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Join me live or watch for the replays on my blog – The Spark.
Each week I’ll be sharing tips and ideas to help you:
- Identify your market and opportunities.
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Facebook Live: Embrace Something New: The 4 Stages of Learning
We are all faced with doing something new in our business. It is almost impossible not to be given the rapid changes in how we communicate and market. When I first started in business there was no social media; Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest didn’t exist. Getting a website up and running required a designer and thousands of dollars. Do you embrace new things or do you avoid them?
Believe it or not, that was only 14 years ago. In 14 years the ways in which businesses can market, find customers and deliver solutions have exploded. A business can now have a professional looking website in a matter of hours at a very low cost. We can communicate with people all over the world in a matter of seconds and deliver high-quality programs online to anyone in the world.
It almost impossible to keep up with all of the new ways people are communicating and stay focused on your business. It is also very difficult to choose the right places to market, commit to them and not be overwhelmed.
I know, I’m in the process of preparing to launch my first podcast. I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while, in May I decided to embrace the idea and signed up for a course called Profiting From Podcasting by Steve Osler. The program’s focus is how to monetize being a podcast guest and included a bonus of Launching Your Podcast.
Learning the ins and outs of podcasting has been overwhelming, discouraging, enlightening and fun. There are many things to take into consideration and it doesn’t come naturally, to begin with. I could stop when it became overwhelming and discouraging but then I never will never get to the enlightening and fun parts and the most important tangible results.
So far, I’ve been a guest on a number of podcasts and had so much fun. I can’t wait until they air so I can share them with you.
When you commit to adding something new to your business, to learning something new, you need to commit fully in order to see the results. You need to keep with it until you can make a realistic assessment of whether or not it is providing the results you are looking for.
Four Stages of Learning
There are four stages of learning that we all go through when we take on something new. Whether it is learning how to drive a car, develop a product or start to use Twitter. The 4 stage are:
1) Unconscious Incompetence – This is the stage where “we don’t know that we don’t know”. Where we don’t actually know something is out there to learn or use. For example, many of my clients have never thought about creating an online offering and have no idea how to do it.
2) Conscious Incompetence – At this stage, we now know about what we want to learn but we have no idea on how to do it. We start and it is often pretty rocky, scary and overwhelming. Remember the 1st time you tried to ride a bike?
3) Conscious Competence – At this stage, we’ve proven to ourselves that we can now implement the new skill. We are starting to see the results that we want and we are able to repeat, with confidence, the new skills. However, it still takes concentration not to falter.
4) Unconscious Competence – In this final stage, we become so used to performing a particular skill we don’t have to think about it anymore. It becomes second nature, we just do it.
As business owners, it important be aware of these stages and allow them to happen. It is important to not give up when you are stage 1 or 2. You have to give yourself time to learn the skills and build your confidence.
With regards to podcasting, I’m definitely in stage 2, hopefully moving toward stage 3. I feel like I’m bumping my way around and trying to remember what to do first. It is definitely time-consuming but I’m committed to learning it, turn it into a system and end up happily in stage 4 where it is an Unconscious Competence. Stay tuned, I’ll be launching my podcast soon.
What are you doing now in your business that is in Stage 4: Unconscious Competence? Are learning something new and in stage 1, 2 or 3? What new idea will you embrace? Have you ever thought about the stages of learning? Love to hear your thoughts so please comment below.
I love to see entrepreneurs follow their passions, serve more people and create the lifestyle of their dreams.
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I totally agree with what you’ve shared Heather, and in an easy to follow manner I might add.
I think I speak on behalf of most of the boomer generation that we sometimes feel like we’re drowning in this sea of technology. For me, it helps to just relax and float to avoid the struggle – then taking a few strokes in some direction. Ideally, there’d be someone in a boat beside us, instructing and encouraging us along, telling us we can do it. Fortunately for me, I met you a couple of years ago and you’ve been instrumental with my business development. Keep up the good work, learning and sharing as you go.
