Self-Growth and Workplace Innovation Through Continuous Learning
With his belief in the power of learning, Thomas J. Watson Sr. instilled a passion for education that shapes its employees and culture to this day. During his long tenure as the leader of the company that would become IBM, Watson spearheaded a culture in which learning is not only supported and encouraged, but also celebrated and prioritized. Ever since, learning and continuous development is in the DNA of every IBMer.
We recently sat down with Ayan, GIC Learning Consultant: Strategic Planning and Execution, to discuss how continuous learning can create a powerful impact on both the individual and at the corporate levels.
Ayan is an award-winning author, educator, volunteer, TEDx speaker, and AI enthusiast. He is also a four-time Distinguished Toastmaster and Former District Champion of Table Topics and heads the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) in IBM India.
As an IT professional, he has won several international awards, including three Brandon Hall Awards, a Stevie Award, and 21 IBM Service Excellence Awards.
In this blog, Ayan shares his expertise on continuous learning, together with his advice on fostering a learning culture for innovation and growth.
Learning and career growth
Continuous learning played a crucial role in Ayan’s success, and he says he is grateful for the learning opportunities at IBM, including expanding his knowledge in artificial intelligence.
“Thanks to IBM’s watsonX courses and hackathons, I learned more about AI and GenAI. Now, I can identify patterns more effectively and strategize succinctly as a consultant.
No more hallucinations will get in the way of co-creating opportunities for high-touch collaborations with universities and research organizations, as I’m establishing CAS centers that work with academia locally and I’m coordinating with international leaders globally.”
How learning culture is fostered at IBM
“In the words of former IBM CEO Ginny Rometty, ‘Growth and comfort do not coexist.’ I advocate for continuous learning, be it learning in the workplace or learning through external means.
As long as one ensures #LearningNeverStops, innovation is bound to happen.
The act of learning, unlearning, and relearning in the workplace has a direct impact on innovation. This is linked to IBM’s core values to ‘treasure wild ducks’ and ‘think, prepare, rehearse.’”
IBM’s Consulting Academy is a program open to all IBM Consulting practitioners across services lines and practices. It is designed to help IBMers build the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their role and advance their career. Ayan is leading this program.
“One training that stood out to me throughout the years, was a part of Consulting Academy: Core Capabilities Fundamentals. I learned about how to build one’s brand, manage focus and energy, and resolve conflicts. I am the consultant I am today due to all of this, which helped me establish my personal and professional eminence.”
Individual learning can impact the whole workplace community
Ayan shared his point-of-view on how continuous learning habits of an individual can be contagious. It can inspire people, and even lead to tremendous changes.
“Employees who embrace continuous learning are no longer the outliers, rather the new norm in success-driven workplaces. I have witnessed firsthand the benefit of turning continuous learning into a habit.
When a workplace is filled with aspired employees, it will become more creative, competitive, and client centered. Proximity is power, and individuals who have successfully transitioned continuous learning into a habit are likely to transmit it to others.
As a result, we will see innovation, creativity, and knowledge-sharing. This, in turn, will lead to holistic growth of the individual and the organization, giving it a competitive edge that will ultimately lead to greater profitability. In short, it’s a win-win.”
Fostering continuous learning in a corporate environment
According to Ayan, there should be a more flexible and enjoyable approach to nourishing learning habits for working adults. He believes they face more roadblocks in their individual improvement journey, as they are more occupied with responsibilities and have less time – but Ayan has a solution for this.
“I’d like to introduce you to a quote by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley: ‘We learn best in moments of enjoyment.” I feel the best way to foster continuous learning is to make it enjoyable. No one prefers death by PowerPoint, which happens to be the preferred way to transmit information in workplaces. The chances of our minds getting ignited by a video or a joke are far higher than a boring text.
To me, the act of learning should be the main focus, instead of the how, whether it is instructor-led or self-paced. Learning should be synonymous with taking a break, instead of being compared with an additional workload.
Another factor that helps promote learning is leading by example – an individual learns and then shares with others the benefits of the skill or insights acquired by actively talking about them.
Corporate leadership should encourage stories and other diversification of learning sources—a TED video, a podcast, a fireside chat, or maybe even an illustration can do the job as well, if not better!
Our collective focus should be on igniting minds and stimulating them to learn. The leaders must be the catalyst, and the rest will naturally follow.
Become a continuous learner
“Continuous learning is the best way to stay updated with the latest technologies and trends. This enhances one’s expertise, ultimately helping provide more value to clients.
I feel that continuous learning is no longer a choice, but rather a necessity – quite like freedom! It allows you to do what you want and empowers you to do it the way you want. Be it developing innovative solutions, driving business impact, fostering collaboration, or sharing knowledge and expertise, continuous learning is the key.
Making this a habit makes a person more creative, which leads to more innovation, promotes personal growth and development, and creates further opportunities to be recognized as an industry expert and thought leader.”
Here are two free resources to start building on your skills:
- IBM Training – This platform is particularly useful for people who want to develop their technical skills or gain experience in new areas.
- IBM SkillsBuild – This innovative training platform helps adult learners and students develop valuable new skills and access career opportunities.
Discover your potential at IBM
For more than 110 years, IBM has been a catalyst that makes the impossible possible, and we remain dedicated to creating innovation by nurturing and fostering the potential of each IBMer.
Consider IBM as the next step in your career journey!
- To learn more about IBM’s commitment to skill 30 million people globally by 2030, read this press release.
- To learn more about IBM’s commitment to train 2 million in artificial intelligence in three years, with a focus on underrepresented communities, read this press release.
- To see a list of all current job openings visit our career website and take the next step in your professional journey. You can also join our Talent Network to receive updates on career opportunities and events from IBM.