“I didn’t really learn anything…new.”
(ugh)
I was wrapping up a session, going around the room and asking folks what they’d learned from our time together. I care, a lot, about making sure the people I coach get something that’s meaningful to them out of our time.
It was as much as how he said it as the words themselves.
My gut reaction was to start looking for a “better,” “newer,” more “exciting” way to explain what we covered. To persuade him that he did learn something new, even if he didn’t recognize it.
I almost opened my mouth to say something and then didn’t. I took a breath, said thank you and moved on.
You see, we live in a world that’s constantly on the lookout for the newest, sexiest, idea. We’re exposed to a never-ending streams information and media messaging telling us to “cut through the noise.”
The pressure to change what we’re doing to “keep up” is real.
What I know though is that the most powerful lessons are ones we’ve heard over and over again in different ways. My message that day had value for those who heard it and made the decision to use it (it takes two to tango).
It’s OK with me if he didn’t learn anything new. What I’d like to go back and ask him is “What will do you with what you’ve learned today?”
Knowledge is useless unless we put it into action.