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8 Pros and Cons of Experience Curve

People learn new skills in a wide variety of ways. Sometimes people love to jump right into a new task and learn how to do it as they’re doing it. Others prefer to practice a new skill first before doing it for real. Sometimes a classroom environment is preferred. What do all of these different methods of learning have in common? The placement of a learning curve. As people gain more knowledge and experience, they increase their skill levels. Here are the key points to consider when looking at the pros and cons of a learning curve in any subject that is available today.

The Pros of a Learning Curve

1. It provides recognition of the fact that there is limited knowledge available at first.
When a learning curve has been recognized, then it prevents unnecessary errors because it forces more skilled individuals to assist someone who is first starting out. This prevents needless injuries without increasing the amount of time it takes to accomplish a specific task.

2. When we pass our knowledge to someone else, it increases their learning curve.
The opposite is also true. This is why reverse mentoring is taking off in the workplace. Experienced workers can teach young workers how to accomplish daily tasks properly. Younger workers can then teach the experienced workers how to become even more effective thanks to the benefits of modern technology. Everyone influences everyone and boosts their learning curve in the process.

3. It provides useful comparison information.
Everyone has a learning curve on each subject they know something about. By comparing the different learning curves of individuals, the progress that someone is making can be gauged so that adjustments can be made. It can also let people know who has experience and who is just pretending to have experience because there are no facts that can be misrepresented on the curve. You either have it or you don’t have it.

4. The height of the learning curve can let people know what tasks they should focus upon.
When we are able to focus on our strengths and allow others to do the same, then many more things can be accomplished during the day. Let the writers write, the artists create, and the business managers create wealth. Everyone benefits. Then people can begin shoring up their weaknesses as well so they can take on a multifaceted approach.

The Cons of a Learning Curve

1. It creates a caste system where the most experienced are seen as being superior.
Although the goal of implementing learning curves might be to encourage mutual levels of success, some people are naturally skilled at certain tasks more than others. The placement of the learning curve therefore creates a comparison system that naturally creates people who are seen as being more superior than others.

2. The growth of a learning curve is only as good as the mentor that helps it to grow.
A learning curve may have unlimited height potential, but it can only achieve a maximum level of height when there is an experienced mentor helping it to grow. If there aren’t quality teachers and mentors helping others be able to grow their skills and use their talents, then their potential to achieve success will be naturally limited through no fault of their own.

3. The learning curve isn’t a reflection of future potential.
It is simply a recognition of what a person’s current talents and skills happen to be on a projected outcome of the future. No one can know with 100% certainty what will happen tomorrow or any other day in the future, so this means the future can be changed. Projecting an incorrect learning curve could be disheartening to some and cause them to stop focusing on their growth.

4. There is generally no emphasis placed on the downward motion of a learning curve.
We often look at the upward slope of a learning curve, but at some point the curve must begin to point downward as well. How we react to the downward slope is just as important as what we’re doing in skill development for the upward slope. Without this emphasis, people are left to ponder why they’ve peaked and are no longer at the top of their mountain.

The pros and cons of a learning curve show that it can be an important piece of comparative information. It can also be a dangerous point of comparison if used to directly compare two people to prove superiority. When used carefully, it can help people reach unlimited heights in their preferred skills and talents and this growth can help to change the world.

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