Develop confidence in your life and business through experiential learning.
Growing up on a farm, experiential training was how I learned to do things. I didn’t attend a class or listen to a lecture. I got my hands, and most of the time my entire body, dirty to learn how to do what needed to be done.
I was constantly observing what was happening around me and my dad would try to take time to explain what do to, however, there would be times when that wasn’t possible. So, I would make a decision to try the plan I thought would work best to resolve the challenge. Well, sometimes it was perfect and other times I needed to adjust it a bit and yes, there were times I needed to start completely over. The next steps were based on what I learned.
As humans, we have five senses to gather oodles of information and deliver it to our unique powerhouse processor stored between our ears. Learning to use our senses through experience can be a transformative way to build confidence in our ability to create a solution and learn a new craft or skill.
The college path I choose was in healthcare. After sitting through the lecture, using my ears to learn how to do a procedure, I would then go into the clinical setting to observe and do, which is where the other four senses kicked into gear. The motto at the time was, “see one, do one, teach one.” Once again, hands on learning through experience.
I continue to use this model of learning in all aspects of my life as a business owner, Mum, and wife. I teach and support my clients through experiential learning as they test out their new ideas, processes and ways of being in the world.
The clients I work with experience ah-ha moments and transformation when they are dipping their toes in the water and trying out new ways of thinking and doing.
Many times we wait until we think we have the “perfect” idea to start. This reminds me of an Arthur Ashe quote, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
What idea or change have you been waiting to try either in your business or life?
As you may know, I was invited to join the Forbes Coaches Council, and as a member, I was recently chosen to contribute to an article: Why Experiential Learning Should Be Part of Employee Training. The information in the article may provide you the confidence to move forward and integrate experiential learning within your business and/or life.
Here’s my thought contribution from the article:
Why Experiential Learning Should Be Part of Employee Training
Tip #1: It Moves Us Beyond Theory
“Experiential learning provides an opportunity for continuous learning and improvement. Learning by doing provides the learner with instant feedback and the ability to reflect on what to keep doing, what to tweak and repeat, or what to change altogether. It's a great way to test competency to know if additional support would be helpful to create success for the learner. It moves us beyond theory.”
– Kris McCrea Scrutchfield, PCC, www.McCreaCoaching.com
I trust this will help you navigate next steps to take. If you would like to chat more about how to move into the testing phase of your idea or change you’d like to make, click here to set up a free discovery session with me today.