中英文稿

這一輩子，?不管是我們的工作事務(wù)、家庭瑣事、學(xué)校任務(wù)， 或是其他，?我們大都盡己所能，做到最好，?我這么想，也這么做。?但是一段時(shí)間以前，我意識到，?我在我最在乎的事情上并沒有進(jìn)步，?不管是作為丈夫或是朋友，?或是專家，或者隊(duì)友。?即使我在這些事上花費(fèi)了大量時(shí)間，?做了很多努力，?我卻沒有太多進(jìn)步。?我之后在與他人的談話和研究中意識到，?這種白白耗費(fèi)努力的停滯，?原來非常普遍。?所以我想與大家分享一些，?關(guān)于它為何發(fā)生和如何應(yīng)對的見解。?我所了解的是，無論哪個(gè)領(lǐng)域，?最高效的個(gè)人和團(tuán)隊(duì)，?都會(huì)做一件我們可以效仿的事情：?生活中，他們有意識的在兩個(gè)區(qū)域轉(zhuǎn)換：?學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)和展現(xiàn)區(qū)。

在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)，我們希冀進(jìn)步，?我們?yōu)榱诉M(jìn)步而計(jì)劃行為，?將精力集中在那些我們還沒有掌握的東西上，?我們意識到自己會(huì)犯錯(cuò)，?并且知道我們會(huì)從中汲取什么教訓(xùn)。?這和我們在展現(xiàn)區(qū)做的完全不同，?在展現(xiàn)區(qū)我們的目標(biāo)是做到最好，去執(zhí)行，?我們在已經(jīng)掌握的東西上集中精力，?并盡力把錯(cuò)誤縮小。

這兩個(gè)區(qū)域都應(yīng)是我們生活的一部分，?但是在進(jìn)入?yún)^(qū)域之前，想清楚我們進(jìn)的是哪個(gè)區(qū)，?我們的目標(biāo)是什么、精力放在哪、有什么樣的期望，?這會(huì)幫助我們更好的提升或表現(xiàn)?在展現(xiàn)區(qū)將展現(xiàn)最大化，?在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)將進(jìn)步最大化?并在未來的展現(xiàn)中將其表現(xiàn)。?我們努力工作卻沒有太多進(jìn)步的原因，?是我們往往將時(shí)間都花在了展現(xiàn)區(qū)里。?這阻礙著我們的進(jìn)步，?更諷刺的是，長久來看，這也影響著我們的展現(xiàn)。

那學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)是什么樣的呢？?看看古希臘的政治領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者、?最偉大的演說家、律師，狄摩西尼吧。?為了成就偉大，他沒有把所有時(shí)間花費(fèi)在僅僅作為演說家或者律師上--?也就是他展現(xiàn)區(qū)的一部分。?反而，他為了進(jìn)步規(guī)劃行為，?是的，他大量地學(xué)習(xí)。?他不僅在導(dǎo)師的幫助下學(xué)習(xí)法律和哲學(xué)，?他還意識到了律師的職責(zé)包括說服他人，?所以他研習(xí)了許多偉大的演說?和表演。?為了戒掉他不自主抬胳膊的習(xí)慣，?他在一面鏡子前練習(xí)演說，?并將一把劍吊在房梁上，?這樣如果他抬起了肩膀，?劍就會(huì)刺痛他。

為了發(fā)音清晰，?他在演說時(shí)嘴里含著石頭。?他還建造了一個(gè)地下室，?這樣他在練習(xí)的時(shí)候就不會(huì)被打擾，?也不會(huì)打擾到別人。?因?yàn)槟菚r(shí)候的法庭很嘈雜，?對此他在海邊練習(xí)，?保證聲音在海浪的咆哮中清晰可聽。?他在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)所做的行為，?和他在法庭上的行為，也就是他展現(xiàn)區(qū)的行為，?遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不同。?在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)，?安德斯?埃里克森博士稱這種行為為“有意練習(xí)”，?這種練習(xí)包括了將能力轉(zhuǎn)化為所需技能，?對我們需要提升什么非主要技能非常清楚，?就像狄摩西尼將肩膀放低，?還有將精力集中在我們舒適區(qū)之外、?更高一級的挑戰(zhàn)，?做超越我們現(xiàn)在正做的事，?在重復(fù)和調(diào)整中得到反饋，?最好能得到熟練者的指導(dǎo)，?因?yàn)闉榱诉M(jìn)步而設(shè)定行為?是件很內(nèi)行的事。?好的老師和教練了解什么行為能帶來進(jìn)步，?也能給我們專業(yè)的反饋。?學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)中，給我們帶來很大的進(jìn)步的，?正是這樣的練習(xí)，?而不是單純的完成任務(wù)。?例如，研究表明，在某一行業(yè)最初工作的幾年，?展現(xiàn)的進(jìn)步會(huì)停滯。

