Learning loops
A short, repeatable cycle of activities for practicing skill development in your own work.
A short, repeatable cycle of activities, based on natural learning, designed for you to practice skill development in the context of your own work. Learning loops are a form of structured support, using five stages: Learning Goal, Making Distinctions, Experimenting, Reflection, Reset & Revise. Loops are designed by a development mentor working with an AI design partner. They can be used alone, in a sequence, as part of a program or following an assessment and debrief.
We design loops, not lists.
The five stages
- 1
Learning Goal.
You start by connecting the skill to your context: what matters, why, and what success will look like for you in your work or life.
- 2
Making Distinctions.
Every goal has nuances that matter. Telling them apart helps you recognize differences in performance that matter. This helps you find one specific thing to experiment with.
- 3
Experimenting.
Try it in real situations: experiment, test a hypothesis, notice what happens, and collect it as data to reflect on.
- 4
Reflection.
Look back at what the experiment(s) showed, in writing and with your development mentor.
- 5
Reset & Revise.
Revise the learning goal in light of what you learned, and go round again.
How loops work
Any size
A loop can be a single moment, such as a three-second pause or one clarifying question; a practice over a week; or a new process to use.
At the emerging edge
Loops are pitched at what you can do with support, but not yet by habit. Over time, it becomes automatic.
Built for the person
A loop is a foundational loop adapted to the person, or one built for them. The person journals on the platform; the development mentor joins at reflection and revision.
Loops on their own
Learning loops can be used on their own. A development mentor can work with you to find the skills that matter in your situation. They can help you pick the right skills to focus on and design learning loops for them.
The Learning Loop essays
A series of essays on how loops work and why, from the weather leaders create to the rhythm of reflection.
9 March 2026
The Way of the Bricoleur
2 March 2026
The Rhythm of Reflection
23 February 2026
Inquiry-in-Action
16 February 2026
The Art of Making Distinctions
9 February 2026
The Compass of Discernment
2 February 2026
Designing Development
26 January 2026
The Neuroscience of Learning
19 January 2026
Leaders Create the Weather
10 January 2026
The Bricoleur’s Manifesto
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