Every new venture or adventure brings us back a few steps, whether all the way to Step One or not. And the satisfaction comes from moving along that path until we have mastered yet another skill. Congratulations on continuing on through in Norma’s program, despite the overwhelm! That’s what makes you successful!
Sharon – Very well said. “And the satisfaction comes from moving along that path until we have mastered yet another skill.” The funny thing is people often miss the sense of satisfaction as they start focus on the next thing to learn.
Thank you for sharing, I like your insight.
The stages of learning are new to me, but they sure make sense. I definitely believe that “learning something new takes commitment and patience”.
Gina – It definitely takes patience, for yourself and for the task you are learning.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’m glad to provide some new information.
All of us want to be in stage 4, but as you said the learning process takes time and patience. Consistence is a key factor for me too. I’m enjoying the opportunity of being in Norma’s group, where we learn in a fun environment and, also, have accountability! Great article!
Meire: Consistence is definitely key. Learning in a supportive and fun environment helps particular in things like social media. Having a group who supports you and helps connect you to others accelerates the learning.
I like to think that I’ve always been one who isn’t afraid to try something new. I think this is true MOST of the time but there are some things I just am not interested in even trying. Maybe I’m not interested because of fear – who knows. lol
Sharon – It could be fear, it could that you are just not interested, it could be that you know it isn’t right for you. It is a good question to ask yourself, why are you not interested. I know for example I’m not interested in learning how to code my own webpage. Why, I could learn it but it would take up time, it wouldn’t be my strength and it doesn’t fit in with what I offer my clients.
Thanks for sharing a different point of view on this post.
Wow Heather I loved this article and can totally relate! Yes I’m in stage 2 and feeling sometimes more discouraged than need be, but with your article it makes me feel better that this is normal and I’m not alone. Thank you 🙂
Gilly – It is normal and you are not alone. It also applies to all of your students who want to learn to run. It is a good model to keep it in mind when you are training someone new.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Thanks for the mention, Heather. YOU ROCK! As humans, we like to stay in the comfort spot, but unfortunately that’s not where growth happens. As soon as we step up, amazing things happen! I am so happy to have you in the group, and most of all that you are learning and implementing. Kudos to you, Heather!!! 🙂
Norma – thank you for sharing all your expertise and challenging us to move outside of our comfort zone. I’d say most people entered your program were in stage 1 and 2 on different aspects of what you are covering. We were all definitely in Stage 1 when it came to the tips and tricks that you are teaching. For example using Buffer, I didn’t know about it (Stage 1), I’ve quickly moved to Stage 3 with your help.
Looking forward to more learning and challenges over the next 4 or 5 months.
I hear you. When I first started in my nutrition business I was just taking an extension class to learn basics of computer skills. That was in the mid 1980’s. Wow, have I advanced since then! I would say I am in stage 1 of learning about how to make video/power point presentations for my website. Actually that is probably stage 2. For stage 1, I don’t know what I don’t know! I would say I am in stage 3 with much of my learning about blogging, social media and auto-responders. Stage 4? I’m pretty much at ease on facebook and very much at ease with writing and responding to emails. Thanks for pointing out these different stages… it was good for me to think about them.
Pat; Those are great examples of being in different stages of learning. It is good to think about it and remember back to when we didn’t know what we didn’t know. It helps us put things in perspective and we can celebrate what once seams so difficult and is now a stage 4 skill.
Thanks for sharing your own journey.
Thanks for sharing your insights as you’re learning. Discovering ourselves, what we know, what we don’t know, our vision and purpose, is vital to our successes, and failures. Thanks for making me think!
Don – I agree, being open to learning is also vital to our successes.Accepting what we don’t know and find a way to learn it is also key.
Glad I could make you think. 🙂
Congratulations on your journey with Norma’s program! Truly having somebody to guide you and your business can really make a huge difference in your confidence and in starting your business. Have fun while doing it! 🙂
Pamela: I agree, as a business coach and a student, we can make changes and implement things faster and in smarter ways if we have someone to guide us.
