Resistance to Learning
Learning is fundamental to human development, enriching our lives, expanding horizons, and fostering continuous progress and innovation. Therefore, learning has always been valued throughout history. The importance of learning has evolved significantly in the modern age due to the rapid pace of change, complexity, and the growing economy. To survive and grow in this challenging business world, organizations need to be agile, and organizational agility can only be fostered by agile leaders who learn fast (Ge et al., 2021).
We often relate learning with formal education in schools, from kindergarten to universities, as they include structured programs. Learning is a lifelong journey. After graduating from a university, business professionals continue learning in their careers formally and informally. A significant part of this learning journey takes place informally. Failures, conflicts, and problems of business life all provide learning opportunities, and how we handle them impacts how we perform in our social and business lives. Not all business professionals turn these great learning opportunities into achievements. Resistance to learning appears at every educational level (Caplin, 1969), including professional life.
Stephen Brookfield is a distinguished scholar in adult education. In his book, 'The Skillful Teacher,' he discusses the phenomenon of students' resistance to learning and explores various factors that contribute to this resistance (Brookfield, 2015). Brookfield reflects on his experiences as a teacher and acknowledges the complexity of student resistance. He emphasizes that resistance to learning cannot always be attributed to the actions of the teacher but can be influenced by factors beyond the teacher's control, such as fear of change, cultural norms, and personal experiences. Brookfield’s approach to resistance to learning strongly resonated with me in relation to the business professionals who repeatedly resist learning and experience similar failures and problems.
The author identifies several reasons for student resistance, including poor self-image as learners, fear of the unknown, cultural differences, perceived irrelevance of learning activities, inappropriate level of difficulty, and fear of looking foolish in public. I have noticed similar resistance in organizations so often. For example, when an organization adopts a new technology, restructures a business process, or introduces a new strategy, a small or big group of employees always exhibit resistance. Any change requires learning; therefore, resistance to learning is integral to change.
Brookfield also highlights the importance of understanding students' perspectives and experiences by reflecting on one's own experiences as a learner. The author suggests that teachers can gain insights into students’ resistance by considering how they have reacted to challenging learning situations in the past. Brookfield's insight on understanding students' perspectives through self-reflection also resonates deeply in the business world. Reflecting on our past challenges and failures would help us tailor our approach when mentoring a struggling junior subordinate.
Organizational agility requires learning organizations. Therefore, learning is an essential part of business life today. Leaders must understand that resistance is a natural part of learning and requires effective strategies for managing it. This has become one of the essential roles and responsibilities of agile leaders.
References:
Brookfield, S.D., (2015) The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in the Classroom (Third Edition) Jossey-Bass
Caplin, M. D. (1969) Resistance to learning, Peabody Journal of Education, 47:1, 36-39, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01619566909537673
Cetindamar, D., Katic, M., Burdon, S., Gunsel, A. (2021). The Interplay among Organisational Learning Culture, Agility, Growth, and Big Data Capabilities. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/23/13024