In today’s society, maintaining people’s motivation to learn is paramount. L&D professionals must urgently take the lead in becoming learning influencers, sharing the love of learning throughout the entire Learning Ecosystem. To achieve this, they can draw inspiration from neuroscientists, communication psychologists (including non-verbal aspects), and marketing. By amalgamating these insights, learning transforms into a process of human interaction, connection, and knowledge exchange—an endeavour to create impactful learning experiences and disseminate the love of learning.
My love for learning aligns with Constanza Garcia, Head of Training for the sales teams at a Spanish telecom organisation. Constanza embodies a passion for learning, consistently challenging herself to explore diverse topics and engage with a broad spectrum of individuals. Diving into subjects like protocol, corporate communication, TV hosting, dubbing, photography, and even Chinese, she recently achieved a Ph.D. in non-verbal communication from the Complutense University of Madrid. Consequently, my engaging conversation with her delved into the invaluable contributions of learning influencers like herself, to organisations—their ability to create a contagious ripple effect, spreading the love of learning.
The Power of Non-Verbal Communication Among Influencers
Constanza emphasizes non-verbal communication as a vital element of silent interaction, determining how connections are formed, and learning occurs. Often, our mode of expression and knowledge transfer is thought to hinge solely on spoken words, with insufficient attention given to the ‘how.’
Consider the popularity of short TikTok videos by unknown creators. Their success lies in the ability to convey content, narrate stories, establish connections with the audience, and capture attention through shared experiences. The keys to this appeal are succinct content, impactful storytelling, and the inclusion of a valuable lesson. Significantly, it’s not just the content that matters; the non-verbal component increasingly gains prominence. Young people adeptly connect with others, share experiences naturally, employ colloquialisms, and exude unpretentious behaviour. Authenticity, conveyed through non-verbal communication, becomes the linchpin for building connections and trust.
We choose to learn not only from those who know the most, but also from those we think connect with us best. This is happening more and more, especially among young people. As such, very young people, with only a few years of experience, become certainly experts in a subject. They have turned their experiences into content and share them with great energy and confidence.
Impactful Learning to Make a Difference
Organisations often struggle to discern the disparity between disseminating information and developing impactful training or e-learning. In Constanza’s experience, the best learning experiences are crafted to significantly impact knowledge, skills, and behavioural change. Merely training on various product portfolios falls short. The key lies in fostering a genuine connection by engaging customers in natural conversations and exuding trust.
Learning with impact is not just about ‘what’ but equally about ‘how.’ It involves allowing learners to feel, experiment, and occasionally fail in a secure environment founded on mutual respect between learners and trainers. This could transpire during role plays or through materials with significant impact, such as TikTok-style short, instructive videos conveying personal messages and experiences in a unique way.
The efficacy of combining short online and offline learning moments is evident for Constanza. Weekly sharing of learning moments, often stemming from failure, supports continuous improvement. By sharing experiences and understanding their impact on individuals and customers, the team learns that everyone undergoes a learning curve. Consequently, they not only learn to discuss products but also cultivate self-confidence and radiate that confidence.
Learning Influencers and the Expanding Ripple Effect
Another shared passion between Constanza and me is the love for sharing and the social aspect of learning. Learning transcends individual knowledge enhancement; it involves inclusive learning communities where knowledge is shared based on common denominators. This could involve bringing people together based on their training interests or individuals facing similar situations with comparable skill and competence needs.
Trainers stand out as learning influencers, particularly for Constanza, to deploy within various workshops. However, the real spark ignites in these workshops, when participants are identified who can become learning influencers. Often, these individuals possess the ability to create magic that stems from a genuine desire to learn and grow with peers. This corresponds to the traditional view of aptitude and attitude, with the latter serving as a multiplier. Learning influencers or learning leaders bring a considerable amount of contagious attitude.
A learning influencer is someone who uses their influence to promote and improve the learning and education of others, often by creating and sharing impactful content.
Constanza Garcia
One common tactic is to launch challenges or tasks for groups to solve. If a learning influencer is present, they typically feel compelled to spontaneously share their experiences, potentially triggering a ripple effect among others. Another crucial aspect is that learning influencers often avoid formal knowledge-sharing. They value their time and that of others and convey crucial information conveniently without getting bogged down in details. Their primary focus is on arousing interest; the rest follows naturally. Often the influence of these informal learning influencers also extends beyond formal training sessions when they get the opportunity to share their experiences through learning channels. In turn, these online learning channels inspire others and unlock opportunities for a viral learning culture.
In fostering an inclusive learning culture, the role of learning influencers cannot be overstated. Their ability to share the love of learning through impactful experiences creates a ripple effect, influencing individuals and shaping organisational attitudes towards continuous improvement. As we embrace the contagious nature of genuine passion for learning, we pave the way for a transformative and collaborative future.
One Response
Great article! Outstanding insights on how Learning Leaders, as “guides on the side” (not “sage from the stage”) can be catalysts for participants to become Learning Influencers. The ripple effect from these multipliers spreads the learning far beyond what the original Learning Leader alone could do.Thanks for writing/sharing.