get to work on those first if you want to truly be more effective in your life.

“Certified master gardener”

A colleague of mine is a project manager with more than 25 years work experience. When he speaks about plants, his enthusiasm can barely be contained. For years he dreamed of becoming a Certified Master Gardener, but believed that it was out of his reach due to work time demands. Finally, a few years ago he decided to take one evening course. In the near future he’ll be receiving his certification.
Does this outside interest take away from his effectiveness at work? Absolutely not. On the contrary, during the most stressful days he can refresh himself by looking forward in the near future to a few hours digging in the dirt.

The Subjects of Your Interest Will Change over Time

Once you reach a sufficient level of knowledge and mastery of a subject for your purposes, you’ll know. Over the course of your explorations new subjects will reveal themselves. With each area of learning, a whole new world of people, events and experiences will come into your life. This is true abundance, and the secret to a full and meaningful life.

Some Subjects Other Project Managers and IT Leaders Have Explored

Harley-Davidson Motorcycles (senior executive)
Playing Piano Jazz Standards (project manager, started after age 40)
Wet Shaving with Safety Razor (project manager)
Developing Beautiful, Legible Handwriting (team lead, 30s)
Learning to speak with confidence (recruiter, 20s)

How to Begin on a Subject

Once you have identified a subject to start with, you can proceed in ways that are most natural for you.

More Private Ways to Start

The internet is a treasure-trove. Here are some ideas:

Search for forums on the topic. Start reading posts most days.
Wikipedia. (You can set up a firefox keyword such as WI. Then whenever you want to search, just type WI + keyword in the address bar.)
Subscribe to RSS feeds for 5 blogs on the subject.
Comment and ask questions on blogs having to do with the subject.

Pretty soon, you’ll know your next step.

More Public Ways to Start

If you prefer to learn with others, you can start by asking around to see who knows anyone who may be knowledgable about the subject. This will result in one to many names of people to contact. Ask each of these if they have time to speak with you about the subject. Ask them for others they know who could help you.