Thanks for commenting.
I did not know what are the stages of learning! Thanks for this information! 😉
Caroline – Happy I could provide something useful.
Hi Heather,
Oh yes, been through that a lot the last couple of years. I learn something new almost on a daily basis. It’s all boils down to focusing on your tasks and scaling up from there! Thanks for the great post Heather!
Nate – I think we’ve all felt like that the last couple of years. There is so much new to learn. It is exciting and can be overwhelming at times. I agree focusing on your tasks is so important and trying not to do everything at once.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Thanks for the great information and breaking things done for us. It is always a challenge learning something new, but like you said, it will become second nature at some point
Veronica – It does come second nature at one point. The funny part is we often forget how difficult it was a first when we were just starting to learn it.
Thanks for your comment.
Thank you for providing such wonderful information on learning and its four stages. I learned a lot from reading this and enjoyed it very much!
Kungphoo – Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read the post. Glad it was useful for you.
It’s amazing how much can happen in just a few short years! Thanks for posting 🙂
Hillary, it is so true. I looked up the dates that Facebook, LinkedIn, Tweeter, WordPress, etc launched and they are all around or after 2005. So much has changed that it makes you wonder what will be next.
I love that you broke the learning process down into these steps. It makes it so much easier for people to understand. Like riding a bike or tying your shoe, you don’t forget how to do these things once they go into muscle memory and unconscious competence. Good stuff 🙂
Jacquelyn – that is the point of learning is once we hit stage 4 we don’t forget. We may need to practice if we haven’t done it in a while. I remember pulling out my bike a few years ago after not riding for over 10 years. It took a few times to build up confidence but I was able to ride it right away.
Thanks for commenting
I’d like to think I’m at least a 2 on most things. If I have a 4, I’m _very_ unconconscious of it.
Johnny – I’m sure you have many 4’s. Driving a car or bike begin the simplest example. If you think about it you’d be surprised how much of our lives are 4’s.
I’ve been introduced to these principles of the four stages of learning before. It’s good to be aware of them as you begin new things, as the process of practicing them until they become what we all know as “second nature” or unconscious competence, is a goal we all are working towards. I think different things are easier for some of us to absorb and it is important to find the ways of learning that work for us as individuals. Thanks for sharing your experience with Norma’s program, as it opens me up to consider it next time around! Thanks Heather.
Beverley – So true, the process of practicing new skills is so important. We absorb and learn at different speeds however if we stick with it we do learn. Norma’s program is great, it is definitely challenging at time, however sticking with it has work and I’m already seeing results.
Thanks for stopping by.
I’m definitely the baby on the Norma block! You’ve described perfectly the feelings of inadequacy and incompetency…I’m looking forward to the rest of the story. Catching up on the Norma Train is not an easy thing for me to do, but I’m peddling as fast as I can!
Tina – You will catch up and move through the stages. That is the interesting part of the learning stages is that if we spend the time and do the work we will all reach Stage 4.
Thanks for commenting.
Great blog post, Heather! We are all learning every day, at least the people that want to learn how to have a successful business. I’ve felt many of the emotions you have stated and still do! It doesn’t stop but every time we accomplish a new goal, we are that much more confident. I’ve never thought about the stages…it’s an interesting concept. Thank you so much for sharing.
Alexandra: We are all learning daily but there are many people who are closed off to doing so. For those who embracing learning it is great to find guidance to help us embrace something new and build up our confidence.
Thanks for commenting.
I did not know about the stages of learning but they make sense. I often feel like a toddler learning to walk as I approach social media. I fall down often and sometimes want to stay down, but my nature fortunately is to get up, try again, ask questions. I’m slowly moving into stage 2. It is hard to make the right decisions when you don’t know what you don’t know. Some is getting thru. Enjoyed article.
Roslyn: Great point it is hard to make the right decisions when you don’t know, what you don’t know. That is the beauty of the internet, we can seek out and find people like Norma who can help guide us.