Personal Learning Networks, and Why You Should Have One

Over the past couple of years, thanks to some coursework for my Masters in Global Leadership, I’ve been more thoughtful about mentoring and how essential it is for ongoing healthy growth and development (personal, professional, spiritual, whatever).  Dr. Bobby Clinton has done some terrific work in this area that I highly commend (while he writes from a spiritual perspective, the concepts are broadly applicable).  One thing he does well is dispel the myth that mentors are few and hard to find.  Mentors come in all shapes & sizes.  In fact, “historic mentors” are readily available to all of us in the form of biographies and autobiographies.  And, as Dale Carnegie, author of the well-known book How to Win Friends and Influence People (the 2nd most read book in history next to the Bible), once said, “Everyone is your superior in some way.”  That’s worth taking a moment to chew on.

With these things swirling in my brain, it is not surprising then that the term “personal learning network” (PLN) caught my eye in an educational blog the other day.  I’ve not done a lot of reading on PLNs yet, but on the surface the concept seems quite simple – identifying people in your life who have the knowledge and/or skills to help you grow in some way.  No matter your age, profession or season of life, you have a lot to gain by cultivating your own PLN.  Most of us, of course, have a PLN already whether we know it or not, but, like most worthwhile things in life, without attention and a little elbow (or brain) grease, the benefit we derive from our learning networks will be severely limited.  So, how do you get started?  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Identify 3 things you’d like to learn – or learn better. Some suggestions:  a useful job skill, a foreign language, a sport or hobby, being a better spouse or parent, utilizing a social networking tool like Twitter or Facebook, personal financial management, etc.  The more relevant it is to your interests or involvements, the more motivated you are likely to be.  Once you have your list, take some time to brainstorm who can help you learn those things.  Personal contacts are typically best, but also consider sources like books (“historic mentors”) and blog sites.
2. Though less strategic, another approach is to identify up to 3 people in your life whom you respect for one reason or another. Perhaps you admire a colleague who is a gifted writer or presenter.  Maybe a neighbor has a particularly nice lawn & garden, or a friend is gifted photographer.  Approach these people and ask if they’d consider helping you learn from them.  Finding someone shouldn’t be too difficult.  Remember, “Everyone is your superior in some way.”
3. Document your PLN. This is an important step because it will help you be more intentional about it.  The simple act of putting it down in writing forces you to think more carefully about your network.  I prefer visual tools, such as Creately or MindManager (mentioned in earlier posts).  This one was done in a just a few minutes using Creately:
   

   Personal Learning Network

   I’ve been personally challenged to think more about my own network.  I hope you have, too.  Give the PLN concept some thought, and, while you do so, take a moment to leave a comment.