Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023 - 9

GUEST EDITOR
CAROLINE
WRIGHT, CPTM
4 STEPS TO SET YOUR
LEARNING RESOLUTIONS FOR 2023
" What did you learn today? " It's a
question my 12-year-old is probably
sick of hearing. Every day, I ask him
to tell me what he learned, even if
it's only one thing. I recently started
thinking about this for myself. Often,
it's something silly, like a factoid from a
favorite podcast. That learning usually
comes by accident. When I sat down
to think about my own learning and
development, I realized I need to be
much more intentional.
IF YOU DON'T
ENJOY IT,
YOU'LL LIKELY
PROCRASTINATE
OR NOT DO
IT AT ALL.
In the theme of New Year's resolutions,
let's ask ourselves: What will we learn
this year? More importantly, how will
we ensure that we're making our own
learning a priority, just as we prioritize
other critical areas of our lives?
Let's resolve to create an intentional
learning plan for ourselves.
1. DECIDE YOUR
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
What do you want or need to learn?
Is something holding you back due
to a lack of knowledge in a certain
area? Last year, my goal was to earn
the Certified Professional in Training
Management (CPTM) credential. I've
been a training manager for years,
but felt I lacked the formal instruction
and
certification
needed
to
help
my organization meet its business
challenges. Earning the certification
gave me an immense sense of
accomplishment and broadened my
network of learning professionals.
This year, I'm focusing on a foreign
language. I'm envious of those who
can connect with others in multiple
languages - it opens new ideas
and perspectives and allows closer
relationships. My learning objective
for 2023 is to study Spanish!
2. SET YOUR GOALS
Like many New Year's resolutions, a
goal that's too aspirational can easily
result in failure. I know I won't learn
to hold a conversation in Spanish
like a native speaker within a year -
that's not my goal. But I can set small,
attainable milestones on a weekly or
monthly basis. My goal is to spend
at least one hour per week studying
Spanish. That may not sound like
much, but 52 hours over the year is
attainable and realistic for me.
3. DECIDE HOW YOU'LL
ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL
There are multiple methods for learning,
from formal instruction to self-guided
study and social learning. If you choose
a formal opportunity, like a professional
certification or conference, many of
those organizations provide templates
you can use to request funding. These
templates usually focus on the benefits
you'll receive and be able to deliver
to your organization. If your goal is
less formal, explore the books, apps,
podcasts and videos available at your
fingertips. It's critical that you choose a
modality that makes sense for you. If you
don't enjoy it, you'll likely procrastinate
or not do it at all, so spend the time to
find what works for you.
4. BUILD YOUR PLAN
Decide how much time you'll dedicate
to your learning progress and put it
in
your
calendar.
Create
reminders.
This may be the hardest part. Treat
your learning just as you'd treat an
important project for work because your
development is every bit as important.
As training professionals, we're focused
on helping others learn, but we often
neglect our own need for growth.
Ask yourself, " what keeps me
motivated? " Add those motivators
to your plan. Reward yourself when
you stick to it. Maybe, like me, you
need someone to help keep you
accountable. Remember my 12-yearold
son? He's the one who's going
to help keep me accountable. He's
learning Spanish as well, and he loves
to quiz me. I can't let him down, so each
week I'll practice my language learning
app, read my Spanish phrase books
and embarrass myself in conversations
with my fluent colleagues. Remember:
Each step moves you further on your
learning journey.
Caroline Wright, CPTM, leads learning
and enablement for Webex by
Cisco; her team creates meaningful
training content and experiences
for Webex customers, partners and
customer success. She is passionate
about creating a welcoming culture
and delivering world-class learning
opportunities. Email Caroline.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER 2023 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
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https://trainingindustry.com/blog/content-development/4-tips-for-setting-effective-learning-goals/ https://trainingindustry.com/continuing-professional-development/resources-for-the-learning-leader/the-leadership-development-roadmap/ https://trainingindustry.com/continuing-professional-development/resources-for-the-learning-leader/the-leadership-development-roadmap/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/infographic-creating-a-social-learning-culture-in-the-modern-workplace/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwcptm/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023

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