Wednesday Wisdom: Learning in lockdown
Welcome to another Wednesday Wisdom. Every week, I share with you what I'm thinking about life, work, and leadership. This week we're talking about the power of learning when our brains are working differently.
I always have my best ideas on a plane. It's not great in lockdown, I'll admit, but there's something about putting myself in a different situation that brings the clarity I need to solve simmering problems and get some new perspective.
I'm not strange, either. (OK, not for that reason...) Lots of bright ideas were conceived in unexpected circumstances. J.K. Rowling mentally drafted the first Harry Potter book on a four-hour train ride. Archimedes figured out buoyancy in the bath.
There's a reason for this - and it's the same reason I ask leadership teams to go off-site whenever they can. A 2018 Yale Study found that uncertainty can "prime" the brain for learning. When a situation is unfamiliar or difficult to predict, we have more activity in our prefrontal cortex, compared to when the outcome is more certain. The result = better learning.
Lots of people have chosen to use lockdown as an opportunity to learn a new skill - whether that's baking bread, or knitting. It's a refreshing antidote to trying to do the same things under challenging circumstances. The dopamine hit we get from figuring new stuff out is a mood-booster that helps us to feel more capable and in-control, as the world around us feels a bit wobbly.
We've been thinking about how best to serve all you lovely mates during lockdown, and how to offer you up bite-sized learning that won't overwhelm you in an already tricky time. (Also, I've got three homeschooling girls at home who each seem to need 7 meals a day, so my time is a bit limited too.)
On that note, we're doing a couple of really exciting things 🤩
1.Live in Lockdown: Your Mini (na)MBA
We're continuing our morning lives on LinkedIn, at 9am every day this week, to help you kick-start your day. The response to last week's mini-series was truly touching, and I get a real kick out of it. I can't guarantee we won't be joined by a hungry child or two at some point in the broadcast... so you've been warned.
Join me LIVE on LinkedIn every morning this week at 9AM NZST, with a mini-series covering all five modules of my new book. Spend your lockdown getting a mini-MBA. Oh wait: a mini NOTAN MBA. If you love to learn, and you prefer doing it live and for free, these are the sessions for you. Add them to your calendar here.
2. Lockdown Special: Academy Prelaunch 🎉
Now THIS is flippin exciting. We've decided to pre-release a few of the courses on our new online learning platform: Alicia McKay Academy. We're not launching this to the general public yet, - but you're invited for a backstage look. The Academy is live for a sneak peek - including a free course for Strategy 101, a NEW Strategic Planning Fundamentals offer, and a new and improved Meetings that Matter experience.
We have all kinds of exciting stuff hitting there soon - including an app, and a full range of learning options for life and work. We'll be releasing new offers over the next little while, and we'd love you on board. For now, check out the first cabs off the rank - and, for as long as we're in lockdown, you can access any of the live courses with a 30% discount, using the code WW! How good is that!
My learning
For my part, I've picked the guitar back up, and I'm busy pulling together lots of exciting curriculum ideas while my brain is firing off in learning mode. Thanks to this poll on LinkedIn, I've got the go-ahead to build my most ambitious curriculum yet - a full nerdfest Strategy Intensive covering all the technical ins and outs of planning, business cases, benefits, risk and change management. Eep!
I'd love to hear how you're all learning this lockdown - reply, or post on socials and tag me in.
Even better, if you've decided the only thing you're keen to do is survive, eat snacks and get through the day... mate, you've got my blessing. Listen to your body, and do what you need.
Look after yourself, everyone.
Nga mihi nui,
A
