“When you put learning at the center of everything you do,
you'll grow your career, boost your leadership skills, enrich your
relationships, and increase your joy and fulfillment in life,” explains David
Novak, author (with Lari Bishop) of the new book and practical guide, How Leaders Learn.
He adds that, “Learning is the mindset,
the differentiating skill, and the approach to life and the world that defines
the most successful leaders.”
Novak emphasizes that even for people who are naturally curious
and interested in solving problems, being an effective learner – one who can turn learning into action – takes
insight and practice.
Through engaging stories of wins and losses, missteps and
miracle saves, challenges tackled, and problems solved, Novak shows you all the
ways you can become an active learner.
The book includes a collection of wisdom and practical habits
from more than 100 of the most successful learners and leaders in the world,
deeply researched by Novak. These individuals include CEOs from many
industries, military and political leaders, sports greats, subject matter
experts, and coaches.
Chapter by chapter, Novak highlights these leaders through candid
and entertaining stories while also telling his own life and career journey. Novak’s
impressive journey includes being a trailer park kid who lived in twenty-three
states before high school, rapidly ascending the ranks at PepsiCo, and then to
become cofounder and CEO of one of the largest corporations in the world, the
global restaurant icon Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and The Habit
Burger Grill). And he credits active learning with getting him there.
How
Leaders Learn helps readers develop three essential behaviors,
each described in the book’s three distinct parts:
- Learn
from anybody and any experience that has something new,
interesting, or valuable to offer. - Learn
to maintain an open, curious mind and positive
relationships (because we learn the most from and with other people). - Learn
by doing the things that need doing or that will make
the biggest difference.
“An
active learner is somebody who seeks out ideas and insights and then pairs them
with action and execution. They learn with purpose. The result is greater
possibilities – for them and the people around them,” shares Novak.
Finally,
some key takeaways for me from the book include:
- You
cannot learn if you cannot listen. - Active
learners know that one of the best tools for learning is a well-aimed question. - Humility is just the
recognition that you can’t do it by yourself. - Confidence is
simply the expectation that you’ll find a way to win – somehow. - Failure is 100 percent
information, only information. - Active learners know
that good preparation helps us get the most learning out of any experience. We
learn throughout the process of preparing, and we learn more when we’re
prepared. - Active leaners understand
that we learn by sharing what we know with others.
___
In addition to David
Novak being the cofounder and former Chairman and CEO of Yum!
Brands, he is also the founder of David Novak Leadership, a leadership
development organization and platform.
Novak hosts the top-ranked podcast, How Leaders Lead, where he interviews some of the most high-profile leaders in
business, sports, healthcare, and government.
Profits from the book sales will go to the Wendy Novak Diabetes
Institute to support the family’s ongoing effort to help those inflicted with diabetes.
Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy
of the book.
