Von Löwen Designs

Learning for pleasure, for its own sake, whether it is learning a foreign language, traveling, reading history or philosophy, or pursuing a hobby, is in short supply today. Many people find that just keeping up with their home lives and doing a minimum of reading about their field, or anything else for that matter, is more than they can handle; but you never can tell how your personal interest learning may one day connect with professional opportunities and your overall effectiveness.

The analogy of the explorer as the quintessential learner can be useful to keep in mind. As we mature from children into adults and learn about constraints, develop an aversion to ‘wrong’ answers, and become comfortable in our field, our curiosity wanes. We no longer ask seemingly absurd questions anymore and sadly begin to lose our playfulness. We go from wanting to know everything to thinking we know it all. But there are some of us that retain our youthful curiosity and inquisitiveness and remain explorers as adults. So there ya’ go. . . maybe there are benefits to struggling with learning how to grow old after all. . .

If you want to develop into a broadband thinker, a final aspect of learning to consider is how to learn, which is a function of both attitude and the specific learning strategies you adopt. The most effective learners seem to have always cultivated an attitude of mindfulness or other active methods of learning. Mindfulness, an old Buddhist concept that has been explored and adopted in a modern educational context by distinguished Harvard psychologist Ellen J. Langer. With over 200 articles and six books on the subject, Dr. Langer makes both valid and profound points for her theory and application in studies involving classroom education, business, and overall health.

Mindfulness essentially means cultivating a flexible, open intellect and is characterized as a general style or mode of functioning through which the individual actively engages in reconstructing the environment through creating new categories or distinctions, thus directing attention to new contextual cues that may be consciously controlled or manipulated as appropriate. The distinctions made can be major or minor; what is important is that they are mindfully drawn.

In contrast, mindlessness is allowing yourself to be trapped in old paradigms, being unreceptive to new information and ideas, and rigidly looking at the world through a single perspective. It can be often illustrated as a distinct, style of cognitive functioning in which the individual processes cues from the environment in a relatively automatic but inflexible manner, without reference to any fresh or unique aspects of these cues—one deals with an already constructed environment.

By default, old categories and previously made distinctions are relied on uncritically, leading to rigid behavior that is rule governed rather than rule guided. It is not that mindlessness necessarily involves the complete absence of understanding, but rather, that information is processed automatically through preformed categories which are, themselves, no longer accessible for conscious consideration.

According to Dr. Langer many individuals spend substantial portions of their waking day in a mindless state. Go figure!

Active Learning:

• Direct experience – This is how most professionals do the bulk of their learning – on the job, day to day, by doing. The best learners, however, go well beyond experiential learning.

• Study – This consists mainly of reading, but extends to formal education, seminars, workshops, and so forth.

• Observation – Although clearly used on the job, observations represents a knowledge acquisition method by itself. How carefully do we really watch the people and things around us?

• Modeling – This approach is used very effectively by many exceptional professionals, who typically identify and emulate successful role models early in their careers. The mentoring process, for example, is based on modeling.

The first key difference in the learning habits of the ordinary versus extraordinary professionals is that the latter spend more total time dedicated to active learning and knowledge procurement. Even though a lower percentage of their time is spent reinforcing their core expertise, for example, they end up spending more absolute time strengthening this core than the average professional spends.

The second difference between the learning habits of narrowband versus broadband thinkers is in terms of where they spend their time. Narrowband learners spend the majority of their time becoming more expert in their chosen subject. Broadband learners also continue to cultivate their expertise, but they work to give it increasingly greater context. They also engage in more ‘random’ learning, which is done for pleasure and interest, but which has the effect of bolstering their intuition and ability to synthesize. Client advisors thus spend perhaps as much as one half of their learning time in the exploratory learning zones and personal interest, whereas typical experts might spend only a small fraction of their time there, a fact that Harry Truman lamented when he commented on the expert who feared learning anything new because “he wouldn’t be an expert anymore.”

Designers who genuinely step into an advisory role for their clients develop into broadband thinkers, in short, they continue to focus on the differences of each and every project to grasp the big picture through both the systematic and casual pursuit of knowledge and understanding. There is a particular aspect of this knowledge acquirement, however, that needs special emphasis – learning about your clients. Doing a competent job and having ‘satisfied’ clients alone will not bring clients back to you year after year, remodel after remodel. Doing outstanding work however, and constantly adding value through the insights you bring and the personal and professional relationship you develop will earn you deep loyalty and undeniable commitment.

As I continue to mature from ordinary subject matter expert into more and more of a design advisor’s role, my student mindset will always remain steadfast in my approach. Hopefully, my interests and drive for knowledge, together with a thorough understanding of my client’s perspective and their world, will form a powerful combination that will fuel my ability to be insightful and consistently add value to the relationship.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.