PROMPT SET: Creating a Culture of Learning for your Team
This 20-prompt set guides leaders through the process of building a learning culture, starting with reflection on their current environment, imagining a stronger future, identifying learning priorities, and taking visible leadership steps.
Why should I register for this prompt set?
building a culture of learning
This prompt set is made for leaders of Twennie groups. Your challenge is to manage your team's learning in ways that benefit your clients, your organization, your team, and the individual professionals. Is your team growing? With each passing year, can you look at their resumes and see evidence of professional development? This prompt set will help you assess your current learning culture, develop aspirations for growth, and chart a path.
100% utilization?
Some organizations aim for 100% utilization, the idea that the optimal quarterly statement shows every team member doing billable work all the time. Is this your approach? What motivates it?
long term results with 100% utilization
While 100% utilization might look impressive on one quarterly statement, it’s rarely sustainable in the long term. Think about why this might be the case. Reflect on it in your prompt notes.
on-the-clock time for learning
Do you set aside on-the-clock time for learning? How? Reflect on your present learning approach in your prompt notes.
off-hours learning
Does your team learn in their off-hours? If so, what topics do they typically invest in? If you don’t know, create an agenda item for your next team meeting and poll the team.
skill gaps
What skills are most lacking in your team? If you could snap your fingers and have them all know something new instantly, what would it be? Reflect on this in your notes.
deciding the changes you want to see
Imagine your team six months from now. Everyone has picked up a new skill, improved a key habit, or deepened their knowledge in a meaningful area. What’s different in how they show up to work? What’s improved in your results? Is there a change in their engagement?
when learning benefits the client
What might change in client outcomes if your team developed stronger skills in communication, collaboration, or critical thinking? Think of a past project that would have gone differently if one of these skills were stronger. Reflect on it in your prompt notes.
learning culture as a magnet for talent
How might a stronger learning culture improve morale, retention, or recruiting? What do high-performing professionals want in a team environment and are you creating it for your team?
your reputation as a leader and team
If your organization or department became known as a place where people grow faster than elsewhere, what kind of professionals might be attracted to join? How might that reputation serve the firm long term? In your prompt notes, reflect on what you might say to a potential hire after your new learning strategy is a year in?
unlocking potential
Think of one team member with untapped potential. What new responsibility could they take on if they had more support in developing the skills to do it? What learning would get them there? How might this make your team more marketable in your business landscape?
time investing
What is a realistic amount of time you could commit to learning each week as an individual and as a team? Be honest. Then reflect on whether that amount would move the needle over time. How long would it take at that pace? Are you satisfied with this rate of progress?
learning styles
What’s your preferred style of learning? Reading, watching, practicing, discussing? How can you use Twennie units to match that style and offer varied approaches for your team? Do they have similar learning styles?
learning rhythms
If you were to build a monthly rhythm for learning on your team, what would it look like? Weekly prompts? A monthly discussion? Quarterly skill reviews? Reflect on this in your prompt notes.
prioritizing topics
Which topics are most important for your team to learn this year? Consider both technical skills and softer but equally vital ones, like client communication or emotional intelligence. Don't limit yourself to topics available on Twennie. If you want the team to learn something but it is not on Twennie, you can always suggest new topics, or write the units yourself. Twennie makes that easy.
overcoming barriers
What barriers are most likely to get in the way of following through on a new learning strategy? What can you preemptively do to protect learning time and build in accountability? Paid work takes precedence, but how can you maintain some momentum and still reach targets?
create a unit on Twennie
What message would it send if you created your own article, prompt set, or team exercise on Twennie? What would you write about? Draft a working title and a rough outline. If you like the looks of it, contact Twennie and get some coaching for fleshing it out for a formal Twennie library unit.
turn a problem into a learning challenge
Think of a recurring challenge in your team. Maybe recruiting, onboarding, handoff quality, or meeting focus. What comes across your desk (as a problem) too often, something you really want to see change? Could you turn that challenge into a Twennie exercise or template? Sketch it out. Contact Twennie for help.
serving as a model for learning
What’s one shining moment in your own learning this month you could share with the team, informally, to reinforce that growth is part of your leadership, and that you see its value? Try it this week.
a leader's approach becomes the team's approach
How can you set expectations with your team, and with other leaders, that learning is part of the job, not just a personal bonus? What signals will you send in your meetings, schedules, and feedback? How will you talk about and announce successful learning from now on?
lead the launch
You’ve committed to building a culture of learning. Now: what’s your first public step? Will you host a kickoff meeting, assign a first unit, or share your learning goal? Pick one and set a date.