Cultivating Curiosity: How C-Suite Leaders Can Foster a Learning Culture

Companies that react fast and adapt well to changing environments perform better over time. To adapt often means learning something new – like a skill or best practice, or how to navigate software advances. That’s why learning has become essential more-than-ever to success, for individuals and organizations alike.

Gone are the days when organizations could sit back and simply be content with the status quo. Staying ahead of the curve requires businesses to demonstrate agility, responsiveness, and a determination to embrace new ideas and ways of doing things. 

“Learning is more than a luxury,” comments Umair Safdar, Managing Partner at Signium Germany. “A globally changing business culture and the continual introduction of new technologies require organizations to foster learning as a core value. And so learning is now a mindset that’s necessary to drive growth and innovation and ensure a position for sustained competitive advantage. You have to be confident enough to learn and fail because genuine organic growth and true learning comes from failure. There is no shame in failing as long as the learning is implemented in the 2^nd iteration” 

World icon views on the benefits of learning 

Learning is nothing new, of course. In fact, humankind’s search for knowledge and meaning spans the ages and remains paramount to our survival – even if the context has changed. Although the way that we learn has evolved the essence of it remains the same, and many words spoken by some of history’s greatest names still ring true.  

Determination is the number 1 learning power 

In the words of the inspirational Zig Ziglar, “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”  

Learning, by nature, is a proactive and self-driven act. Although external support and resources are important, they’re ineffective without the learner’s willingness and determination. When approached with the right attitude, learning translates to immense personal power: obtaining the information and skills to confront difficult circumstances with agility and exceed greater objectives, over time.  

The value of learning is immeasurable 

Developmental psychologist, Howard Gardner, once said, “If you think education is expensive, try estimating the cost of ignorance.” 

When facilitating any kind of learning within an organization, leaders typically want to understand what kind of return to expect from their investment. To an extent, we can measure KPIs and collect performance data, but what we’re not able to measure is the potential losses that could have been incurred without providing learning opportunities.  

Umair adds, “We really can’t afford to neglect learning in the workplace. There’s a cost attached to ignorance, felt the hardest by companies that choose not to invest in learning and development, despite rapidly changing circumstances.” 

It is just as necessary to “unlearn”  

Greek philosopher, Antisthenes, made this profound statement: “The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.” 

While it may seem counterintuitive at first, the concept of unlearning provides the platform for organizations to challenge assumptions, promote continuous evolution, remain competitive, and encourage critical thinking and self-reflection. The ability to let go of outdated or misaligned ideas or practices is as important as the drive to acquire new knowledge.  

Five ways that learning develops organizational agility 

Learning culture is the foundation for organizational agility. When employees are encouraged to continuously expand their knowledge, skills, and perspectives, they become better equipped to adapt to evolving market conditions, address emerging challenges, and seize new opportunities.  

When C-suite leaders proactively nurture a learning culture, they unlock a range of benefits for their organizations, including: 

1. Increased adaptability 

Employees who are adept at constant learning develop the ability to quickly acquire new skills and knowledge. This allows the organization to pivot and adapt to shifting market demands with relative ease.  

2. Enhanced innovation  

Learning environments empower people to experiment, take calculated risks, and challenge existing practices. It’s in these settings that they’re more likely to produce innovative solutions to drive the business forward. 

3. Improved Performance 

Ongoing learning and skill development increase employee competence, productivity, and job satisfaction – these are the very organizational ingredients that contribute to better collaboration and performance. 

4. Stronger Competitive Advantage 

An organization with learning at the heart of its culture will be better equipped with the tools and knowledge to anticipate industry trends and maintain a leading edge in the market. 

5. Elevated Employee Engagement  

By investing in employee growth and providing opportunities for ongoing learning, businesses can foster a sense of loyalty and belonging.  

Umair shares his experience as a trusted advisor in executive placement: “What we’ve witnessed in organizations that implement ongoing learning is compelling. It inspires better productivity, reduces staff turnover and the losses associated with recruitment, and enhances the company’s reputation. Employee engagement cannot be overlooked as a major benefit of ongoing learning.”  

