The Art of Unlearning

Lewis Carr looks at the importance of shedding outdated skills and mindsets

e-Learning has a bad rep. Employees roll their eyes in despair when they are asked to complete the “How to Boil a Kettle Safely in the Office” course or when it’s time to redo their “How to Handle Customer Objections: Volume 3” (again, for the fourth year running). Employees simply don’t want to do it. As Peter Gibbons says in the movie Office Space (1999), “It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I just don’t care.”

You see, this type of training isn’t upskilling. It isn’t aligned with the rapidly changing world. It’s something that we’ve always done; it’s the status quo (and not in a good way like Francis Rossi).

So how can we convince organisations to help employees break free from outdated mindsets and skills to thrive in today’s crazy EdTech world?

We are living in an AI boom, the most significant technological shift since the internet began. The way we receive and create content has transformed the sector so much that many of the skills we once needed are now shrinking. And there is a need, more than ever, to upskill staff to use technology effectively.

A World Economic Forum report states that by the end of 2025, 50% of all employees will need reskilling to meet the needs of this technological change. But reskilling and upskilling aren’t enough. To truly adapt, organisations must help employees unlearn old habits, obsolete methodologies, and legacy mindsets that hinder innovation and growth. Yes, compliance training is important and essential, but it’s not really classed as CPD. It makes employees compliant, but does it make them more productive and more creative? And if it’s delivered in the same mundane, boring way that Geoff delivered it back in 1989, then let’s face it, it’s going to be pretty shit (sorry Geoff).

Why Unlearning Matters in the E-Learning Era

Corporate training may have evolved beyond static PowerPoints, but compliance modules haven’t gone anywhere. Employees now have access to better, faster, and more engaging ways to learn, yet organisations still serve up compliance training in true “click-next PowerPoint-style fashion”. You can thank legacy authoring tools and stuffy HR people for that. And although it’s worked for years as a checkbox exercise, one major roadblock remains: outdated knowledge lingers like an expired software update, you know you need to reboot your Mac, but you’ve too many tabs open, even tough it’s causing glitches in your efficiency, you keep ignoring it.

Unlearning is not about erasing knowledge but making room for new, more relevant information. Consider it cognitive decluttering. Organisations investing in digital transformation must ensure that their workforce is not just learning new tools but also unlearning biases, old-school methodologies, and rigid thinking that no longer serve them.

Strategies for Facilitating Unlearning in Corporate Learning

Let’s explore some ways that L&D professionals, HR managers, and corporate trainers can incorporate unlearning into their digital learning strategies with a few actionable approaches:

Encourage a Growth Mindset Through E-Learning Platforms

The work of Carol Dweck (an American psychologist and a professor at Stanford University) focuses on the growth mindset and highlights the importance of adaptability. Traditional corporate training often reinforces a fixed mindset and doesn’t really allow the learner to apply real-world problem-solving, which is key to a growth mindset.

Organisations need to start using e-learning platforms to create courses that challenge existing knowledge, promote critical thinking, and introduce alternative approaches. Gamification, scenario-based learning, and AI-driven adaptive learning paths can nudge employees to question their assumptions and embrace new methods.

Leverage Microlearning for Cognitive Reset

I know a lot of our readers dislike the term “bite-sized”, but it’s the term we use in the sector. “Bite-sized” content helps learners gradually replace old ideas with new ones. When used effectively, microlearning modules can focus on industry shifts, technological advancements, and best practices that contrast with outdated methodologies. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy for Business, and custom LMS solutions can deliver these lessons in “digestible” formats. (Yep, I know these food-related terms trigger some readers, but I refuse to “swallow” my pride and stop using them).

Incorporate Reflective Learning & Knowledge Disruption

Encouraging employees to reflect on their learning journey through interactive exercises, discussion forums, and AI-powered chatbots may sound like Black Mirror meets Bridget Jones, but we need to start asking questions like:

• What assumptions are you making?

• What would happen if this process didn’t exist? How might a new perspective change the outcome?

Using AI to form discussions fosters a new level of self-awareness and promotes genuine intellectual agility.

Use Real-World Case Studies & Reverse Mentoring

Instead of just pushing new legislative changes (or rehashing your old PowerPoints with your new corporate logo), show real-world failures and successes where unlearning played a critical role. Invite younger digital-native employees to mentor senior staff on emerging trends, fostering a two-way knowledge exchange that challenges outdated thinking.

Admittedly, Dave in Accounts, who has worked at the firm for 40 years, might not want 20-something Amy telling him how to use TikTok, but it’s not about you, Dave. You have a pension. You’re watching the clock. Amy has to deal with all the old crap after you’ve retired, so do it for her, man! Pave the way for new blood.

Create Safe-to-Fail Learning Environments

Learning by doing is one thing, but unlearning requires safe spaces where employees can experiment without fear of failure. Consider implementing sandbox environments in your e-learning ecosystem where employees can test new skills, explore alternative workflows, and see the benefits of discarding obsolete practices firsthand.

The Future of Unlearning in Corporate Training

I’m in my mid-40s, so I’ve been subjected to day-long training sessions in the boardroom. I’ve watched Sally deliver a 200-slide presentation. I’ve nodded off to videos on how to lift boxes safely by bending my knees.

But I’ve also flipped a few classrooms back in the day. The way I now research and plan my work is light years away from how I did it even just six months ago.

For me, unlearning must become a priority. I believe that organisations that embed unlearning into their corporate L&D strategies will cultivate a workforce that is not just skilled but truly adaptable to what lies ahead.

And this isn’t an ageist thing. This isn’t a world where only Gen Zs rule. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many years your company has been using an overhead projector - it’s time for change.