Why pushing people to learn is not the way
Stop pushing people to learn. Instead, create an environment where curiosity thrives, and learning becomes a natural part of the journey.
One thing we’ve carried over from the education system into the corporate world is the need to push people to learn. This mindset often rests on assumptions like:
“People are not curious”
“People don’t want to learn”
“People are not responsible for their learning process”
“People are not disciplined”
“People don’t make the time”
“People don’t care”
If we start with these assumptions, it makes sense that we feel the need to push people. After all, if it’s all on them, if they don’t have the drive or time, it’s up to us to give them that extra push. Right?
Right?
Well, here’s the other side of the story.
Pushing people to learn and blaming them when they don’t comply it’s easier than admitting that the problem might not be with them, as employees, but with you, as an organization.
The problem isn’t that they’re not curious, is that you might have, unintentionally, created an environment where curiosity is punished.
The problem isn’t that they don’t want to learn, is that they might not have a strong enough feeling of ownership over their work and results.
The problem isn’t that they are not responsible for their learning process; it’s that you haven’t given them the autonomy to take ownership of it in the first place.
The problem isn’t that they’re not disciplined; it’s that you haven’t provided the structure or resources that make learning easy to integrate into their daily work.
The problem isn’t that they don’t make the time, it’s that they’re not given the space to learn without it feeling like one more thing on a never-ending to-do list.
The problem isn’t that they don’t care; it’s that they haven’t been shown how learning ties directly to the impact they can have within the organization.
When we look at it this way, the real issue becomes clear: It’s not about pushing people harder. It’s about creating the right environment where curiosity, ownership, and learning naturally thrive.
Pushes are temporary, but the right environment creates lasting change. Instead of forcing learning, let’s focus on building the conditions that make learning the natural choice. When curiosity is supported, resources are accessible, and autonomy is given, learning becomes part of the process. It’s not something people need to be told to do; it becomes something they do because it’s part of the way things are done.
Learning doesn’t need to be a task; it should be the byproduct of a healthy, supportive, and growth-oriented work environment. When people are given the freedom, structure, and opportunity, learning stops feeling like an obligation. It becomes something people seek out because they know it directly ties to their success, their impact, and their growth.
So, let’s stop pushing. Let’s design environments where learning isn’t something employees have to be reminded to do. Let’s make it something they can’t help but do.
If you’re finding this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend and consider subscribing if you haven’t already.