In today's accelerated world, success hinges on one's ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn. As the wheels of "business as usual" came to a halt in March, many found themselves grappling with the need to adapt to new ways of working and living. Dr. Margie Warrell, a Type-A personality who thrives on human interaction, initially resisted the shift to conducting all her work online. However, she soon realized that thriving in this new reality required stepping out of her technological comfort bubble and mastering new skills.
The concept of unlearning and relearning has never been more relevant. Futurist Alvin Toffler once wrote, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." To navigate uncharted terrain, one must continually challenge their mental maps and assumptions. Leaders who hide behind over-curated, over-sanitized communications are now considered inauthentic, while those willing to engage in more candid, unfiltered interactions are lauded.
Curiosity and humility are essential for continuous learning. Most people live with answers to questions they've never thought to ask, limiting their potential for growth. By asking more questions and seeking out information that contradicts our assumptions, we can expand our possibilities and improve the status quo. Bill Marriott, in a conversation with Dr. Warrell, emphasized the importance of humility in leadership, stating, "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, pretty soon you'll be the only guy in the room."
Embracing the discomfort of change is crucial for staying relevant in a rapidly evolving world. While sticking to familiar ways may spare psychological discomfort in the short term, it puts one at risk of losing their place in a world marching forward. Dr. Warrell herself had to unlearn familiar ways of delivering keynotes and workshops to adapt to the virtual landscape.
Unlearning and relearning is not a means to an end, but an end in itself. The key to unlearning lies not in the teacher, but in the student, in one's openness to being challenged and letting go of what they think they know to relearn what they need to know. As author Jim Collins wrote, "The most important lessons lay not in what I needed to learn, but in what I first needed to unlearn."
