The Value of Un-Learning

Being a constant learner was a value Chick-fil-A, Inc. instilled in me during my time there.  “Once you stop learning, you stop growing,” was the admonition.  I believe that.

One aspect of learning that gets little notoriety though is the value of un-learning.  For example, we all bring certain presuppositions to the table based on our previous experiences and lessons.  That’s called life.  And those very experiences and lessons influence our perception of the present and future.  That’s good, but also a bit dangerous.

As the writer Anais Nin says, “We don’t see things as they are.  We see things as we are.”  That’s a powerful difference.

To see things as they really are and not how we perceive them to be takes a strong self-awareness, for both organizations and individuals.  It’s why change is often so difficult.  Our experiences and life lessons are so imbedded within us that sometimes we can’t see the need for or necessity of change. 

We have to be willing to un-learn what we’ve learned.  That’s not to suggest that what we’ve learned is necessarily wrong.  However, the value of un-learning is that it keeps what we have learned fresh and dynamic.  And yes, there are times when we discover that our perceptions and assumptions are wrong, or out-dated.  Either way, learning how to un-learn is a valuable tool.

This, of course, begs the question, “How do you un-learn?”

Later this week on the blog, I will give you what I think are a few helpful “un-learning tactics.”  In the meantime, how do you un-learn?

Jeff

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