At our family dinner table, we have a routine of asking questions while we’re all together. My children, Ajay (5) and Adelynn (3), are quick to hold us accountable and are usually the first to start asking the two questions that almost always come up: “What are you grateful for?” and “What did you learn today?”. The questions usually lead to meaningful conversation about what stood out during our day and are a reminder of what is important to us.

I believe that if you want to be a better leader, you have to commit to being a lifelong learner. Too many people take the approach that they went to school for 17 or 18 years, learned what they needed to and then are just supposed to apply it for the rest of their life. Or they go through training at a new job and then assume that they are equipped to do that job for many years to come. I’m sure you’re familiar with some of these people - they usually get passed up for promotions and opportunities to work on new projects and then wonder why their peers were chosen over them. I know personally I’ve learned a heck of a lot since the time I graduated from college and being intentional about learning has helped immensely in my career.

There is a lot of science on the benefits of constant learning. Ongoing education has been proven to change the functionality of the brain, leading to better memory and quicker processing abilities. Adults however, aren’t always the best learners. We tend to not ask questions for fear of looking stupid. We value busyness and quick results over activities that provide more long term benefit like reading, taking classes, researching and watching educational programs. And when we do invest time in learning, we aren’t very good at retaining that information. After one hour, people retain less than half the information presented and the information we do retain can decay or fade over time if we don’t access it enough.

That is why it’s critical to create a learning plan for yourself. One that allows the brain to build on existing knowledge. There are a myriad of ways to learn, so pick what resonates best with you. You may commit to watching one Ted Talk every day, take a master class once a week, replace music with a book on tape on your drive to work, make time to pick up an actual book instead of your phone at night, or sign up for a class on that hobby you’ve wanted to try. If you commit to doing something that will help you grow, expand your knowledge and stimulate your brain, it will make you a better leader regardless of the content you’ve sought out to learn. As we continue to see advances in technology and information we have to continue to grow ourselves if we want to continue to have an impact on the people around us. So what did you learn today?

*Each week I share a leadership message with our team and we are honored to share it with you via MIBE Tribe. MIBE (the acronym for Make It Better Everyday) Tribe delivers education on heart leadership and intentional culture building for the hospitality industry.