Try Something New, That’s Learning!
Are you interested to try something new? Are you the first one to taste the unknown dish at the picnic or try the unknown from the menu?
At the dinner event hors d’oeuvres are often served. The well-trained staff will likely explain the dish, the teenage volunteer will just hold it out in your space to see if you’ll take the plunge.
Fresh seafood in North Dakota may be risky, but the beef is probably a safe bet.
Exploration helps us learn. It may also be known as research.
Learning Moments
Many people will learn from mistakes. Yet sometimes they keep doing the same thing over and over. The fear of the unknown seems greater than the risk of the consequences of bad moves.
It may feel like there is safety in the known. Other times, the last thing we want is the known.
Hiring managers often have a choice between internal candidates and external candidates. It is common that they know the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the internal possibilities. Yet they are more interested to risk an outsider who they’ve spent an hour or two with during an interview.
When it comes to change, we often want safety.
Very few people are convinced that when they jump, the net will appear.
Something New
It is risk that we may evaluate incorrectly.
At the meeting, the risk of speaking up seems more threatening than the risk of watching the team make another wrong turn. You can help, or offer alternatives, but you may retreat to a place of safety.
Fear of separation may be a root cause, which then leads to action anxiety and ultimately negative fantasies. You assess the situation and become convinced that the worst outcome will result. It’s too risky.
Trying something new may be the exact thing that is holding you back.
Don’t make the same mistakes over and over. Give up some safety for calculated risk.
That’s how we learn.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
