Today more than ever, organizations need to adapt quickly to the changing conditions to stay successful. Technology and business processes are evolving rapidly, workforce demographics are shifting, and new competitive pressures are surfacing as a result of the pandemic. In this context, the only companies that can thrive are those that encourage a continuous learning mindset and offer their people in-person and online training to help them improve their skills.

Every company has two types of learners. As synthesized by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, some people have a "fixed" mindset, and others have a "growth" one. The first type usually wants to learn only the skills they need to perform a specific task. The second one sees every challenge as an opportunity to learn something new and broaden their skill set. Both groups can benefit from a culture of continuous learning as it can help them stay up-to-date with practices related to their jobs, adapt quickly to change, and even explore parallel roles or new career paths. So the key for leadership teams is to understand what drives each employee to learn and provide them with orientation and tools to satisfy their needs.

Most organizations have a one-off approach when it comes to training their people. That approach often results in poor performance, constant reskilling, and employee turnover—which costs companies significantly more than investing in coaching or online training. In contrast, people are less likely to leave an organization that encourages a continuous learning mindset and cares for the professional development of their employees. Companies with a continuous learning culture also are at the forefront of innovation. According to a study conducted by Deloitte, these firms are 46% more likely to be first to market, experience 37% higher productivity, and are 92% more likely to innovate.

Steps to promote a continuous learning mindset

• Provide accessible, up-to-date content in different formats and an engaging learning experience: in this technological era, we are all familiar with most online training options: video tutorials, e-learning courses, podcasts, e-books, content libraries, etc. These resources allow us to learn in a self-paced way, and the short, single-subject nature of microlearning makes continuous learning compatible with our busy schedules. However, knowledge and skills are easier to acquire when we can interact with other learners, apply what we've learned to the real world, and reflect on our learning process. Learning companies often struggle to provide these types of engaging experiences.

That is why the flywheel pillars of Dream See Do (DSD) are Connect, Practice, and Reflect. DSD's LXP (Learning Experience Platform) allows learners to interact live and asynchronously with their facilitators and peers, invite supporters, and give each other targeted feedback. It also enables and encourages practice, which is fundamental to master any skill, and offers people regular opportunities to pause and reflect on their performance, process the learning experience, and improve progressively.

• Gather insights and reward curiosity: as leaders, we need to take advantage of all the insights online learning platforms offer us. Tracking elective learning allows us to see which topics are the most popular and identify which employees are engaging more. Publicly rewarding their curiosity and self-directed training can motivate them to continue learning and inspire others to do the same.
• Encourage social learning experiences: the learning platform company Degreed found that 87% of employees say that sharing knowledge with their peers is critical for their learning. Companies traditionally encourage social learning through team collaboration, group discussions, intranet interaction, and feedback. Dream See Do's platform adds another layer of connection, support, and growth to social learning, something that's usually missing from these experiences.

As we mentioned before, learners feel more engaged when they have the chance to discuss ideas and practice with their coaches and peers, support each other, and reflect on their individual and collective experiences. DSD lets both learners and facilitators stay connected throughout the learning experience and participate in self-reflection, peer reflection, and group reflection.

You can read more on the benefits of a continuous learning mindset, see statistics, and learn how leading companies are making an impact through this culture on our list of sources:

• Leading in Learning: Building capabilities to deliver on your business strategy, Bersin By Deloitte.
• Teachers as Adult Learners: Re-conceptualizing Professional Development By James A. Gregson and Patricia A. Sturko (PDF).
• How To Foster A Culture Of Continuous Learning By Ashu Goel (On Forbes).
• Promoting a Continuous Learning Mindset with Online Training By Krista Brubaker (On Training Industry).
• Learning Is Not a One-Time Event! How to Promote Continuous Learning In Your Company (On Shift Learning).
• Quality Self-Reflection Through Reflection Training By Bahar Gün (PDF).
• Carol Dweck: A Summary of Growth and Fixed Mindsets (On Farnam Street blog).

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