這已經(jīng)在教育、普通內(nèi)科、?護(hù)理和其他領(lǐng)域都到了印證，?我們一旦認(rèn)為自己足夠好、足夠適合工作，?而停止學(xué)習(xí)，?它就會(huì)發(fā)生在我們身上。?我們僅是把時(shí)間花費(fèi)在完成工作上，?也就是展現(xiàn)，?這決不是進(jìn)步的好方法。?而那些繼續(xù)在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)花費(fèi)時(shí)間的人，?確實(shí)在不停進(jìn)步。?最好的推銷員至少每周一次，?進(jìn)行自我提高的活動(dòng)。?他們通過閱讀拓展知識，?與同事或行業(yè)專家交換意見，?嘗試新的策略、征集反饋并以此作出反應(yīng)。?最好的國際象棋棋手，?并沒有將大部分時(shí)間花在他們的表現(xiàn)區(qū)——?也就是下象棋上，?而是努力去預(yù)測象棋大師的著子并加以分析。?我們在電腦打字上，?花費(fèi)了很多時(shí)間?卻沒有打得更快，?但是我們?nèi)绻刻於寄艹槌?0-20分鐘，?全神貫注地提升打字速度，?就比平?？焐?0%-20%，?我們打字的速度就會(huì)提升，?尤其是我們還找出了我們常犯的錯(cuò)，?并且還加以糾正練習(xí)。?這就是“有意練習(xí)”。

打字畢竟不是主業(yè)，?我們有其他更在乎的領(lǐng)域，?那些我們努力過，但是提升甚少的領(lǐng)域，?這是因?yàn)槲覀兛偼Ａ粼谡宫F(xiàn)區(qū)嗎？?這并不意味展現(xiàn)區(qū)毫無價(jià)值，?它非常有價(jià)值。?我不會(huì)告訴我膝蓋手術(shù)的主治醫(yī)生：?“隨便弄吧，把膝蓋當(dāng)作你的教具，”

“你犯錯(cuò)了我們都會(huì)吸取教訓(xùn)的！”?我會(huì)找一個(gè)我認(rèn)為能做好手術(shù)的外科醫(yī)生，?我也想讓她順利完成手術(shù)。?在展現(xiàn)區(qū)做事，?要求我們做到最好。?這本身就是一種鞭策，?它也能讓我們知道，當(dāng)我們回到學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)的時(shí)候，?我們應(yīng)當(dāng)注意什么。?通往高水平展現(xiàn)的路，?就是在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)、表現(xiàn)區(qū)間來回轉(zhuǎn)換的路，?我們有目的地在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)積攢技能，?然后將其應(yīng)用于展現(xiàn)區(qū)。

當(dāng)碧昂斯舉辦巡回演唱會(huì)時(shí)，?演唱會(huì)，就是她的展現(xiàn)區(qū)，?但是當(dāng)她每晚回到酒店房間時(shí)，?她就徑直地回到了她的學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)。?她會(huì)觀看剛剛結(jié)束的演出的錄像。?為她自己、舞者、攝像組?尋求進(jìn)步的突破口。?第二天早上，?每個(gè)人都會(huì)收到幾頁筆記，上面寫著?他們需要在下次演出前需要調(diào)整的問題。?提高能力?是一個(gè)螺旋上升的過程，?但是我們得知道何時(shí)學(xué)習(xí)、何時(shí)表現(xiàn)，?當(dāng)想兩者兼顧時(shí)，?想要進(jìn)步，?就要多花時(shí)間在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)上。

那我們?nèi)绾螌⒏鄷r(shí)間用在學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)上呢？?首先，?堅(jiān)定我們一定會(huì)進(jìn)步的信念，?我們叫它“成長思維”。?其次，成長目標(biāo)必須明確。?時(shí)間、精力有限，?它們必須花費(fèi)在我們在乎的目標(biāo)上。?第三，我們必須要知道如何提高，?怎樣提高，?不能像小時(shí)候?qū)W吉他，?一遍遍重復(fù)單調(diào)的歌曲，?而是做一些有意的練習(xí)。?第四，保證低風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，?因?yàn)榉稿e(cuò)在意料之中，?其后果必不能不堪設(shè)想，?哪怕是有一點(diǎn)嚴(yán)重都不行。?沒有攔網(wǎng)，走鋼索的人不會(huì)去訓(xùn)練新技巧，?在大賽上，運(yùn)動(dòng)員也不會(huì)去開發(fā)新的動(dòng)作。

