Abstract
I Interviewed office staff in three organisations about their non-course based learning. I analysed how the various patterns of learning related to the various outcomes. My interviewees had not used the full range of possible learning patterns and had undergone unnecessary pain and discomfort in their learning. If my interviewees' experiences are representative of those of managers in general, and I think they are, the implications are that managers need help in combining proactivity, elegance and opportunism in their choice and use of learning patterns I suggest some starting ideas.