Earlier this year, I spoke with a group of technology leaders at a large-scale FinTech company. I suggested that if they noticed employees reading business books during work hours, they should keep an eye on them as potential future leaders.
The room showed a mix of visible reactions, with mostly disgruntled looks.
We were discussing the leading indicators of high-performing teams, one of which is the practice of continuous learning and improvement. Teams operating in a product model (rather than a project model) often embody this, with their focus on continuous discovery and iterative development.
High performance is the ability to continually understand and deliver customer value and business impact.
When an employee takes time to read a business book or research new ways of working during work hours, it’s not a distraction from that goal — it’s a sign of their commitment to it, to their craft and to deepening their knowledge of how to operate more effectively to achieve it.
This is the type of behaviour we should be recognising, as it truly drives long-term and sustainable high performance.
These are the individuals who elevate the entire team by fostering a culture of growth and continuous improvement. They’re the ones we should be hiring, nurturing, and empowering for lasting success across the organisation.
What are the ways you encourage a continuous learning culture at your organisation?
Love this!