我們之所以在展現(xiàn)區(qū)耗費(fèi)大量時(shí)間，?是因?yàn)槲覀兺ǔ２槐匾貙h(huán)境?置于高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的狀態(tài)。?我們給彼此制造了社會(huì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，?即使在我們一切都為了學(xué)習(xí)的學(xué)校里，?我沒有在說標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化考試，?我說的是學(xué)生每時(shí)每刻、?從小學(xué)到大學(xué)，?都會(huì)覺得別人會(huì)因?yàn)樗麄兎稿e(cuò)而輕視他們。?難怪學(xué)生一直緊張兮兮，?不愿為學(xué)習(xí)而冒必要的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。?老師、家長對正確答案趨之若鶩的態(tài)度，?無意中?讓學(xué)生抗拒犯錯(cuò)，?而不是勇于試錯(cuò)、檢視過錯(cuò)、?并從中吸取教訓(xùn)，?我們也只想要“標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案”，?而不是激勵(lì)學(xué)生去進(jìn)行?大有裨益的開拓性思考。?一旦學(xué)生的作業(yè)、作品，都會(huì)被評定等級、標(biāo)上分?jǐn)?shù)，?最后被記入期末成績，?它們就起不到練習(xí)、試錯(cuò)、反饋、修正的作用了，?我們讓孩子誤認(rèn)為學(xué)校是展現(xiàn)區(qū)。

職場中也同樣如此。?那些咨詢我的公司，經(jīng)常執(zhí)行無缺陷企業(yè)文化，?領(lǐng)導(dǎo)們努力于激勵(lì)工作。?但這會(huì)讓員工停留在自己已知的領(lǐng)域，?固步自封，?公司因此很難創(chuàng)新、進(jìn)步，?從而落了下風(fēng)。

我們可以通過交流，?為彼此開創(chuàng)進(jìn)步的空間，?可以讓行為各屬所區(qū)的空間。?何處改進(jìn)？如何改進(jìn)？?何時(shí)決策？怎樣控?fù)p？?何為成功，何時(shí)、以何種方法去支持對方，?由此在我們眼前清晰展現(xiàn)。?那要是我們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己長期都在高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)狀態(tài)下，?并且無法開展這樣的交流怎么辦？?作為個(gè)人，我們?nèi)钥梢宰鲞@下面三點(diǎn)：?首先，我們可以在高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的汪洋中開辟一個(gè)低風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的小島，?在這里，錯(cuò)誤的后果不會(huì)太嚴(yán)重，?比如，我們可以找一個(gè)導(dǎo)師，或是可信的同事，?和他們分享想法，或是接受批評，?甚至角色代入都行。?或者是隨著項(xiàng)目的進(jìn)展，舉辦反饋向會(huì)議。?我們也可以抽出時(shí)間去閱讀相關(guān)書籍、看視頻或是參加在線課程。?這只是幾個(gè)例子。?其次，我們可以遵循著預(yù)期去執(zhí)行，?但將精力集中于如何在下次做的更好，?就像碧昂斯，?我們可以觀察并模仿專家所做。?這些觀察、映射和調(diào)整屬于學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)。?最終，我們可以通過和他人分享希冀在何處取得進(jìn)步，?通過詢問未知的問題，?通過征求反饋，?通過分享我們曾經(jīng)犯過的錯(cuò)，和從中汲取的教訓(xùn)，?為彼此營造一個(gè)低風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的狀態(tài)，?這樣他人也會(huì)安心地做同樣的事。

進(jìn)步的奧秘就在規(guī)范現(xiàn)行的學(xué)習(xí)行為中。?如果，我們沒有把時(shí)間耗費(fèi)在?做事、表現(xiàn)、輸出上，?而是更多地去探索、?詢問、?傾聽、?實(shí)踐、斟酌、?拼命去成為想成為的人，會(huì)怎么樣？?如果我們每個(gè)人，都有某些事情?讓我們可為之努力，從而提高呢？?如果我們可以找到，或者創(chuàng)造出更多的?低風(fēng)險(xiǎn)地帶呢？?那如果我們對于自身?和團(tuán)隊(duì)成員，?何時(shí)需要學(xué)習(xí)，何時(shí)需要表現(xiàn)非常清楚呢？?做到這些，我們的努力會(huì)得到更多回報(bào)，?我們的進(jìn)步會(huì)一往直前，?我們的工作會(huì)錦上添花。

