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THE NEW HORIZONS GROUP PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL COACHING |
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Do You Know Your Learning Style? Every one of us takes in and assimilates information a little differently. Have you ever not “gotten” a concept that someone was trying to explain to you – or have you ever noticed a deer-in-the-headlights look when you were giving, in your mind, very clear instructions to an otherwise bright employee? There’s a good explanation: Different people have different learning styles. Knowing your learning style – and understanding the learning styles of the people around you – will help you take in data and communicate more effectively every day – whether you’re interacting with your husband, your kids, your boss, your potential customer, or your golf instructor. There are basically three ways people learn: by hearing, by feeling or touching, or by visualizing. When you’re determining your style, don’t limit your thoughts to how you function in a classroom setting but also consider how you deal with any new information you receive. The chart below provides learning style types with some of their more obvious characteristics. This will help you not only identify your specific style, but help you pinpoint the learning styles of those around you, simply through a little observation.
By understanding your optimal learning process, you will be better equipped to learn something new or take in new information more efficiently. You will also know how to communicate your needs to others to expedite the information flow. For instance, if you are a visual learner, you may ask someone to draw you a map rather than writing out directions or telling you how to get to the location. When you know how to optimize your own learning, you also have the knowledge to ask for what you need. Becoming familiar with all the learning styles will help you determine how those around you learn and receive information. That knowledge will allow you to adapt your communication to the learning styles of your management, colleagues, staff, or family. As an example, if you ask a visual learner for his or her input on an upcoming change, you could phrase your question like this: “What do you SEE happening after the change?” instead of “How do you FEEL about this change taking place?” Choosing words that reflect an individual’s learning style will get you the results you were looking for more quickly. Recently, I had the opportunity to confirm my Tactile/Kinesthetic learning style through an on-line assessment. You’ll recognize me as the person who jumps right in and starts putting something together while the instruction manual is still in the box – untouched. Now my husband, on the other hand, reads the manual, examines all the diagrams, checks and double-checks the material, and often goes to the Web site for more details. I guess it’s true what they say – opposites attract. If you’d like to take this Learning Style Assessment for yourself, just log on to http://agelesslearner.com/assess/learningstyle.html. On this website, Marcia L. Conner provides additional information on the assessment as well as a list of suggested books on the topic if you want more in-depth information. The net-net? Knowing your learning style and that of others can be a powerful tool in reaching your personal and professional goals.
Terry Bazzone is president and founder of The New Horizons Group. She can be reached at terry@thenewhorizonsgroup.com or at 727-463-3591. |
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Questions or problems regarding this web site
should be directed to: tom@thenewhorizonsgroup.com |
