Consider the following question:
How is the role of the leader different when the leader is helping others learn rather than teaching others?
The answer is important because as a leader, you will be responsible for others’ learning. Helping others learn implies more involvement on the part of the instructor. A different kind of relationship exists here – one that underlines partnership. When it comes to choosing what and how to learn, helping others to learn suggests not only allowing the learner to be involved in the decision-making process, but encouraging it. This approach resembles coaching, where one person is there to guide and support the other, as well as to hold them accountable for what they’re learning. At the same time, the leader who is helping others to learn is held accountable herself.
Teaching comes in a variety of styles and can be done in a variety of ways. Teaching others seems to focus more on conveying information and leaving the decision of what to do with this information up to the learner. Although teaching can be done in an involving and active way, the relationship has more of a top-down feel/structure (rather than the partnership seen when helping others to learn). Learners can sit through a presentation daydreaming and absorbing nothing. The accountability is not as great for either teachers or students in this approach.
