The Best Question to Ask Yourself Before Learning a New Skill at Work

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

We’ve all been there. Your boss walks up to you, with slight panic on their face, and says “I need you to do something…”

And you sit there, with slight panic on your face, thinking to yourself “oh crap, what is it now?”

If you are lucky, the task could be something that is in your skillset. At best, it’s a report that needs updating. Or a project timeline that was used previously.

At worst, it’s a skill that needs to be learned first…and you’ll have to learn it on your own.

Being asked to learn a new skill for a work task might as well be framed as “I want you to panic!” Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Once the panic subsides, if at all, you’re on a journey to learn something that may or may not become a permanent part of your job or the first step to an elevated position. Whatever the eventual outcome, you need to start the journey with one simple question — one that will reduce your learning curve:

What strength or skill do I have right now that can I use to help me learn this new skill?

Identifying Your Strengths