It's a fact that sometimes we, as elite-level performing leaders, hang on to things we learned in the past way too long. Long after we could have learned something new to solve the same problems, we face with old solutions that may be not as effective as they once were.
Alvin Toffler said, "The illiterate of the future will not be people who cannot read or write, but the illiterate of the future will be people who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."
So, what do we need to unlearn?
Is it a certain way of thinking? Is it a set of assumptions? Is it a certain method of doing things? Unlearning is always going to be harder than learning. Our brains are already programmed with so many things, and so much information, it takes a committed effort to rewire ourselves. This committed effort is what too many leaders neglect to give, and for this reason, they are headed toward being illiterate, ineffective and inefficient.
The truth exists that we cannot remain the same. Everything and everybody is changing--including you. Because banking lobbies are closed, and folks do not want to wait in line. It was thought that older demographics just a few years ago would never use technology, are now converting to online banking via a website and mobile app faster than ever before. That's just one example. It's probably time to retire thinking and doing other things as well. It may be time to have a fresh, updated perspective. With new seasons of change, come new strategies, methods and vision.
Some people might say "in this day and age, people are just not committed anymore." People are committed but in a different way. Baby Boomers look at commitments as lifelong propositions. More recent generations look at commitments as serial and short-term. We have to study the times we live in right now, not yesterday or last year or maybe, last week.
What do you know today that is getting in the way of what you need to know today? What are you doing that is getting in the way of what you need to be doing? The biggest blockage to your success is your previous success because previous success makes us think we have it all together. If you are willing to learn, unlearn and relearn, your future is very bright!