Learning. Where oh where to start with this topic?
I set myself the target of one sheet of A4 text per blog. There is so much to share on this one, it will
need a series of blogs.
Let’s start at the beginning. My parents were both teachers.
My dad taught in the same primary school for over 30 years, mainly to 11–12 year old children.
Recently I was on a countryside walk with him in the area where I grew up and he still lives. A middle-
aged couple came walking in the opposite direction. The man said, “Hello there. It’s Mr Regan, isn’t
it?” My dad smiled and they chatted for a few minutes. My dad had taught him about 30 years
earlier, and he had later become a professional rugby player. Teaching kids and rugby were two of
my dad’s passions.
My mum worked in the adult education sector. Many of her students were people with learning
difficulties, and she helped them improve their reading skills. She particularly enjoyed working with a
group of students with Down syndrome, who had an overtly joyful reaction to learning and looked at my
mum like she was some sort of ‘hollywood actress,’ or even better a superstar teacher — which she was in their eyes and hearts!
So, with both my parents in the field of education, I often say that “learning is in my blood.”
As a kid I was lucky — I loved learning at school. I was also good at learning and worked hard, so I got
good grades. I could have chosen to become a teacher, but the thought of standing in a class full of
kids didn’t appeal. I wanted to do something rather than teach something, so I studied engineering
and started my career in the automotive world.
In the mid-90s, as young engineers, we were occasionally sent to “training” sessions. These were
requested by our managers and set up by someone in HR. We learnt some knowledge and did some
practice, but most of our learning, like everywhere, took place on the job — working on projects and
learning with and from colleagues. The most senior engineer would check our drawings and RED ink
all the many mistakes. Over time, the amount of red ink reduced. It was a fine and practical way to
learn.
Developing products for high-end car manufacturers as critical customers, and working in cross-
functional teams with highly skilled suppliers and complex assembly facilities, was also a great place
to learn. Learning in the work is somewhat of a slogan these days, but it’s certainly where I’ve learnt
the most.
After 15 years of engineering and leading engineering teams, my genes caught up with me as I realised that I loved people
development more the technical development. By this time in 2009, corporate training departments were
transitioning into Learning & Development functions, and with the opportunity offered by my CHRO, I
transitioned into the world of Learning & Development.
This world fascinates me. We no longer ask, “What training sessions shall we push into the
organization?” Instead, we ask: “What is our business direction? What people capabilities does the
business need to get there? How can our people learn and develop these capabilities?”
There has been a shift from pushing training sessions to becoming learner-centric and asking (and
agreeing), “What do you need to learn?”
In the Learning world these days, there is much focus on what skills do we need to learn?
My answer right now is: the skills of collaboration. Learning the individual and collective skills of
collaboration enables performance, team improvement, and individual growth.
I think learning is in everyone’s blood.
And when we learn together, especially as a team, we grow together.
That, for me, is the heart of Skillful Collaboration.
