Insight
How lifelong learning gives you a competitive edge
April 2025
In today’s global business world, the need for us to up-skill, improve and learn new things is essential. But many people do not have a model for this process of lifelong learning.
How do you know when you really know something?
Begin by consistently asking this self-reflection question of yourself and your people. Do you truly know something when you have watched a video? Attended a webinar? Been to a conference? Been part of a development programme? Many people can suffer from shallow knowledge, meaning that their ability to recall information, perform under pressure and pass on knowledge, when needed, is not fully there. We need to process information on a deeper level to bypass this.
How understanding the learning process will give you a competitive edge in your field
Understanding the process of learning on a deep and sincere level can offer these benefits to your organisation and to you personally:
· You are more effective at helping newer and more inexperienced people
· You can make connections across multiple disciplines
· You can respond well to changes and challenges -
· You can take on new information well
· You can respond skilfully to the needs of clients
· You can create value for your clients beyond solving their problems or providing a service and products
To promote deeper learning, here is an overview of our ‘Kataholos’ learning model. Applying this model will enable you to fully learn and process information at a deep and proper level.
The Net, the Cloud and the Tank
Learning Step 1 – the Net
Capture information like a butterfly in a net
Give your brain as many ways to capture new information as possible. You could write notes, draw diagrams, flow charts, pictures, record videos, or even make models. Use different senses if possible. Give your brain reasons to remember the information, such as linking it to how it will help you with something important to you. You can also add in memory stickers, such as using alliteration with words, using visualisation, adding in dates and times and anything novel or a bit strange, which you can add into your data collection at this stage. This will all help you to fully capture the information better.
This will create a new neurological cluster inside your brain where the information will exist in a shallow form.
Key learning point
Layer the newly captured information by giving your brain as many reasons and ways to remember the information as possible.
Example: Learning a new language – Have lessons with a native speaker, text in that language, listen to its music, speak it with friends, watch content in this language, use apps such as Duolingo.
Learning Step 2 – the Cloud
Processing your information like uploading it to the cloud
Now analyse, edit and condense your information by talking concepts through with others and condensing more words and data down into smaller more meaningful sets. Disregard unnecessary information, asking open-ended, self-reflective questions, using who, why, what, when, where and if, related to the information.
This will allow the information within the neurological clusters in your brain to now interact with other neural networks. This will both make new connections and strengthen your neural pathways for storage, retrieval and recall of the information.
Key learning point
Most of the information that you hold in your brain will be at this stage. It is not fully processed and embedded yet, so do not get disheartened at this stage. Repetition and strong mental focus will help the information to move onto the next stage.
Example: You prepare a short presentation in your second language, using flash cards. You then seek feedback from peers, ask self-reflective questions, and watch a recording of your presentation, identifying what went well and how you can improve further.
Learning Step 3 – the Tank
Retrieving and using your information from a huge place, such as a water tank
By this stage you can recall the information in the form of a knowledge set, skills, habits and mental processes without the need of any external resources. The information has been properly embedded into your long-term memory.
Key learning point
If you can recall information, perform a task, demonstrate a skill or ability with no need for prompting, guidance, notes or the resources that you used in steps 1 and 2, then the information is now in your long-term memory (in the tank), and you have it for life. Repeating the efforts made in step 2 will solidify it even further and deeper into your knowledge bank.
Example: You can speak a language fluently. You can drive a car independently. You can cook a meal without a recipe. You can respond to a question immediately. You can play a musical piece from memory.
Final thoughts
Watch out for these two learning traps:
The first learning trap we can fall into is to think that we have reached step 3 too soon. Remember, you cannot move from step 1 - capture, to step 3 - the tank, straight away. Your brain needs processing efforts, and time. Good sleep is critical to allow this to take place.
The second trap is that people often give up at step 2, because they cannot see results and abilities straight away. Encourage your people to persevere, to remain committed as, once knowledge is in the tank, they will have it for life.
The effort is definitely worth it.
About the author
Michael Quigley
Preston, UK
Michael is a former primary school teacher with extensive experience of teaching, coaching, leading and team membership. He is a published author and regular blogger. His life-long passion for and interest in fitness, wellbeing and growing people has led him to building online professional and personal development courses with his company Kataholos.
Michael is experienced in public speaking, delivering for both the public and private sector regionally, nationally and internationally. He is a regular speaker at Russell Bedford conferences.