How to develop a strategy to drive learning 

To cultivate a thriving learning culture, C-suite leaders must take a multifaceted approach that inspires employees and leaders at all levels to embrace continuous learning. One company that’s made leaps and bounds on building a learning culture is the global internet organization, Google. Google’s unconventional talent strategies are considered groundbreaking, and the proof speaks for itself.  

Among Google’s many innovative approaches, their “20% Time Policy” allows employees to spend 20% of their time working on projects that spark their interest, even if the projects are not directly related to their work. Google also encourages its people to engage in continual learning through educational reimbursement programs, Google Tech Talks, Googler-to-Googler peer learning and coaching platforms, leadership development programs, and vast learning resources and libraries. 

Although it may seem madness to facilitate what essentially amounts to 20% of “playtime” while on the job, some of Google’s most successful features were a direct result of their 20% Time Policy – including Gmail, AdSense, and Google Maps.  

Organizations looking to grow and accelerate learning and development as a company culture could take their first steps in some of the following ways.  

• Invest in training and development programs 

One of the most obvious ways for C-suite leaders to build a learning culture is by investing in high-quality training and development programs. These initiatives can take many forms, from in-house workshops and online courses to industry conferences and certifications. 

• Establish mentorship and coaching collaborations 

Mentorship programs and one-on-one coaching are powerful tools for fostering ongoing learning. By pairing experienced professionals with emerging talent, organizations can facilitate the transfer of knowledge, insights, and best practices, while also nurturing their people’s professional growth and development. 

• Encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration 

Creating opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing can enhance a company’s learning culture. Some ideas to facilitate this include initiatives like regular “lunch and learn” sessions, where employees can present their expertise and insights to their colleagues, or internal communities that bring together individuals with shared interests or areas of focus. 

• Recognize and reward continuous learning efforts 

C-suite leaders can reinforce the impact of learning by implementing recognition and reward systems that celebrate those who consistently demonstrate dedication to their own professional development. This can include traditional awards, promotions, or more informal accolades at company-wide meetings or via internal communications.  

• Foster a growth mindset 

To echo Zig Ziglar’s sentiments, cultivating a growth mindset – the belief that one’s abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – is essential for creating a culture of learning. C-suite leaders can model this mindset themselves and encourage their teams to embrace challenges, view failures as learning opportunities, and continuously seek out new ways to grow and improve. 

• Provide time and resources for learning 

Because learning serves such an imperative purpose to an organization’s success, C-suite leaders should make allowances for the time employees need to engage in learning activities. This might also include providing financial support for those pursuing external learning opportunities that could benefit this business.  

One company that lives this value is the online shoe retailer, Zappos. Known for their progressive approach to people management, and for having happy, fulfilled employees, Zappos has a free training hub called Zappos U. One employee, Ryo Hanalei Zsun, began his career at Zappos as a barista. After taking a free course in public speaking at Zappos U, his career took an exciting turn. Zsun is now a global ambassador of the shoe brand and gives keynote talks around the world.  

• Leverage technology to enhance learning 

The digital age has ushered in a wealth of learning technologies and platforms that enhance the learning experience. From online training modules and virtual classrooms to collaborative learning tools and knowledge management systems, C-suite leaders should explore the technologies that best support their organization’s learning objectives. 

Leading by example – a C-Suite’s commitment to lifelong learning 

For C-suite leaders to foster a learning-oriented culture within their organizations, they must model the behavior they wish to see in their employees. This means demonstrating a personal commitment to ongoing learning and adaptability, continually seeking out new knowledge, skills, and perspectives to enhance their own leadership capabilities.  

Umair emphasizes that when executives prioritize their own development, it sends a powerful message to their teams. He says, “As the custodians of a company’s future, C-suite executives are in the position to champion learning as a core value of the organization. They can do this by actively sharing their insights, lessons learned, successes and failures, and the ways they’ve adapted to changes over the years. They can use their journey to inspire and empower their employees to embrace a similar mindset of continuous development.”  

Organizations that aspire to build lasting legacies in a fast-changing world should heed the wisdom of the old sage, Dr. Seuss, who once wrote:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”