Thursday Leadership Insight: Leadership and Learning What is Your Learnability Quotient? Five Practices to Enhance Your L.Q. Use the L.E.A.R.N. Model

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

Alvin Toffler

Many writers, myself included, make extensive use of quotes and acronyms. Quotes of famous people, experts, and others illuminate points, educate and inspire and encourage the reader. A well-crafted acronym’ provides the reader with clarity of a concept with the additional benefit of a practical, applicable guide to actionable steps. My Mentor, John Maxwell, is an expert in the practical acronym for learning and growth. His acronyms always make sense and are a guide to action steps. This Thursday’s leadership Insight looks at the vital relationship between leading and learning. The article asks: What is your learnability quotient? It provides an acronym highlighting five practices to enhance a leader’s L.Q. Using the L.E.A.R.N. Model.

The focal quote of this week’s Leadership Insight(above) is “Leadership and Learning are indispensable from each other . “from our 35th US   President   John F. Kennedy (JFK). This quote is one of JFK’s most cited quotes. These words are impactful and powerful. JFK never delivered them. The quote was from a speech that was part of the Dallas World Trade Center to be delivered at the Dallas World Trade Center on Friday, November 22, 1963. On the way to the event, he was assassinated.

It’s more than a bit ironic for me to be putting the finishing touches on this article precisely one day before  JFK was killed. As I write this article focusing on this quote, I think that 61 years ago, JFK was probably putting the finishing touches of preparation on the. A speech a speech he never delivered. This quote has affected me personally and professionally.

The first effect was as a 13-year-old. Did you have a moment in time, a day or days as you were growing up, where an event occurred and time stood still, and you had an overwhelming  sense that your life and many others had changed forever? The 61st anniversary of one of those days for me will happen tomorrow, Sixty one years ago today, on Friday, November 22, 1963. I was an 8th grader at Infant Jesus of Prague School in Flossmoor, IL. The week was winding down, and my friend Mark and I had planned to deliver papers, The Chicago Daily News, after school in the downtown Flossmoor apartments. It was a bright November day less than a week before Thanksgiving. Right after lunch, things changed dramatically.

The Principal came on the PA to tell us the President had been shot, and we prayed. At 1:38, the PA came on again. It was then that we learned that the unthinkable had occurred. President Kennedy had died. He was shot and killed as his motorcade passed the Texas school book depository on its way to the Dallas World Trade Center. In my 13-year-old brain, President Kennedy was precisely what a president should be: young, energetic, inspiring, and with a great smile; how could this happen? The afternoon weather turned dark and rainy as we delivered papers, I remember saying to Mark. I think our lives have changed. I still vividly recall this when I visited the Dallas JFK Museum as profoundly sad. Life had changed.

Secondly, the quote from the speech   JFK was going to deliver that day has wholly affected how I work with leaders at all stages of their journey. As a professor and now Maxwell Leadership Corporate Facilitator and consultant, I have always stressed the importance of learning and learnability. I also teach a lot about leaders who choose not to learn or ignore the need to know and change. Unfortunately, there are many examples. A close look at a portion of JFK’s undelivered speech makes many points that all leaders should take heed of today, almost 61 years later.

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“It is not a coincidence that those communities possessing the best in research and graduate facilities – from MIT to Cal Tech – tend to attract the new and growing industries. I congratulate those of you here in Dallas who have recognized these basic facts through the creation of the unique and forward-looking Graduate Research Center.

This link between leadership and learning is not only essential at the community level. It is even more indispensable in world affairs. Ignorance and misinformation can handicap the progress of a city or a company, but they can, if allowed to prevail in foreign policy, handicap this country’s security. In a world of complex and continuing problems, in a world full of frustrations and irritations, America’s leadership must be guided by the lights of learning and reason, or else those who confuse rhetoric with reality and the plausible with the possible will gain the popular ascendancy with their seemingly swift and straightforward solutions to every world problem.

There will always be dissident voices heard in the land, expressing opposition without alternatives, finding fault but never favor, perceiving gloom on every side, and seeking influence without responsibility. Those voices are inevitable.

But today, other voices are heard in the land – voices preaching doctrines wholly unrelated to reality, wholly unsuited to the Sixties”…” We cannot expect that everyone, to use the phrase of a decade ago, will “talk sense to the American people.” But we can hope that fewer people will listen to nonsense. “

Learnability is a desire to continually grow and learn as a leader. It is not the accumulation of data, statistics, or market analysis. Learnability to look at the data and beyond to serve those they lead best. Leadership often depends on intelligence (I.Q. and Emotional Intelligence (E.Q.). Both are extremely important in all leadership. What aids the growth of both is the influence of the Learnability Quotient (L.Q.). Leaders must be continual improvement fanatics; per Jim, Kouzes Learnability is more than a willingness, a drive, and an opportunity mindset to learn, be, and do more. A leader who chooses to grow their learnability quotient L.Q. will grow intellectually I.Q. and emotionally E.Q.This leader would be well served to have a guide to intentional growth using the acronym  L.EA.R.N.

As a long-term educator, I often wish we had stressed more with students and staff about how you learn, a strategy of learnability rather than what facts you memorize for the test.

