So... as promised here is Day 1 of teaching back for revision!

For those who missed it, I’m currently doing a Change Management course online, and to help me revise I thought I’d teach back some of the concepts...

Today I’m starting with Learning, and how it impacts Change https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Down pointing backhand index" aria-label="Emoji: Down pointing backhand index">

So I was introduced to two different theories:

- Kolbe’s Learning Cycle
- Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles

These both define how we learn, and what style of learning we lean towards. I found it a good way to understand why some people aren’t “blockers” in the way we think..

Kolbe’s Learning Cycle (1)

In the diagram below you can see four components. These relate to the journey we often need to take while learning to fully understand something. We all join the cycle at different points, depending on how something is taught or learned https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👨‍🏫" title="Man teacher" aria-label="Emoji: Man teacher">

Kolbe’s Learning Cycle (2)

The key to success is enabling someone to meet all points of the cycle. Without this you may find as a manager you have to “hand hold” to get the results you want, as part of their knowledge is lacking or they don’t feel confident https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Thinking face" aria-label="Emoji: Thinking face">

This takes us onto Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles.

They theorise that there are four styles of learning: Activists, Reflectors, Theorists and Pragmatists. You may fit one perfectly, or find yourself a mixture of two.

In Star Trek terms https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🖖" title="Raised hand with part between middle and ring fingers" aria-label="Emoji: Raised hand with part between middle and ring fingers">:

Activist: Capt Kirk
Reflector: McCoy
Theorist: Spock
Pragmatists Scotty

(I found this a good way to relate to the styles https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😅" title="Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat">)

These two styles can overlap as shown below https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Down pointing backhand index" aria-label="Emoji: Down pointing backhand index">

We will all have a preference on learning styles, but it is important to blend the learning cycle phases when trying to teach something new or change behaviours, as ignoring some will ignore a part of your workforce and hinder youhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👎" title="Thumbs down" aria-label="Emoji: Thumbs down">

So what does this have to do with Change?

Part of encouraging change is squashing bad norms, and encouraging newer, positive ways of working. In order to get this result, understanding how we learn is key to “stickability” https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👌" title="Ok hand" aria-label="Emoji: Ok hand">

And that concludes my first mini teach-back!

Let me know what you think, did that make sense? Do you agree with these theories?

Where do you think you fit in the learning styles? I’m between an Activist and a Reflector https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤙" title="Call me hand" aria-label="Emoji: Call me hand">