We all have passions that take us beyond the daily grind, and that includes more than just having a nice break. Hitting the gym, getting lost in a great book, or diving into a hobby can often recharge us in ways we don’t even notice. Sometimes, these side passions bring surprising benefits to our work, revealing connections we might not expect.
In this article, Mark Finney, Co-Founder and Facilitator at Keystroke Learning, shares his journey to becoming a guitarist and uncovers the surprising ways it mirrors and enhances his work life.
In my role as a training facilitator, I’ve always believed that learning is a lifelong journey. What you might not know is that alongside my passion for technology training, I’ve been on a parallel journey of learning to play the guitar. This personal quest has not only brought me a great deal of joy (along with some frustration) but has also given me some unexpected insights into the art of delivering effective training courses. Let me share how my guitar practice relates to and enhances our training delivery at Keystroke Learning. And don’t worry, I won’t be serenading you with “Stairway to Heaven” anytime soon.
The Rhythm of Repetition
Learning guitar requires consistent practice. You start with basic chords and scales, repeating them until your fingers move almost automatically. Or in my case, until they’re so sore I can’t tell if I’m playing an A minor or just mashing my fist across the fretboard! This process mirrors how we approach training at Keystroke Learning, minus the mashing, mostly! We understand that, like anything worth learning, mastering software skills requires repetition. We’ve all heard the expression “practice makes perfect”, but my music teacher is fond of saying “Practice makes progress“. Personally, I like that one better. I think it’s much more realistic to expect progress rather than perfection.
Just as I practice chord progressions, we encourage our students to repeat key actions in Excel, SharePoint, or Adobe software until they start to become second nature. It’s like muscle memory. One important distinction, I promise our training won’t leave your fingers calloused!
Embracing the Learning Curve
When I first picked up the guitar, I struggled with pretty much everything, even the simplest chords. My fingers felt clumsy, and the sounds I produced were, ahem, far from melodious. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I started with an acoustic guitar and not an electric. It’s much easier to keep that sucker quiet! Another thing about using an acoustic is that you can start really simply without the added distractions and complications of amps, pedals and what not. It’s basically a lump of wood with some strings and a hole in it to make sounds. Keeping it simple is a bit like starting with a basic course before worrying about complicated features.
Anyway, I persevered, reminding myself that every expert was once a beginner. This experience has made me a more patient and empathetic trainer. At Keystroke Learning, we create a supportive environment where it’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, we encourage them, knowing that those are often the pivotal moments when you have a breakthrough. We understand that learning new software can be daunting, and we’re here to guide our students through their own learning curves, minus the accidental strangled cat impressions.
The Advantage of Breaking It Down
Complex guitar solos or songs can seem impossible at first glance. The key is to break them down into smaller, more manageable parts.
This approach is similar to how we like to structure our training courses. Regardless of whether it’s a complicated Excel formula or an intricate layer effect in Photoshop, we break down complex concepts into bite-sized, digestible pieces. This method helps our students build confidence as they work through each component before moving on to the next. It’s like learning to play “Smoke on the Water” one painfully slow note at a time. And folks, don’t try this in a music store, they will show you the door!
Adapting to Different Learning Styles
As I’ve explored various kinds of music and guitar techniques, I’ve come to realise that different approaches work better for different songs or playing styles. Similarly, at Keystroke Learning, we appreciate that each learner has a unique learning style. Some might find it easier to understand concepts through visual demonstrations, while others learn best through hands-on practice. I like to keep my training methods flexible, adapting to the diverse needs of our students, in the same way that I adapt my guitar playing to different musical genres. Some songs need to be strummed, but others use a fingerpicking style, or maybe a mix of the two. Though I draw the line at death metal!
The Importance of Feedback and Continuous Improvement
In guitar playing, immediate auditory feedback helps you adjust your technique. If a note sounds off, you know to adjust your finger position. Or in my case, apologise to the neighbours. In our training sessions, we emphasize the importance of immediate feedback. We encourage questions, provide real-time assistance, and use practical exercises that give students instant results. This approach helps learners quickly identify areas for improvement and celebrate their successes, all without disturbing the peace.
My guitar journey is ongoing. There’s always a new technique to master or a challenging song to learn. This mindset of continuous improvement is at the core of Keystroke Learning’s philosophy. Technology is ever evolving, and so are we. We constantly update our training materials, explore new teaching methods, and stay abreast of the latest software developments to provide our clients with the most relevant and up-to-date training. It’s like trying to master “Through the Fire and Flames” on expert mode – always challenging, but oh so rewarding.
The Joy of the ‘Aha!’ Moment
There’s an indescribable joy when a difficult guitar riff finally clicks, and your fingers seem to fly across the fretboard effortlessly. This ‘Aha!’ moment is what we strive to create in our training sessions. Whether it’s helping a student master a complex Excel macro or guiding them through the intricacies of SharePoint site design, we live for those moments of breakthrough and understanding. It’s like finally nailing that tricky Barre chord – suddenly, everything makes sense, and you feel like a rock star (or in our case, a spreadsheet virtuoso).
Conclusion
In conclusion, my guitar journey has reinforced the principles that make Keystroke Learning’s training approach effective and enjoyable. It’s a reminder that learning is a personal, often challenging, but ultimately rewarding process. Whether you’re strumming a G chord or navigating through Microsoft Office, the key is patience, practice, and perseverance.
So, the next time you’re in one of our training sessions, know that the person guiding you through those software intricacies might just be drawing inspiration from their latest guitar lesson. After all, in both music and technology, it’s all about hitting the right notes and creating something beautiful. Just don’t ask me to play “Wonderwall” – that’s where I draw the line.