Below is an acronym based on a L.E.A.R.N. model

The L.E.A.R.N. model provides an interdependent set of building block skills to expand a leader’s L.Q. Below is a brief overview of each building block:

L . Look and Listen to be learnable

The leader whose leadership practices are grounded in curiosity, observations, and listening to others’ observations, feedback, and reports will be informed and develop their I.Q. and E.Q. as a leader. Leaders who choose to grow their L.Q. will look beyond their team, organization, and community. In an Applied Corporate Governance   article, LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING: THE NEED FOR CONSTANT EVOLUTION

The authors write leaders must be continually observing, listening, and looking. “In theory, it is very simple but in practice, requiring effort to consistently apply, this involves remembering that we have two ears and two eyes but only one mouth – and to use them in that proportion! A good leader looks and listens more than they speak. Clearly, you cannot learn anything about the people you are leading if you spend more time speaking than observing.”

Learning leaders must constantly look for new information and listen actively to their team members and the world around them. Michael Hoppe of the Center for Creative Listening emphasizes that paying attention is crucial in  Present listening. Leaders demonstrate respect by setting a comfortable tone and allowing ample time for others to speak unhurriedly. Kelly Palmer, chief learning and talent officer at Degreed, notes that L.Q. requires a “mindset change” for both employers and employees. Leaders need to be role models for learning and curiosity, creating a culture of trust that starts with leadership.

E . Engage with Empathy  by Example

Engagement and empathy are at the heart of listening and learning. Leaders with high L.Q. demonstrate empathy by understanding and responding to the needs and perspectives of their team members. They engage and connect by example, showing a commitment to continuous learning and growth. Kristen Motzer, learning director at the Legal Research Network, said, “Change in business is a constant, so naturally doing the right thing requires constant learning and development at every level of the organization.”

The leader who wants a constantly growing and developing L.Q. must learn to ask to connect to learn. The leader knows that communication leads to engagement and then learning. Understanding where people are and asking how they are doing before asking what they are doing demonstrates empathy and growth. Today’s workforce has 4-5 generations and diverse gender, racial, and faith perspectives. This wide range of learnings and perspectives can only be intentionally tapped with empathy to develop connection and engagement. Leaning into these resources and connecting with empathy builds bridges by creating a psychologically safe environment to grow and learn about failures and successes.

A. A.S.K.  and act to be learnable.

For leaders who want to expand their L.Q. and learn new questions, compelling, curious questions are the key to their education and their team’s understanding. They consider that A.S.K. = Always Seeking Knowledge. A high L.Q. leader is a humble yet confident learner. They expand their I.Q. and E.Q. using their L.Q. They will embrace a paradoxical leadership model of being a learner and teacher, as noted by Dr.Tim Elmore in the 8 Paradoxes of Great Leadership. They will fashion questions to expand connections, engage current information, and expand possibilities to face future challenges and seize future opportunities. The high L.Q. leader will act to learn, not be afraid of failure or leaving current actions, stay timely and keep to timeless values, and enhance movement forward and learning. This leader will use their L.Q. to see more before other leaders or organizations. Chris Gray writing for Personnel Today Learnability: Is L.Q. the new I.Q.?

Writes the rapid change requires A learnability I.Q. “Leaders who acknowledge this shift and act accordingly are better positioned to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace.

R Respond and reflect on being learnable.

The high L.Q. leader uses intellectual I.Q. approaches with high E.Q. skills to respond to self and others and grasp the intricacies of social interactions. Learning leaders respond to new information and reflect on their experiences to extract valuable lessons. This leader will build an organization that is Healthy and Smart. They will model this learning in response, not reaction, using what more than how. This practice demonstrates respect for others’ insights and learnings and a willingness to learn. A high L.Q. leader will dedicate time to thinking and an intentional reflection practice to review learnings and actions as insights for future actions. They will model this for those they lead and in the organization.

N Note others and never stop learning to be learnable.

The most crucial aspect of L.Q. is the commitment never to stop learning. The high L.Q. leader is humble enough and transparent to understand they don’t have all the answers or questions and seek out others to learn from, grow with, and recognize their learnings. As futurist Alvin Toffler predicted in his 1975 book Future Shock, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

Taking the time and recognizing learning in all situations grows an organization with a high L.Q.They will continually ask themselves and others what we have learned, where we are going, and how to move forward.

Focusing on intentional learning will develop a high L.Q. that a leader will create a higher I.Q. and learn to use an enhanced  E.Q . Developing a high learnability quotient is essential for leaders navigating the complexities of the modern business world. By embracing the LEARN approach – Looking and Listening, demonstrating Empathy and Engaging by example, A.S.K. and acting to be learnable, Responding and Reflecting, and Never stopping learning – leaders can cultivate the agility and adaptability needed to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Organizations that prioritize the development of L.Q. in their leaders will be better positioned to overcome challenges, drive innovation, and maintain a competitive edge in future years. As the workplace continues to evolve, those who can learn quickly will prove instrumental in growing the business and can also work with other members of the L.Q. As Peter Senge termed A learning organization, the results of these leadership choices will be. ” Senge defines “A learning organization as an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future.” The future is created by learning for any school, church, multinational, or family. A high L.Q. is required for the journey.

The Leadership Question for you then is;

1. ill you choose to grow your L.Q. to show that your belief is leadership and learning are indispensable to each other?