CategoryLearning

Squeaks Come Before the Music

By Josh Nicholls
8 months ago
2 Min Read
In Learning
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This year my oldest daughter is in 6th grade and if you have had a sixth grader before you know students in sixth grade have the opportunity to experiment with band or orchestra.

We talked it through with my daughter and she thought the violin would be a fun instrument. For the first two weeks of school, they learned about the instrument and plucked at the strings. This week she came home and with some excitement shared she got to try out the bow for the first time on the violin. She laughed saying that she’s learned how to squeak on the violin but eventually she will be able to make music.

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Articulate Your Learning

By Josh Nicholls
11 months ago
2 Min Read
In Learning
A

Seth Godin has attributed his success to the fact that he has failed more than anyone he knows. If you don’t know Seth Godin, he has been writing daily on his blog since 2002 and is one of the leading thinkers of our time.

When I heard him share this idea in a podcast I listened to, it made me think of something that wasn’t immediately obvious to me.

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Confounding the Process

By Josh Nicholls
February 22, 2023
2 Min Read
In Learning
C

Last week I was asked a fascinating question by an experienced facilitator that taught me something new about learning. I was describing a process and methodology we would follow for an exercise and then afterwards he pulled me aside to build on the structure with a question.

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Learning Better

By Josh Nicholls
January 7, 2023
2 Min Read
In Learning
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Learning something new is hard. In college I struggled because much of the focus was on reading textbooks and then taking a test to ensure I understood the content. Textbooks can be a powerful way to learn, and we can elevate our learning with a few small tweaks.

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Focus on the Problem and Flexible in the Solution

By Josh Nicholls
December 23, 2022
1 Min Read
In Learning
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This month I have been working with a few dynamic leaders on how to focus on product led growth.

In learning and development, I have helped design or been a part of several projects that have missed the mark on product led growth. We have been distracted by the solution and lose sight of the problem to be solved.

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Learning as a Product

By Josh Nicholls
November 19, 2022
3 Min Read
In Learning
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Take a moment to think about something that you use many times a week. Why do you use that thing? What value is it providing to you?

One of these things for me is Microsoft OneNote. I use it as a place to capture all of my thoughts, study, and notes. It synchronizes to the cloud, is free, available on all my devices and even allows me to draw my ideas and concepts with a pen. I do not have to pay for storage (like some services) and it is effectively my second brain. If I want to make sure something does not get lost, then I will jot it down in OneNote.

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Ignite the Fire With Those You Teach

By Josh Nicholls
September 29, 2022
3 Min Read
In Learning
I

A while back I took my son out camping in the mountains. At the time he was about 5 years old, and we were both excited to have some one on one time. We brought the fixings for s’mores and picked up some firewood on the way in so we could have a proper campfire and treat after dinner.

As a youth I grew up in the scouting program and earned the Eagle Scout award so camping and fire building is not a foreign task. The wood was large logs, but we did not have any kindling. My son and I explored the campsite and surrounding area for twigs, sticks, and anything that we could use to start our fire. 

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About Me

Josh Nicholls

I teach and invite people to act. Proud husband, father and amateur pizzaiolo

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