Teachable Moments
How often do we spend time reinforcing what we know? That’s not learning; that’s practicing what we currently believe.
We are unlikely to learn something new when we postulate what we already know. Reminds me of a story . . .
I listen to a golf analyst on TV who asks the reporters following the players on the course questions he already knows the answers to. In my opinion, he does it in an attempt to appear more knowledgeable in the eye of the viewer. He asks the question as though he doesn’t know the answer and when the reporter validates his observation, he gets his kudos. “Does that putt have about 1 foot of break in it, Bill?’ “Right you are Harry, 1 foot of break.” He does it all the time.
You could argue that he is letting the viewers in on his knowledge of the golf course and adding to their experience, but he’s not learning anything new.
A teacher telling you only what they already know is like a parrot. When they set the environment to one of discovery, you both learn.
Every moment with another living creature can be a learning experience if we shed the mantle of what we know.
What we know gets in the way of what can be known.
When we only impart what we know, it’s a one-way communication – top down, if you will. We are so focused on what we have to say, we miss half of what’s being communicated.
Other people are a learning laboratory. They can teach us so much if we’re willing to become students of human nature.
Know-it-alls are done learning and it’s hard to learn from them because the environment they set has the feel of a long, drawn out sermon. If someone’s making you snooze, you both lose.
If you truly want to learn something new, pay attention to who’s in front of you, then every encounter can be a teachable moment.
All the best,
John
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