The Argument for Self-development

Abstract

It is not necessary to go into any of the abstruse learning theories to show that the real situation is a more hopeful setting for management learning, more hopeful that is, than the concentration on courses referred to in chapter 2.1. One of the best definitions of learning is ‘the modification of behaviour through experience’ and the thing that strikes you is that a teacher may not be necessary. Indeed, when you think of it, most learning is self-learning — certainly in the case of adults — so, if our concern is to teach, or to persuade a manager to modify his behaviour in certain directions, then we must construct a situation in which he has suitable experiences and, hopefully, draws suitable conclusions from them.