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Understanding Yourself as a Learner 99

issues being raised. When issues of long-term management are
being discussed their eyes glaze over. They are often to be seen talk-
ing to their neighbor unless the meeting is being firmly chaired.
Reflectors may often seem not to be fully engaged. They are reluc-
tant ever to come to an agreement there and then, preferring to ask
for time to think it through. They will enjoy tabling papers with
new research or data to discuss. They find it difficult when urgent
and unexpected decisions are needed at the meeting. They will tend
to see new propositions from all angles and be reluctant to settle
immediately on one course of action.
Theorists can also be slow to settle. They are likely to be talking
about structures and ideas that have interested them but may or
may not be relevant to the meeting in hand. The theorists will want
to challenge the basic assumptions underpinning any proposed
course of action. They will not want to agree unless they can see how
what is being proposed fits with their view of the world. Whenever
anything is being considered that has a degree of risk, they will want
to quantify the uncertainty. They are not comfortable with change
until they have seen the new pattern within which it fits.
Pragmatists are likely to be keen to get started. They do not worry
when there is not an agenda, being happy to engage in whatever is
offered for discussion. They have a tendency to be unpredictable
and are likely to apply their latest theory or idea to whatever is
being discussed. If they are stimulated by what is being discussed
they will be engaged; if not they may be disruptive. They will be
still be working on their ideas after it has been agreed what should
be done and may well suggest revisions to things that others think
have already been agreed.

Add to this what you know about the ways in which your colleagues
prefer to take in information, and you will be well prepared.

Think about the best and worst meetings in which you have been involved. Put some people’s
names to the different Honey and Mumford types described above. In what other ways or sit-
uations are you aware of people’s learning styles at work?