Why Learning a New Skill Could Make You a Better Boss
You know the drill. When you initially start learning something, you make progress in leaps and bounds.
You’re a beginner, so it’s easy to track your development, but the more expert you become, the harder it is to see incremental changes in your ability. That’s why managing people is so difficult. It’s hard to define what makes a great boss and even harder to chart your progress as one. In fact, it’s easier to catalog all the attributes of a bad boss.
When you manage people every day, how do you make sure that you are continually improving as a leader and as a human being? It might sound counterintuitive to learn a completely unrelated skill, but studies show that learning new skills enhances our brains.
A bit of science
Learning a new skill increases the density of the myelin in your brain. This white matter helps improve and maximise performance on a number of tasks. Learning stimulates new connections between brain cells (neurons) so you’re boosting your brainpower.
It fosters a growth mindset
In Carol Dweck’s inspiring Ted talk ‘The power of believing that you can improve’, she tells the story of a high school in Chicago where if students failed a course, they were given the grade, ‘Not yet’. “Not yet,” Dweck says, “gives you a path into the future”. It sets you up for a learning curve and fosters the idea that abilities can be developed. This is all part of a mentality that Dweck termed a ‘growth mindset.’ People with this mindset embrace challenge and see failure as a springboard for growth.
Where’s the time to learn a new skill?
You might have the will to learn a new skill, but how about the time? For many of us, juggling work and family commitments already leaves us with little time to spare. Michael Simmons, founder of Empact, suggests using the five-hour rule. What does that mean? Dedicate five hours each week to learning.
Take Bill Gates, for example. He reads about 50 books a year on a wide variety of subjects. “From a how-to guide about meditation to a deep dive on autonomous weapons to a thriller about the fall of a once-promising company.”
Ok, I’m ready to learn a new skill. But what should it be?
Here are our suggestions for some fun and unusual new hobbies.
Learn the Ukulele (or a Percussion)
If you’re looking to play an instrument that you can learn in less than a month, then look no further. More people than ever are taking up the ukulele, a four-stringed loveable instrument that originates from Hawaii. Big names like Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill have shared their attempts to learn Hawaii’s favorite instrument.
Reports show that 1.6 million ukuleles were sold in the US in 2019 overtaking acoustic guitars by 60,000 units. The ukulele is more popular than ever for a reason. It’s easy to master the basics in a matter of weeks and it boosts your mood.
In this period of isolation, we can all agree that it’s crucial to stay positive. Studies have shown that as well as enhancing brain development, playing and listening to music releases endorphins in the brain. In addition to giving us a heightened feeling of excitement, endorphins quell anxiety, ease pain, and stabilize the immune system.
Why not do some virtual lessons to master the basics of this fun and portable instrument. We love Duke of Uke, a specialist Ukulele store, offering virtual lessons and community.
Take up a new sport
When lockdown eases, many of us will want to find new ways to improve our fitness. MBA candidate, Aliya Itzkowitz, combines her work with being a fencing champion, and has been competing with the British National Fencing Team since the age of 13.
Aliya says, “In fencing, you have to make split-second strategic decisions. This has helped me over the years to be decisive and trust my gut. It also has helped me handle situations that might make me nervous. Few things unsettle you when you’re used to someone coming at you full speed with a saber and screaming at the top of their lungs for a point.”
“Fencing has been a huge part of my life. I fenced in the NCAA at Harvard and graduated in 2016. I've continued to juggle International competition alongside work for the past 4 years. I was still training and competing while working a demanding job on Wall Street. This is unusual since most people stop competitive sport after they graduate from college. I kept going because I love it and I actually found sport to be additive to other aspects of my life.”
Sara Seyller, a Coach at CrossFit Tri-Cities, decided to take up weightlifting three and a half years ago. “Weightlifting has taught me a lot. Throughout my training, the primary focus is technique. Olympic weightlifting movements are complex and any slight deviation in form can result in a failed lift.
The attention to detail and focus that is required to lift easily translates into my career. I am a fitness coach where I teach a variety of movements and provide feedback to the members to keep them safe and moving efficiently.
I have noticed my confidence increase throughout my lifting career, especially as I compete. It is intimidating to stand on a platform in front of three judges who are a few feet away with spectators behind them.
Finding the strength within myself to trust my training in front of a crowd not only helps me personally but allows me to confidently make decisions throughout my workday. Plus, nothing compares to the sound of your children cheering for you while lifting.”
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