It was 1984 when Kolb developed this model, and 1994 when I learned about it. Like many humans, I use tools or practices for a while and even when I'm getting great value from them, I simply stop doing what works at some point. What IS that?? No idea what causes this, but it's insidious in its ability to undo all the good stuff we develop as habits. The only thing I have found to combat this effect is going back to journals I have written for over 30 years.
In my latest perusing, I found the several-year practice of using this learning cycle to speed up my learning during the early days of starting a business. It was an overwhelming time and I needed a process to assimilate all the new experiences I was having.
Thirty years later, the world has tossed me into the same arena. This time, it feels not of my own doing but more of a reaction to a world that is changing so quickly that the opportunities to learn rapidly, have again presented themselves. Well, opportunities may be putting it too nicely; demands may be more accurate. As an experiment, I went back to my old friend the Learning Cycle and activated it with the help of my new friend ChatGPT. The results have been exciting for me and I hope you find it helpful as well.
The Kolb Model
The key is in using the model to force yourself to this step by step through each phase. We've made it easy for you by creating a template of questions for the four phases of learning. Use the template to prompt yourself to answer the questions and see what you learn. For a little added fun, let ChatGPT or Copilot complete the Abstract phase for you by prompting it with some of the questions we've provided in the template below like:
- What theories, principles, or concepts relate to this experience?
- What insights or lessons can I draw from reflecting on this event?
- How does this align or contrast with best practices or expert knowledge in my field?
- What new ideas or strategies can I develop from this analysis?
Summary of Results
After two weeks of using it, I can see real progress and momentum in my learning. I am enjoying the practice of learning from my experiences and am seeing the benefits on four levels:
- Using the cycle as a daily journal to surface the most important learning opportunities every day.
- Using the cycle with intention for things I want to learn more about going forward.
- Using the cycle documentation as a way of going back and digging deeper into the most challenging issues and problems.
- Using the cycle for shared experiences and learning with my team. Nothing accelerates learning like the ability to learn from others' experiences too. Challenge yourself to be vulnerable and share your latest learning cycle with people on your team!
Closing
Maybe I never should have stopped using it. Or maybe I allowed it to change the way I process experiences and felt I didn't need the structure of the practice of documenting. I'm truly not sure, but today it's the discipline of the KLC structure that keeps my highly distractable mind from bouncing off in 6 other directions when I approach the learning with this tool. I hope you'll try it and I hope turns you into a super learner!
Give it a try in your world and let me know how it goes! I'd love to hear your examples.
Learn quickly my friends - opportunities abound! Stay curious and productive.
