Leaderly Learning

“With this there seems to be widespread agreement: permanent white water conditions are regularly taking us all out of our comfort zones and asking things of us that we never imagined would be required. Permanent white water means permanent life outside ones comfort zone.” ~ Peter B. Vaill

Peter B. Vaill in his 1996 book, Learning as a Way of Being defines learning as the changes individuals make within themselves that expand their "know-why," "know-what," and "know-how" in relation to a given subject. Vaill spoke to leading in a world of ‘permanent white water’ over 29 years ago; nearly three decades later we’ve coined the terms VUCA and BANI (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous - Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible). Vaill suggests that to survive we must make learning a way of being. True leadership learning demands growth in three fundamental areas:

1. Technical Knowledge

2. Purposeful Understanding

3. Relational Skill

Technical knowledge is the ever-evolving mastery of facts, processes, and expertise within an organization. It forms the foundation for articulating purpose and executing work. Purpose encompasses mission and vision, the guiding force behind action. Relational skill transforms both technical knowledge and purpose into something meaningful and actionable for all stakeholders.

Technical expertise alone does not constitute leadership. The real challenge is ensuring that technical knowledge remains tethered to both purpose and relationships. Institutional learning often focuses on the acquisition of technical knowledge. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that technical mastery is only valuable in service to a greater purpose—and that its true impact is measured by the meaning and connections it fosters.

Vaill aptly notes, “Perhaps there is no greater challenge for lifelong leaderly learning than ongoing learning of the interrelationships of the technical, the purposeful, and the relational.” This integration is not optional; it is the core of making meaning and creating impact.

As leaders, our most vital work is weaving these three dimensions—technical, purposeful, and relational—into the fabric of our organizations. Leadership is not just about acquiring knowledge; it is about continuously aligning what we know with why it matters and how it resonates with others.

“Learning must be a way of being—an ongoing set of attitudes and actions by individuals and groups that they employ to try to keep abreast of the surprising, novel, messy, obtrusive, recurring events thrown up by these macrosystems.” (Vaill)

In an ever-changing world, leadership is not about mastering a static body of knowledge but about cultivating a lifelong commitment to learning, adapting, and creating meaning.

According to Vaill, leadership might be “leading people out of superficial tranquility and into anxiety and then into a feeling of a need for courage and then along the courage-formed path itself.”