How to Learn New Skills

Source: How To Be A Programmer (edited)

Learning new skills is the greatest fun. Most companies would have better morale if they understood how much this motivates people.

1. Books and classes are good but humans learn by doing.

2. A good mentor is better than a book.

What can you offer a potential mentor in exchange for their knowledge? At a minimum, you should offer to study hard so their time won't be wasted.

3. Formal training is good but usually not better than the same amount of time spent playing with the skill you want to learn.

But it is easier to ask for training than playtime.

4. You have to do a small project before you can do a large one.

If you lead people, assign them projects that are the right size and offer to exercise the skills they want to develop.