Pretty in Pink

Rachel Burnham writes:  Whilst talking earlier in the week with Andrew Jacobs about personal curation, lego and learning and many other things, I was triggered to approach an old issue from a different angle. 

I love clothes.  I find fashion fascinating.  I love spotting a trend and I enjoy putting a new outfit together.  But I have learnt that not everything suits everybody and certainly not everything suits me.   Some colours make me glow, and some turn me pale.  Some shapes flatter and some make me feel dumpy.  Some outfits give me confidence to move and work at ease and some stifle and limit.   Not everyone is pretty in pink.  Not every shape of clothes suits every person’s shape.   Not every outfit is suitable for every occasion or this hot weather.

So even if the fashion is for fluorescent neons or crisp white shirts or platform heels I won’t be choosing these.  I love blue denim jeans – they are a classic, ‘timeless’, seemingly loved by everyone – they even come in different shapes and shades.  But I have found they don’t work for my colouring or my shape.  So, I will admire them on others, but find something that works better for me.

And that is a bit like L&D in organisations.   The conferences, blogs and podcasts may be full of some new technology, some new approach to learning or even something that has come full circle and become ‘hot’ again.   But not everything will work everywhere and certainly not everything will be just right for a particular organisation’s needs and current challenges.  So resist the neon leopard platforms and calls to be pretty in pink and find what works for your organisation and do that instead (unless of course neon leopard platforms are just what your organisation needs!).

Rachel Burnham

27/7/18

Burnham L & D works with individuals and organisations to help them learn and work more effectively.  As part of this I help L&D professionals to be even more effective through updating their skills and know-how.  I have a particular interest in curation and the use of digital technologies in learning.  I frequently Sketchnote at events and offer workshops in Sketchnoting.