How do you Learn

I tend to go blundering in and learn from experience, maybe be not the best approach Am a big fan of hardcopy books, especially for filling in knowledge gaps.

In my techie days, I lived and breathed on test kit, trying different scenarios, and then reinforcing it with exams.

Don't really have that luxury when it comes to running a business, just get on with it

Well when i wanted to start a business venture, all i did was research. Move, talk and learn. There never would be anyone to teach you everything. Its you who will have to pick up stuff from wherever you can. You will have to learn on your own and move forward.

That sounds like a very interesting conversation.

Not an everyday kind of question.. I'm thinking you were at a seminar of some kind? or a new learning experience?

It puts me in mind of a very useful tool when applied in the right context, the most times I use it is if I'm public speaking. Knowing that people take information in through different channels helps alternate the information to keep everyone awake and paying attention (for now )

I imagine the basic idea of the method can be applied in most areas of business (and life) so becoming aware of patterns and perhaps more useful alternatives.

It depends what am learning.

If I was to say learn a new programming language I would need a big book to work through on the weekends. If I wanted to learn new SEO tips, I'd like something like that to be placed bullet points so I can breeze over them and skip what I might already know or have already read.

I prefer to read, then give me an overview to any matters then I can easily catch up and learn.

My first port of call is google, when looking for a specific answer to a stumbling block. I don't know how I ever managed without it.

I have learnt on a "need to know" basis over the years, and have learnt that there is plenty I need to know.

Of course, My Local Business Forum is also an invaluable font of knowledge.

I read, and write down important, or should I say areas I think are important, and if I don't understand something, I note it down as well and then research it until I understand. I am currently finishing up with my project management diploma and it was entirely done on the net using different aspects like imagery, flash, and text. I tend to learn things faster that way it seems

I love my computers, I learn from the internet and through experience mainly.

Riding a bike for example, you can read as many books as you like but actually doing it is a different thing, going online can give you instruction videos and tutorials too which can be very helpful
Not that I can't ride a bike or anything! Just an example.

I really am not a book person, can't stand to sit and read for 30mins before trying something! Unless it comes to skydiving or lava skiing

If I want to learn something (information / new ideas) I read it up. Listening to a talk or viewing an instructional film doesn't help me as much.

If it's important for me to remember the new stuff, I mindmap it (cos you can't mindmap anything unless you understand it - and the effort required to develop a mindmap helps me to put the info into longterm memory).

If it's something techie (I hate techie stuff), I work what I need to know and rewrite the "instruction manual" accordingly.

If it's skill-based, then I break down the task into sub-elements, practise each one until I know it, then g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y combine all the elements and practise that repeatedly. When learning to drive, for example, I learnt how to do an emergency stop well before I learnt how to start the car - everyone was safer that way!

Hope the above helps you decide what learning style suits you best.