(2023-03-15) Rothman Choose Learning Partners For Fun And Mutual Benefit

Johanna Rothman: Choose Learning Partners for Fun and Mutual Benefit. Do you ever want to bounce ideas off someone else? Or learn the way they approach a particular problem? I'm not talking about anyone's specific capabilities. Instead, we can enhance our abilities by working with someone else. That brings its problem: How do you choose that learning partner? (pairing)

I have criteria for each person I choose to learn with

They bring something unique to the work.

We each agree on the overarching goal. And we're willing to learn together, to refine that goal and the work.

We respect the other(s) for their point of view.

We have fun together

Given those criteria, you can choose internal colleagues as learning partners.

Choose an External Colleague as a Learning Partner

consultants have much more leeway to choose a fellow consultant to learn together.

Learning Partners Can Make the Work Better and More Fun

Gil and I have designed and delivered several workshops together

When we work with another person, we can gain several benefits

The first is that we create a better work product.

the other person often has a different perspective. We can use our diverse expertise to create something better than either of us could alone.

And if we can have more fun doing it—that's the icing on the cake.