It’s Time to Be a Learner Again

Things Aren’t As Different as We Think

The line that follows was in a State of the Union Address of a US President. Read it and then guess who said it (and/or in what year).

“…how far the advances of science have outrun our social consciousness, how much more we have developed scientifically than we are capable of handling emotionally and intellectually…”

Get your mental guess before you read on…

It comes from Dwight Eisenhower's 1954 State of the Union Address

Even though the title of the article might have forced you to think earlier than the last 3 or 4 years, I’m betting you didn’t go back 72 years.

Every time I read the line I think I could have been written yesterday.

Whether it’s because we don’t study history, hubris, or some other reason, we think the changes we are seeing today are earth-shattering and different than any changes in earlier generations.

We look at past changes knowing what followed, and it seems like a straight line with clear outcomes. When we are living in a change, we can’t see that.

Yes, we are living in a time of significant change. We see the challenges and opportunities that new technology today presents us.

And …

We need to recognize that at most levels, change is change and we can study the past to help us lead change into the future better.

While we don’t know what the future holds, when we look back and see that we (or those before us) navigated their uncertainty and found success, we bolster our belief that we can do the same.

We can’t remove the uncertainty, but we can build our confidence in being able to navigate it successfully. When we can do that, we will be less stressed and anxious. And from that more confident place we can lead others through the uncertainty more successfully too.

It’s Time to Be a Learner Again

It’s a presumptuous title. Because I don’t know where you are as a learner as you read these words.

I’ll stand by it.

Regardless of our age, disposition, or current learning-willingness.

It’s time.