Editor’s note: Veteran entrepreneuer and investor Donald Thompson writes a column exclusively for WRAL TechWire about entrepreneurship, leadership, equality and opportunity. His columns appear on Wednesdays.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions, but I do believe in continuous self improvement. If you read this column often, you might already know that I often describe myself as a competitive learner, and this quality is something I look for in others as well. What that means is that I like to surround myself with friends, colleagues, advisors, and employees who not only demonstrate a growth mindset but participate in learning as if it were a sport, consistently pushing themselves for a personal best. 

Starting next month, I’ll be diving into the most important leadership trends of 2022 with actionable advice about how to integrate these trends into your daily leadership behavior. Follow along with me and you’ll notice a theme: competitive learning is the centerpiece to personal development. With that theme in mind, today I want to share a republication of a previous column I wrote on this topic. 

If you find it helpful, connect with me on LinkedIn. I’m always looking to grow my network with people who are committed to their own development and open to where new learning might lead them. Alright, here we go.

WHAT IS COMPETITIVE LEARNING?

Competitive learning is similar to learning agility, which Harvard Business Review defines as the “qualities and attributes that allow an individual to stay flexible, grow from mistakes, and rise to a diverse array of challenges.” In other words, learning agility means being open to change and ready to go wherever a great idea might lead you. 

Competitive learning is learning agility plus hustle. It means actively and relentlessly pursuing information, challenges and opportunities for growth. Like any sport, competitive learning also means you’re always competing to be better than your former self. It means training, growing and winning on game day because you did the work to prepare. To do so, you must prioritize your personal development and keep yourself open to new insights and learning opportunities, no matter where they come from. 

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

In this quick-changing market, competitive learning is a leadership imperative. As corporate executives, our business success hinges on our ability to innovate quickly, synthesize information, make strong decisions with limited scope and constantly evolve. We cannot know which skills will make the critical difference in each day’s success, so we must remain vigilant and continually in search of new and stronger ideas. We must constantly refresh our personal skill set to match the pace of the digital, global marketplace and immediately apply the insights we have learned to activate change and critical thinking. 

Here are four key traits that define a competitive learner. 

  • A competitive learner is a like a cup of coffee

You know that moment after you order coffee, when the person behind the counter asks if you’d like room for cream? That’s the moment I want you to remember when you think about being a competitive learner. A competitive learner has strong opinions and ideas but always leaves room for new information. Being like a cup of coffee means driving for the change you want but with a good amount of humility and respect for other people’s contributions. It means being strong-willed without being stubborn, assertive but not aggressive, self-assured and confident but also open to new ideas. 

  • A competitive learner insists on efficiency

As a leader, you have no time to waste. Competitive learning should enhance your productivity, not distract from it, so look for ways to integrate learning and moments of growth into every day. For me, that means listening to podcasts while I drive or exercise, watching microvideos between meetings and actively seeking printable one-pagers or infographics that I can keep on hand for repeated reference. 

I like to balance more traditional learning like professional courses and certifications with microlearning throughout the day. What I know from experience is that I often learn best if I can dig deep into a certain topic, then reinforce new information with interspersed microlearning.  In fact, according to G2 Learning Hub, research proves that microlearning leads to deeper comprehension and up to 80% higher information retention, providing a better return on investment for both your time and money. 

A competitive learner shares knowledge freely

Some leaders keep their knowledge close to the chest, believing that the value of their contribution is the depth and breadth of what they know. I would argue that the value of your leadership is your execution and experience instead. Information is the starting point, but execution makes the difference. Think of a recipe from your favorite cookbook. Just because you know the ingredients and the steps to follow doesn’t mean you’ll have perfect technique.

To cultivate a greater culture of learning, inclusion and information sharing, share what you are learning, openly and often. Also, look for ways to pay your learning forward. Doing so will help you create trust and communicate an expectation for learning agility and continuous growth within your organization. By sharing what you know, you give everyone a chance to grow and change alongside you. 

  • A competitive learner is an expert in collaboration 

Competitive learners dominate a room by being the best facilitator, not the loudest voice. They believe wholeheartedly that “the best idea wins,” so they look for ways to encourage collaborative thinking. Often, it is the high achievers who struggle most with collaboration. They believe in the value of their individual contribution but often cannot lead others to contribute. 

Being a competitive learner means actively fostering a culture of teamwork, critical thinking and inclusion. It means making sure the right people are in the room, then listening to and respecting their input. Hire and surround yourself with people who inspire you and challenge you to grow. Those people will be your single greatest resource for new information, ideas and innovation.

By developing our own capacity for competitive learning, we set the tone for a growth-focused culture that expects and rewards continuous improvement. As I have heard from so many of my C-suite colleagues, the key to transforming their business culture was their own example of personal development. Don’t underestimate the power of your own.

About the Author

Donald Thompson is an entrepreneur, public speaker, author, podcaster, Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) and executive coach. With two decades of experience growing and leading firms, he is a thought leader on goal achievement, influencing company culture, and driving exponential growth. He is also co-founder and CEO of The Diversity Movement, a results-oriented, data-driven strategic partner for organization-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives recently named to Inc. Magazine’s 2021 Best in Business List in DE&I Advocacy. Donald serves as a board member for several organizations in marketing, healthcare, banking, technology and sports. Donald’s autobiography and leadership guidebook — Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success — will be released in 2022. Connect with him on LinkedIn and at donaldthompson.com.