謝謝大家。

Most of us go through life trying to do our best at whatever we do,?whether it's our job, family, school?or anything else.?I feel that way. I try my best.?But some time ago, I came to a realization?that I wasn't getting much better at the things I cared most about,?whether it was being a husband or a friend?or a professional or teammate,?and I wasn't improving much at those things?even though I was spending a lot of time?working hard at them.?I've since realized from conversations I've had and from research?that this stagnation, despite hard work,?turns out to be pretty common.

So I'd like to share with you some insights into why that is?and what we can all do about it.?What I've learned is that the most effective people?and teams in any domain?do something we can all emulate.?They go through life deliberately alternating between two zones:?the learning zone and the performance zone.

The learning zone is when our goal is to improve.?Then we do activities designed for improvement,?concentrating on what we haven't mastered yet,?which means we have to expect to make mistakes,?knowing that we will learn from them.?That is very different from what we do when we're in our performance zone,?which is when our goal is to do something as best as we can, to execute.?Then we concentrate on what we have already mastered?and we try to minimize mistakes.

Both of these zones should be part of our lives,?but being clear about when we want to be in each of them,?with what goal, focus and expectations,?helps us better perform and better improve.?The performance zone maximizes our immediate performance,?while the learning zone maximizes our growth?and our future performance.?The reason many of us don't improve much?despite our hard work?is that we tend to spend almost all of our time in the performance zone.?This hinders our growth,?and ironically, over the long term, also our performance.

So what does the learning zone look like??Take Demosthenes, a political leader?and the greatest orator and lawyer in ancient Greece.?To become great, he didn't spend all his time?just being an orator or a lawyer,?which would be his performance zone.?But instead, he did activities designed for improvement.?Of course, he studied a lot.?He studied law and philosophy with guidance from mentors,?but he also realized that being a lawyer involved persuading other people,?so he also studied great speeches?and acting.?To get rid of an odd habit he had of involuntarily lifting his shoulder,?he practiced his speeches in front of a mirror,?and he suspended a sword from the ceiling?so that if he raised his shoulder,?it would hurt.

To speak more clearly despite a lisp,?he went through his speeches with stones in his mouth.?He built an underground room?where he could practice without interruptions?and not disturb other people.?And since courts at the time were very noisy,?he also practiced by the ocean,?projecting his voice above the roar of the waves.

His activities in the learning zone?were very different from his activities in court,?his performance zone.?In the learning zone,?he did what Dr. Anders Ericsson calls deliberate practice.?This involves breaking down abilities into component skills,?being clear about what subskill we're working to improve,?like keeping our shoulders down,?giving full concentration to a high level of challenge?outside our comfort zone,?just beyond what we can currently do,?using frequent feedback with repetition and adjustments,?and ideally engaging the guidance of a skilled coach,?because activities designed for improvement?are domain-specific,?and great teachers and coaches know what those activities are?and can also give us expert feedback.?It is this type of practice in the learning zone?which leads to substantial improvement,?not just time on task performing.?For example, research shows that after the first couple of years?working in a profession,?performance usually plateaus.?This has been shown to be true in teaching, general medicine,?nursing and other fields,?and it happens because once we think we have become good enough,?adequate,?then we stop spending time in the learning zone.?We focus all our time on just doing our job,?performing,?which turns out not to be a great way to improve.?But the people who continue to spend time in the learning zone?do continue to always improve.?The best salespeople at least once a week?do activities with the goal of improvement.?They read to extend their knowledge,?consult with colleagues or domain experts,?try out new strategies, solicit feedback and reflect.?The best chess players?spend a lot of time not playing games of chess,?which would be their performance zone,?but trying to predict the moves grand masters made and analyzing them.?Each of us has probably spent many, many, many hours?typing on a computer?without getting faster,?but if we spent 10 to 20 minutes each day?fully concentrating on typing 10 to 20 percent faster?than our current reliable speed,?we would get faster,?especially if we also identified what mistakes we're making?and practiced typing those words.?That's deliberate practice.

