Intentional learners: who are they?

(3 minutes read)

We mostly consider learning as a structural and methodological process. It begins with our first experience at school and continues lifelong; from piano courses to football practices… When we start working, we have institutional academies, master’s programs, or certificate programs. They are an important part of our learning experience. They are designed according to instructional design principles and most of them are accredited programs that would provide participants a diploma or a certificate. We use those diplomas and certificates to find a job, to get a promotion, or to join a professional association, etc.

They are of course very important, but not enough to make us intentional learners. Intentional learners are the ones who take everyday interactions and experiences as part of their learning process. They are curious people with a growth mindset, and they intentionally perform with their new findings.

Some of those people do not even know that they are intentional learners. Yet, it is easy to spot them. Imagine two friends, Elise and Mary, going to a French restaurant for lunch. It is their first time in this restaurant. When they check the menu, Mary decides to order “Salade Niçoise”, a French salad that she knows very well. Elise, on the other hand, decides to go for “Pan-seared Halibut” which is the specialty of the restaurant. The only thing Elise knows about this meal is that it is a fish meal served with “ratatouille, fennel pollen, and jus de tomate”. Mary’s mindset is very simple and totally understandable. I call it a risk-driven mindset. This is a relatively expensive restaurant, and she does not want to order a meal that she does not know, because she does not want to pay the high price for a meal that she could not even finish. To avoid that risk, she orders something that she is sure of, salade niçoise.

Elise, on the other hand, sees this lunch meeting with Mary, as an opportunity to get to know a new restaurant. Therefore, she orders the restaurant’s specialty. She is aware of the risk she is taking. Yet, as an intentional learner, she has two mindsets that drive her to make her choice. The first one is the curiosity mindset. She is curious about this French restaurant wants to learn more. Besides and decoration and service, she wants to discover the meals. This is why she “dares” to order a meal that she does not know at all. Elise also has the second mindset of intentional learners, a growth mindset. If she likes the meal, she will add this French restaurant to her list of favorite restaurants, and whenever she has a customer who enjoys French cuisine, she could bring them here. If she does not like the meal, she will have two options. Either she will never come back to this place or (in case she likes everything else) she may try to come back to test another meal. According to her, there is no failure…In both scenarios, she will keep growing. A new restaurant, a new taste for her “gourmet” side, a fish to avoid because it is very difficult to eat…

There is no right or wrong between Mary and Elise and their respective decisions. They are just different, and we need both types of people in life. What is important is to realize this difference and understand which one is closer to your personality and your vision of life. It is a question of mindset and you can change your mindset if you choose to. You can even shift your mindset according to different situations. The key is awareness. If you choose Mary’s mindset and make Elise’s decisions, you will constantly regret your decisions. If you do vice versa, you will probably live an unfulfilled life.

I see myself closer to Elise and I consider being an intentional learner as a competitive advantage in sales. It helps salespeople to better understand their customers’ motivations and makes them the decision coach of their customers. It is the essence of learning for performance. Think of your decisions in different situations and you will realize the moments in which you act as an intentional learner or as a “risk avoider”. Try to understand the main drivers. Discover the intentional learner inside. The more you will realize better you will adapt.