For the modern entrepreneur or business-savvy individual, the learning of business skills is a continual process that goes on for the rest of your career. Sometimes you can’t eat, sleep, or think straight because the world of business has absolutely tightened its grip on you and all you want to do is show it what you’re made of. With all of that ambition and energy bubbling, putting the mindset to work in the pursuit of new skills is actually no longer the challenge it
once was. Thanks to globalisation, communications, and technology, the information and learnings we desire are literally at our fingertips.

In this piece, let us explore four innovative ways to learn business skills…

Method one: Leverage one of the many amazing online course platforms

Taking a course in absolutely anything is pretty much the standard form for learning any useful skill. You observe a master and piece by piece you absorb their knowledge. You can learn to do anything, from self-accounting to WordPress management, and video editing to
sales talk. These useful skills might not always give you some certificate or license at theend, but you can prove your skills by doing what you’ve learned.

Another benefit of online courses is that you can make them work for your time availability by logging in on the evening or weekends, or in the moment that you’re facing a specific struggle. Oh, and many of these online platforms are… totally free.

Here are some of our favourite online course platforms

• Udemy
• YouTube (Don’t sleep on the educational power of YouTube!)
• Coursera
• Lynda
• Open Culture
• Lifehacker
• TED Talks
• Futurelearn

Go to a local or regional networking event

Those fingers were not made for scrolling screens, they were made for gesturing, using tools, and shaking hands. If you’re serious about building a business, you had better get serious about growing a network. Even if you think you don’t need a network, it’s an incredible pillar to have, and an absolute wealth of expertise and knowledge that multiples with every new addition.

Networking helps you meet people with more success and skills than you, which is immeasurably valuable. You can check websites like Meetup, Toastmaster, and BNI to find out about amazing networking events in your area.

Alternatively, don’t forget that going out for a meal with your mates or your family is also networking. Your parents may have had a long and interesting career and have been long waiting for the day you try to extract wisdom nuggets from their garden. Use what you have available to you, and then spread out!

The magical world of podcasts

If you’re a successful entrepreneur who loves nothing more than to share your knowledge and educate others, then podcasting is an amazing medium. If you’re looking for innovative ways to learn business skills, you need to take advantage of what these experts have to say, as their advice is free and golden. If you’re stuck with a boring commute, podcasts can bring life to your travel time.

You will find hosts who can take complex themes and simplify them, redistributing that information in a way that is enjoyable to listen to, especially if the host is charismatic and humorous. The podcast medium has helped some hosts to global fame, and with that fame they can get just about anyone on their podcast, like Marc Maron getting President Obama on his WTF podcast! Podcasting is full of niches too, so if you’re into powerful female business leaders, bootstrapped businesses, changing careers, or remote work, you will find something that appeals to you.

Experiential learning, of course

We are the masters of experiential learning thanks to a mission that has gone on for decades, so, what can we say to those who are looking for innovative ways to learn business skills? Well, first and foremost, business is intertwined with risk, which is what puts a lot of people off, but, given the opportunity to simulate environments and ‘practice’ business, they actually find that they’ve got the taste and knack for it.

What skills can experiential learning develop?

• Trust
• Listening
• Persuasion
• Data analysis
• Agility
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Conflict resolution
• Budget management
• Strategic management
• Opportunity identification
• Self-determination
• Self-motivation
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Introspection and retrospection
• Multitasking
• Delegating
• Constructive criticism
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Prioritization
• Relationship building
• Inspiring and empowering others

Oh, we could keep going with this list all day long. What we’re trying to explain is that the opportunities are endless when it comes to experiential learning, and that’s why the future of education will be based on this method. Didactic teaching will be scaled down, while the classrooms of tomorrow will focus on active problem solving, simulated environments, and learning by doing in order to test the concepts learned. Analysis and debate will encourage critical thinking towards immediate issues, sudden changes to a situation will require rapid decision-making skills and judgement, and putting theory into practice will require memory recall and practical confidence. The emotion, the competition, and the opportunity – they will all play on learners minds as they embrace experiential learning and develop skills they never knew they had.