In what other parts of our lives,?perhaps that we care more about,?are we working hard but not improving much?because we're always in the performance zone??Now, this is not to say that the performance zone has no value.?It very much does.?When I needed a knee surgery, I didn't tell the surgeon,?"Poke around in there and focus on what you don't know."

"We'll learn from your mistakes!"?I looked for a surgeon who I felt would do a good job,?and I wanted her to do a good job.?Being in the performance zone?allows us to get things done as best as we can.?It can also be motivating,?and it provides us with information to identify what to focus on next?when we go back to the learning zone.?So the way to high performance?is to alternate between the learning zone and the performance zone,?purposefully building our skills in the learning zone,?then applying those skills in the performance zone.

When Beyoncé is on tour,?during the concert, she's in her performance zone,?but every night when she gets back to the hotel room,?she goes right back into her learning zone.?She watches a video of the show that just ended.?She identifies opportunities for improvement,?for herself, her dancers and her camera staff.?And the next morning,?everyone receives pages of notes with what to adjust,?which they then work on during the day before the next performance.?It's a spiral?to ever-increasing capabilities,?but we need to know when we seek to learn, and when we seek to perform,?and while we want to spend time doing both,?the more time we spend in the learning zone,?the more we'll improve.

So how can we spend more time in the learning zone??First, we must believe and understand?that we can improve,?what we call a growth mindset.?Second, we must want to improve at that particular skill.?There has to be a purpose we care about,?because it takes time and effort.?Third, we must have an idea about how to improve,?what we can do to improve,?not how I used to practice the guitar as a teenager,?performing songs over and over again,?but doing deliberate practice.?And fourth, we must be in a low-stakes situation,?because if mistakes are to be expected,?then the consequence of making them must not be catastrophic,?or even very significant.?A tightrope walker doesn't practice new tricks without a net underneath,?and an athlete wouldn't set out to first try a new move?during a championship match.

One reason that in our lives?we spend so much time in the performance zone?is that our environments often are, unnecessarily, high stakes.?We create social risks for one another,?even in schools which are supposed to be all about learning,?and I'm not talking about standardized tests.?I mean that every minute of every day,?many students in elementary schools through colleges?feel that if they make a mistake, others will think less of them.?No wonder they're always stressed out?and not taking the risks necessary for learning.?But they learn that mistakes are undesirable?inadvertently?when teachers or parents are eager to hear just correct answers?and reject mistakes rather than welcome and examine them?to learn from them,?or when we look for narrow responses?rather than encourage more exploratory thinking?that we can all learn from.?When all homework or student work has a number or a letter on it,?and counts towards a final grade,?rather than being used for practice, mistakes, feedback and revision,?we send the message that school is a performance zone.

The same is true in our workplaces.?In the companies I consult with, I often see flawless execution cultures?which leaders foster to encourage great work.?But that leads employees to stay within what they know?and not try new things,?so companies struggle to innovate and improve,?and they fall behind.

We can create more spaces for growth?by starting conversations with one another?about when we want to be in each zone.?What do we want to get better at and how??And when do we want to execute and minimize mistakes??That way, we gain clarity about what success is,?when, and how to best support one another.

But what if we find ourselves in a chronic high-stakes setting?and we feel we can't start those conversations yet??Then here are three things that we can still do as individuals.?First, we can create low-stakes islands in an otherwise high-stakes sea.?These are spaces where mistakes have little consequence.?For example, we might find a mentor or a trusted colleague?with whom we can exchange ideas or have vulnerable conversations?or even role-play.?Or we can ask for feedback-oriented meetings as projects progress.?Or we can set aside time to read or watch videos or take online courses.?Those are just some examples.?Second, we can execute and perform as we're expected,?but then reflect on what we could do better next time,?like Beyoncé does,?and we can observe and emulate experts.?The observation, reflection and adjustment is a learning zone.?And finally, we can lead?and lower the stakes for others by sharing what we want to get better at,?by asking questions about what we don't know,?by soliciting feedback and by sharing our mistakes?and what we've learned from them,?so that others can feel safe to do the same.

Real confidence is about modeling ongoing learning.?What if, instead of spending our lives doing, doing, doing,?performing, performing, performing,?we spent more time exploring,?asking,?listening,?experimenting, reflecting,?striving and becoming??What if we each always had something?we were working to improve??What if we created more low-stakes islands?and waters??And what if we got clear,?within ourselves and with our teammates,?about when we seek to learn and when we seek to perform,?so that our efforts can become more consequential,?our improvement never-ending?and our best even better?

Thank you.

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