Cultivating a Learning Disposition

The term discipline originates from disciple - someone who is in a position to learn. To have discipline means that even in the toughest situations - when the competition is at its fiercest or the leadership tasks seem nearly impossible - we keep at it. We don't keep at it though just to complete it - to be finished with it and put it behind us. We keep at it because regardless of the result, there is something to learn from the experience.

So what exactly is a learning disposition and how do you cultivate it? A learning disposition is a personal characteristic that describes one's internal inclination to purposefully engage in experiences that expand their knowledge base and deepen their understanding of themselves and the world with which they engage. In other words, people with learning dispositions intentionally decide to try new things. Furthermore, these individuals they keep at it when the going gets tough because of the wealth of knowledge that resides in the experience. At the core, they come to know themselves in a deeper way. Knowing thyself in this way creates better and more resilient leaders.