O<\/span>rganizations today are in constant flux. Industries are consolidating, new business models are emerging, new technologies are being developed, and consumer behaviors are evolving. For executives, the ever-increasing pace of change can be especially demanding. It forces them to understand and quickly respond to big shifts in the way companies operate and how work must get done. In the words of Arie de Geus, a business theorist, The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”17px”][vc_column_text]I\u2019m not talking about relaxed armchair or even structured classroom learning. I\u2019m talking about resisting the bias against doing new things, scanning the horizon for growth opportunities,<\/span> and pushing yourself to acquire radically different capabilities\u2014while still performing your job. That requires a willingness to experiment and become a novice again and again: an extremely discomforting notion for most of us.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”33px”][vc_column_text]\n

Share What You\u2019ve Learnt<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”16px”][vc_column_text]Over decades of coaching and consulting to thousands of executives in a variety of industries, however, my colleagues and I have come across people who succeed at this kind of learning. We\u2019ve identified four attributes they have in spades: aspiration, self-awareness, curiosity, and vulnerability. They truly want to understand and master new skills; they see themselves very clearly; they constantly think of and ask good questions; and they tolerate their own mistakes as they move up the learning curve.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”41px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1562834963653{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][wgl_carousel slide_to_show=”2″ use_pagination=”” prev_next_bg_color=”rgba(51,57,73,0.8)” slides_to_scroll=”true” infinite=”true” use_prev_next=”true” custom_prev_next_color=”true”][vc_single_image image=”330″ img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1569573220097{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”331″ img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1569573227948{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”332″ img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1569573234410{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/wgl_carousel][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”41px”][vc_column_text]\n

Of course, these things come more naturally to some people than to others. But, drawing on research in psychology and management as well as our work with clients, we have identified some fairly simple mental tools anyone can develop to boost all four attributes\u2014even those that are often considered fixed (aspiration, curiosity, and vulnerability).[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”31px”][vc_column_text]\n

Focusing on benefits, not challenges, is a good way to increase your aspiration. There are no secrets to success.<\/p>\n