Lean Quote: People Learn What They Do

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"People learn what they do." — John Dewey

A very old Chinese expression says:

I hear and I forget.

I see and I remember.

I do and I understand.

John Dewey, the renowned American educational theorist, said it even more simply: “People learn what they do.”

Action learning is a process of learning by doing, supported by a range of other learning methods. It involves:

• Getting a new idea or a new insight
• Turning it into a form of action
• Taking the action
• Getting feedback or evaluation on how well it worked

Only when you have had a chance to evaluate the results of your newfound skill or technique can you be sure you’ve learned something useful.

Action learning is a powerful process for building leadership skills, because it puts the learner in charge while making use of valuable external information and the perspectives of others. It should be the main channel of effort in and leadership development program.