The Learning Lunch

In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him-Ralph Waldo Emerson

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak at Reston Tech Talks.   I spoke on the topic of the Value of Relationships.   I shared my personal story, reviewed 4 great books, and provided 10 tips to build and grow business relationships.   During the talk, I referred to what John Maxwell has called the learning lunch.   In the question and answer session, an audience member told me she had never heard of John Maxwell and wanted to know more about the learning lunch. 

Who is wise?  He who can learn from every man-Hebrew Proverb

For those of you that don’t know John, he is a keynote speaker on the topic of leadership and has written more than 30 books.   Two of my favorites books by John include 21 Laws of Leadership and How Successful People Think.

I have been practicing the topic of the learning lunch for more than twenty years.   This means I asked somebody to lunch or coffee with the primary purpose of learning from them.   While I have done this for a while, I did not have a process that was as structured as John Maxwell.   John has 7 questions he tries to ask everyone in a learning lunch.   They are:

  1. What is the greatest lesson you have learned? By asking this question I seek their wisdom.

  2. What are you learning now? This question allows me to benefit from their passion.

  3. How has failure shaped your life? This question gives insight into their attitude.

  4. Who do you know whom I should know? This allows me to engage with their network.

  5. What have you read that I should read? This question directs my personal growth.

  6. What have you done that I should do? This helps me seek new experiences.

  7. How can I add value to you? This shows my gratitude and desire to add value to them.

The practice of the learning lunch has helped me build deeper relationships and given me many great ideas.   Besides podcasts, learning lunches has been a great way to identify the next book I will read.   In your next learning lunch, I recommend you bring John’s questions and a pen.

Note:  The picture shows Jennifer Low and myself practicing the learning coffee.  Jennifer taught me about the healthcare industry as well as shared valuable insights based on her journey as an entrepreneur and a mother of twin boys.