Creating a Learning Community

Well, this thing is starting to come together, so I think it's time to talk about "research with" and "learning communities".

Traditionally, the word "research" conjures up pictures of people in white coats with clipboards (the researchers) peering at people doing something, probably through one-way mirrors (the subjects).  And they do it to find out "what is".

That's not my style.

I research to find out "what might be" (we call that Action Research).  And we do it together (we call that Co-Operative Inquiry).  My primary research subject is me; I expect yours will be you.  My primary research question is "how can I move forward in some area of my life, primarily in a way that works for me, maybe in a way that could work for you, too, and possibly in a way that could help a number of people".  In other words, the research is "For Me, For Us, For Them".

But if I'm the only person in my research project, then it gets a bit reflexive, a bit incestuous, so it's good to invite others.

I envisage a community of (more or less) intelligent adults, all of whom bring "wants and offers".

For instance, on my "wants" list, there are two learning blocks that currently bug me in my life.

The first concerns my eating habits (I have lost 100lbs this year, so I've clearly learned something, but food is perennially on my mind, and I know that as soon as I've let my guard down, the weight will all pile back, so there's clearly more to learn).

The other concerns my business.  Here, I'm not short of information, or knowledge, or motivation ... but I'm fascinated that my behaviour hasn't changed as much as I would like.  So, by my own definition, there's more learning, of some sort or other, so go.

On my offers list might be a lot of stuff about learning (in 20 years of studying adult learning, I've picked up quite a bit!)

There are a number of people I want to invite to join the group.  A friend and colleague is as overweight as me; we can support each other and research together in this field.  This friend is a master of business skills and business integrity, and could teach me a lot.  But this person is a total neophyte (and, I believe, somewhat resistant!) when it comes to using modern technology.  After 20 years in the IT industry, including running "Computing for the Terrified", I think I have something to offer here.

Another friend and colleague is similarly overweight, and worried about diabetes (which I have cured in myself).  So this person could also be part of this support group.  They know much more that I do about sailing, so maybe we could work together to develop my "Sailing for the Terrified"course that I want to run in the future.

A third, highly, intelligent person, a skilled coach and mentor, clearly has a block about writing clear English; something you'd never guess until reading something they've written, and they've helped me move forward through their coaching skills.

So, if any of this rings any bells for you, then I'd like to hear from you.  If there is some area of your life where you haven't achieved all that you want, and you feel even the faintest frisson of discomfort were I to ask "so what's stopping you?" then, by my definition, I suggest that there may be some sort of inhibitor to some aspect of your learning.

Quite how our learning community might operate, who would be a member, what we would do, where and when, and through what media, we might meet are open to discussion.

In the first instance, follow the blog, post responses, send me an email, give me a call, let's meet over coffee.

What are we Learning?

Well, I don't know what you will be learning ... and I'm interested to work with you to help you overcome your blocks, even if your subjects, and your blocks, aren't the same as mine.

But here's my initial thoughts about my own areas of inquiry.

I attended a one-day training, recently, with Theresa Lawrie-Ashton, of I Can Achieve.  All about setting goals, and setting out on the path to achieve them.  A tool that we used was the "Life Wheel".  It looks something like this.

Well, I found that quite useful, and I came up with a number of areas of my life where I feel I have work to do:

• Improving my business
• Learning to eat healthily
• Extending my knowledge and skills at sailing
• Improving my health
• Getting a better handle on money and finance
• etc

In each of these areas, I could mark my progress as "OK, but could do better".  For instance, I recently lost 100lbs in weight, and look and feel much better as a result.  However, I have another 30lbs to lose, and, right now, eating healthily has never been more difficult.

Six months ago, walking a mile was an achievement; since then I have taken up Nordic Walking, and have probably walked about 200 miles.  But it still isn't a natural, automatic part of my life.

Susan and I have achieved quite an advanced position in our company.  A company that is one of the UK's top-performing companies.  And we are on track for a further promotion within 6 months or so.  But, whilst we know what we need to do to achieve the success we want, we frequently don't do it.  So, in each of these areas, I am not fulfilling my own definition of "total learning".  So, by my own definition, I have a "learning block".

One of the most interesting areas, to me, is learning to eat healthily.  In almost any group of people, if I raise this subject, I will be inundated with "data", "information", and "advice".  I should eat this, or not eat that, or read this book, or that book.

I'm 61 years old.  I've been overweight since I was 21.  I am a reasonably intelligent person, and someone who reads a lot.  And I lost 100lbs between June and October 2009.

I was/am diabetic (blood sugar levels now normal), and used to have high blood pressure (now normal), and I hve a happy life that I want to continue.

So, I have the knowledge.  I have the skills.  I have the motivation, and I have the attitude.  But there's still something to learn.

Back in 1974 I was a moderately heavy smoker.  For the last 30+ years smoking rarely entered my consciousness.  Show me a cigarette, and I don't react to it in any way.  I don't crave it; I don't recoil from it.  It has nothing whatsoever to do with me.  In fact I rarely, if ever, think about my history as a smoker.

"Not smoking" is a totally-learned lesson for me.

While I was losing my 100lbs, food was (and still is) constantly on my mind.  People who know me well are so impressed by the obvious outward manifestation of my weight loss, that they are mystified when I say that most of the work is still to do.

Many of my work colleagues who haven't achieved the promotion status that I have achieved assume that I must know it all.  But I know that if my behaviour was different, I would have achieved the next promotion six months or more ago, rather than in 6 months time.

And if (when) I achieve this piece of learning, I know I can pass it on to our team.

These are some of the things that I want to learn.

What do you want to learn today?