In the past few decades, we have focused on learning. But there are two significant concepts we never paid attention to that are- Unlearn and Relearn. Pandemic taught us the power of Learn, Unlearn and Relearn.
LEARN
We enjoy learning when it is something of our area of interest. Like, during the pandemic, we learned all about Work from Home.
UNLEARN
The process of unlearning is not new in India but is less talked about. Unlearning is all about the notion; the previous ideas, beliefs, assumptions, etc., must be removed entirely for the new one to thrive. Like, during the pandemic, many entrepreneurs unlearned the idea of Team Management.
RELEARN
This is the idea of relearning the concept in a given situation. The concept has to be tweaked as per the given circumstances.
Like, during the pandemic, the entrepreneurs relearned the process of Team Management. It was a Remote Team Management process.
BREAK THE MONOTONY OF JUST LEARNING
This means that one must constantly follow the concept of Learn, Unlearn and Relearn. One process is incomplete without the other two. As famous American Writer and Futurist Alvin Toffler said: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
It makes so much sense now, given how we work under a hybrid work model.
LEARN, UNLEARN AND RELEARN- A DIVERSE CONCEPT
This concept is not just valid for skills but also the assumptions, presumptions and mindsets.
It encourages you to have an open mind, which will result in making smarter decisions. How to make sure that happens?
In his book “What got you here won’t get you there,” Marshall Goldsmith highlights the idea of upgrading the assumptions underpinning the mental maps in our heads.
For example, an Announcement coming from CEO’s desk was a big thing earlier, but it may not be relevant now. Now, since the world is on a Digital Map, a categorically Scripted-Edited-Rescripted-Proofread-ReEdited Final Script being read out by the CEO on a live stream would make much more sense. Assumptions kill possibilities. Had the company assumed that the traditional way of the announcement is still relevant, the company could not have explored the possibility of Live Streaming with the CEO making the announcement.
Pro Tip: The best way to explore possibilities is to challenge yourself! Invite others to play devil’s advocate on your assumptions and examine your thoughts. Can you do the much-needed unlearning and relearning to make wiser decisions as you navigate unchartered ground ahead.
WHY UNLEARN?
While most people have been prepared to value continuous, ‘acquisitive’ learning, Unlearning sounds so wrong!
We desire new information and value that knowledge when it comes along. Why would you want to unlearn if you have worked hard to learn something?
Answer: I will put it in the simplest form possible. Our brains have finite capacity. To feed new information, one must discard unnecessary and obsolete data from one’s brain. That process is called Unlearning.
Now, mindfully think about this process, and you will find out how essential it is to unlearn. Would you believe it if I say you are constantly unlearning, unknowingly?
Here is an example. Suppose you are travelling for pleasure. You take a train to Destination B. You know the train’s arrival time at Destination B is 4.00 Pm. Now during your train journey, the announcement is made that the train would now arrive at 5.00 Pm because of some ongoing work on the railway tracks. You immediately message your family, notifying them that your train will reach at 5.00 Pm. Now, what has happened here? Did you mindfully realise how you unlearned a particular piece of information to feed updated information!
Another Example: You present your client with a Brochure Design. You know that is what the client wants. You are confident in the design. There is a process you have in mind to take the work forward. You are waiting for the client to give an immediate yes! Then the design will be sent to your design team to make the final creative. And then provide the design to the Print Team to get the one draft hard copy of the brochure. You present the draft to the client. The client gives a final Yes, and then you ask your print team to replicate the draft design into multiple copies. Now, What if the client asks you to make changes on the first step of the process- the design that you were so confident of. The whole process of the printing cycle comes crashing down in your head.
Now you will have to create a new process in your head, considering that the client has asked for the changes in the very initial stage. This is where you will need to Learn the demand(s) of the client in terms of design; Unlearn the process you had set up in your mind assuming if the client gives the go-ahead since you thought the client would say Yes to the design. And relearn the new process to ensure that the client gets the final brochure as per his wants.
CYCLE YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS WITH LEARN, UNLEARN AND RELEARN
You can learn, unlearn, and relearn many things- facts and figures, skills, values and beliefs, or any information. Learning is a concept we have deep-rooted since we were born. The actual struggle one may feel with Unlearning-Relearning.
If you are a professional, help yourself and your team to accept unlearning as a positive way of life and embrace relearning. Rigidity has no place in this concept.
If you are a parent, normalise the process of unlearning and relearning.
If you are an entrepreneur, review monthly what you need to let go by unlearning and what you need to tweak to relearn. If you are a student, you must spend more time unlearning and relearning to save a lot of time when sitting for in-depth study sessions. Every person needs to implement this in their life at different levels, no matter what they do.
Aditi NC is award winning fempreneur and Founder & CEO ‘The Social Unicorns’.