NEVER STOP LEARNING Explore Informal Training.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Michael Krey

4 The need for continuous learning is a given in business, says author Richard Swanson.

Creating a culture in the workplace to encourage that learning is critical, says Swanson, a University of Minnesota business professor who has written or co-written 11 books on human resource management, including a best-seller in the field, "The Adult Learner."

Years ago, workers spent 25% of their time learning, Swanson says. Today that estimate's "very conservative," he said. To get ahead, companies "must support formal and informal learning -- training and development.

"And informal doesn't mean wasteful. It means having a culture that recognizes that employees must constantly be learning."

To power up your learning abilities, Swanson suggests the following:

** Show humility. "People have to recognize how much perception plays in our understanding of a subject or situation," he said. "We all have different perceptions, interpretations of the truth. The sooner we realize this fact, the better. That's so fundamental, but often missing."