How I Learn – Part 2

#2: I Translate it Down.

A second skill I have acquired in this process of Learning as a Leader is the ability to translate down. Let me explain. When watching or listening to someone who is ahead of you on a leadership or organizational level, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with thoughts of, “We could never do that!!!” or “it must be nice to have all those resources or money to do that…”

In order to translate down, I’m looking for 3 things:

1. Transferable Principles. Just because another organization may have more resources or money or manpower, doesn’t mean that what they’re doing can’t be transferred to your organization. The secret is to find the hidden principles that are in play. In our organization we call this, “The Why behind the What and How.” Too often we only look at the What or How, instead we need to understand Why they are doing what they’re doing the way they’re doing it.

2. Invisible Indispensables. There’s always more than meets the eye when it comes to learning. I am always looking for those things that are often hidden beneath the surface of a teaching. This is not always easy to do, but it’s worth it. Here’s another way we refer to it: What’s the story behind the story.

3. How can I take the Why and use it at my level? Maybe you don’t have the finances or manpower to do what they’re doing exactly as they do it, but give yourself permission to think of a different How but the same What.

? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate yourself at Translating Down what you learn from others who are ahead of you on the leadership journey?

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt