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“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Learning as a skill refers to the ability to learn fast and effectively. It’s a core competency that enhances employability and enables us to adapt and thrive in competitive workplaces. However, learning new things is a difficult challenge in our quest to achieve life-work balance.  In this article, we’ll try to understand what is learning as a skill and how to improve our learning strategies.

What is learning as a skill?

Learning is a field tightly linked to lifelong development. Learning how to learn is a lifelong skill that we are constantly practising. In the global context of AI evolution, learning skills are more important than ever in social and professional contexts. The learning process, especially understanding learning habits and behaviours is a key approach to turning learning skills into lifelong mastery.

Numerous authors have defined the learning process as a vital skill involving social adaptation, integration and evolution in our society. For example, B. Bloom insists on the cognitive process importance of learning in skills development, while J. H. Favel underlines that learning is also about learning how to learn awareness, which allows us to improve our learning strategies. D. A. Kolb sees learning as an adaptive process enabling people to transform their life experiences into knowledge through reflection and practice.

Learning is a core skill for social adaptation

Overall, a common characteristic of learning definitions we can observe in most efforts to understand what is learning is adaptability. Especially from a social perspective, learning new skills contributes to our social adaptability.

This is because of its role in adjustments to social dynamics, cultural changes, and interpersonal relationships. So, we can safely say that from childhood until old age learning is the foundation of any skills acquisition and continuous professional development.

Learning as a skill

Learning as a skill implies acquiring and applying new information and knowledge throughout life. Generally, skills are expertise acquired through practice, training or work experience. Most skills are transferable across industries, can be improved over time, and are easy to assess and correlate to the effectiveness of task performance.

Periodic training in learning skills sharpens our abilities and improves the learning process. Learning how to learn gives everyone an edge in solving professional problems, and contributes to a fulfilling personal and professional life. So, getting better at learning complements and contributes to learning technical skills or any other abilities.

How to improve learning Skills?

One approach is to start with strengths we already possess. Using personal characteristics in the learning process might prove a winning strategy. To improve learning skills a self-assessment will help understand learning habits or preferences. Also, a personality test will reveal personal traits and give you an idea about your learning strengths and preferences. Also, a learning style test can help learning habits by setting goals for improving learning skills.

Three personal traits to consider for improving learning

Whether following a rigorous learning plan or learning in chunks when possible having a learning objective is important. Information or skills gained will need time to settle in and they might come in handy when least expected.  

Soft skills are also personal attributes, character and qualities. Personality traits are characteristics, thinking and feeling patterns, behaviours and habits that define people’s personalities. These qualities and even flaws can influence how we approach learning and respond to everyday life challenges.

We can create learning strategies either to compensate for certain traits or leverage strengths. Communication, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership are some of the soft skills pursued by employers.

Personal strengths can help us improve and embrace the growth mindset. Below are three personal traits that can boost your learning.

1. Adaptability – facilitates learning new things

People who are periodically participating in training programs or courses are most likely to have a good learning skill level and are agile. Also, good learners can make more informed decisions and embrace complex tasks as learning challenges.

Learning skills are a good contributor to organisational adaptability. Our capacity to adjust behaviours and attitudes in response to new situations or circumstances is essential to survive in changing environments. Willingness to learn new things is a good indicator of adaptability in an organisational context.

2. Critical thinking – helps make informed decisions

Critical thinking is one of the most valuable personal characteristics involving a structural and analytical mindset. This soft skill is particularly useful when important decisions need to be taken. Critical thinking definition across disciplines underlines critical thinkers’ ability to analyse and assess information.

Also, critical thinking is the sign of an inquisitive mind questioning the status quo and always searching for new solutions. Learning is easier for critical thinkers because of their capability to ask pertinent questions and consider different points of view.

3. Curiosity –motivates learning new things

Having a sense of wonder and being curious about new things is a great advantage for learning.  Curiosity can generate excitement and motivation to seek new explanations and embrace uncertainty. While learning, curiosity drives encouragement to explore and discover new answers.

According to a study,  there is a connection between the brain mechanism that supports psychological reward motivation and curiosity. This is why it’s important to stimulate curiosity while learning and create effective learning experiences. Overall, we can say that for curious minds learning seems easier and their inquisitive mind facilitates new information retention.

Strategies for soft skills development

The continuous evolution of automation and AI is transforming most workplaces. Generative AI tools are already used to enhance skills and stay competitive. Most predictions on the future of work show that AI tools will be integrated into the skill set. In this context, learning skills would play an important role in balancing the job market.

1. Assessments of the skillset

Start with a self-assessment of your skillset to decide what to learn. There are free skills assessments or free personality questionnaires that can give you an idea of the skill set. However, even if personality assessments indicate the lack of some personal qualities among your strengths, they still can be cultivated. Whether you want to develop a soft or hard skill focus should be on creating a solid learning strategy.

Below are five easy steps to further develop strengths or skills gaps:

• Identify your strengths and weaknesses
• Set SMART learning objectives for each skill or  quality you chose to learn
• Draft a learning development plan – include each learning activity and deadline
• Seek feedback and support from your peers
• Practice makes perfect –  seek opportunities to practice and continuously improve

2. Use of generative AI tools for learning

A recent work trend report shows that people are already using AI tools on their jobs, despite their employers not investing in training for AI tools. According to this survey, using generative AI tools elevates expectations for career progression implying that competition sets higher standards. 53% of people who use AI at work worry that using it on important work tasks makes them look replaceable.

So, not using AI tools is disadvantageous for employers and people because others are already using it, even if this is partially because of fear of missing out. Having solid learning skills and cultivating personal qualities can be a real edge in professional environments.

Continuous improvement of soft skills like problem-solving, creativity, curiosity, and adaptability can become a lifelong mastery through practice in today’s evolving world. Though social and technological changes are unavoidable, little by little, by making small but consistent steps we can remain competitive and even surpass any expectations.