Advance your career through solving “Learning Problems”
By Dr Jeanne Fredericks
There is a quote that says “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” My career has been built on seizing opportunities without always having all of the necessary skills. I’ve treated these opportunities as “Learning Problems”. Solving them was (and still is!) how I grew as a person and how my business portfolio expanded, thereby increasing my earning potential, increasing my number of revenue streams, and just generally enabling me to live my best life.
As a consultant, I have seen many people say “yes – I can do this” just to get a foot in the door, but ending up disappointing the Client / Manager and having that same door hit them hard on their way out. So, here is my guide on whether to say “yay” or “nay” regarding taking on a learning problem.
1. Transferable Skills
Can I solve at least 70% of this problem based on transferable skills from other experiences? Think broader than the experiences that are directly related to the problem. E.g. In May 2021 a former Client asked if I could help them establish a new Data Office. I had zero experience in setting up any type of office and zero knowledge of Data Governance. On the surface, it looked as if I was grossly underqualified however, after a quick analysis of my current skills, it didn’t seem so far-fetched… Below is an extract of my actual 2021 notes… I must have been quite apprehensive about taking on this challenge at first because the notes to myself were more motivational-ly than usual…| Capability | Skills / Competences | Notes / Potential application |
| Social Scientist | Knows more than the average person about data | Not sure, but it must be beneficial somehow. I mean, they are looking at Data Governance. |
| Knows more than the average senior manager about strategy and complex adaptive systems | This is a strategic initiative, their business is complex… you’ll be able to, at the very least, highlight strategic misaligned activities. | |
| Gurrrrl, you can research! | Surely, they cannot be the only company doing this. Google the living daylights out of this and contextualise best practices. | |
| Process Engineer and Change Manager | Operationalising processes | A new department comes with new processes. Not only can you design them well, but you can also implement and optimise them. |
| Lean Specialist | Expert Problem Solver | Chances are, there are going to be a lot of teething problems so, you’ll be a good person to have around… yay for them! |
| Project Manager | Convert ideas into actions | You can bring structure to chaos. Client says this (more than data governance expertise) is what they need right now, soooooooo… |
| Lecturer and Sunday School Teacher | A knack for taking complex ideas and being able to explain them to a 10-year-old | Maybe it’s a good thing that you don’t know how to do this… yet. You can take your learnings and turn them into killer training material. |
You’ll be surprised at how seemingly unrelated experiences can be of great use when you are actively trying to get out of your comfort zone.
2. Support Network
A learning problem can only be solved when you absorb external knowledge and learn how to apply it in your context. Therefore, my second question is, do I have a sufficient network of resources to help me solve the other 30%? Resources required will differ depending on whether it is a simple, complicated or complex learning problem.
For simple problems, resources such as Youtube, books, Google, Wikipedia, and the general internet is fantastic. I mean, I started a research channel DrJ Thesising 101 and I learned how to create, edit, post and promote videos all by watching online tutorials.
Complicated and complex problems, however, require a different kind of network. Sure, the basic answers can be found online, but the nature of these problems usually requires consultation with other experts. This support network is not limited to resources known to only you. Check if the environment where you are going to solve this learning problem has built-in resources.
For instance, before I started the Data Office job, I connected with friends and colleagues in data-related fields to get their insights on how to approach this problem. I even contacted strangers on LinkedIn to get their views. In addition, the Client provided access to a group of Data Specialists and Governance Experts to help solve this problem. All of a sudden a “not-so-far-fetched idea” became quite doable.
3. Mindset
In addition to the skills you need to solve the learning problem, you need to take into consideration the type of mindset required to solve the problem. Are you required to think at an operational, tactical, or strategic level? So my third question is, can I develop the right mindset in an appropriate timeframe relative to how long it will take to solve the problem? Below this is my rough estimate guide.
| Required time to solve the problem | <3 Months | 3 – 6 Months | 6+ Months |
| Mindset development time | Within 3 weeks | Within 6 weeks | Within 2 Months |
The matrix below shows the typical requirements of anyone operating at any of these levels.
| Operational | Tactical | Strategic | |
| Great at: | Taking instruction from a leader | Leading and coordinating efforts between experts | Providing strategic direction |
| Capable of solving: | Simple problems | Complicated problems | Complex problems |
| Skills Type | Mono skilled | Mixed skilled | Multi-skilled |
| Good at one thing and have basic knowledge of a few other domains | Good at a few things and have intermediate knowledge of other domains | Highly skilled in multiple domains and can easily create the connection between them |
If you are taking on a learning problem, you must caution against letting your ambition rob you of building a solid foundation of skills. E.g. if you are currently at an operational level, and you are taking on a learning problem at a strategic level, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Not only are you at risk of doing your Client / Manager a disservice by not being able to do what they are paying you to do, but you are also creating holes in your experience level, that later in life will bite you in the rear end.
So, challenge yourself, but don’t be short-sighted.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned before, my career, (my existence!), has been built on getting out of my comfort zone and going through the growing pains of learning something new. So, be brave and say yes!
Key skills that can increase your chances of succeeding in seizing these amazing opportunities are the ability to do research, critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving.
Speaking of… for Problem-Solving Solutions contact us at hello@thechangehub.co.za.