Network weaving is a complex set of skills.

It takes life-long learning, curiosity and inquiry to become a great at it.

But, it can be a lot to take in.

Just have a look at a fraction of the skills needed:

I know.

It’s a lot.

That’s why it is so important to learn constantly.

However you might feel:

• Uncertain about what skills to pick up.

• Overwhelmed by too much information.

• Unsure how to create an effective learning strategy.

This is where ultra-learning offers valuable insights.

Popularized by Scott H. Young, ultra-learning is a strategy for self-directed, real-world learning.

Ultra-learning principles offer powerful tools to design intentional learning journeys.

But, let’s approach them with a weaver’s mindset—one that values patience, relational care, and adaptability.

Not everything has to be “ultra” all the time afterall.

Let’s dive in.

The 9 Ultra-Learning Principles

1. Meta-Learning: Know Your Learning Process

Meta-learning is the practice of learning how to learn.

It’s about mapping your learning process, goals, and the right strategies.

Imagine you’re weaving a tapestry without knowing what kind of pattern you want to create. It will probably be a mess. So, meta-learning invites you to step back and clarify the big picture:

• What skills do you want to build?

• Why are they important to you and your network?

• How do you learn best?

⛔ Common Trap:

Jumping into new practices without clarity on learning goals. This can lead to fragmented learning and a feeling of never really mastering anything.

✅ Practice Tip:

Start by creating a learning map that outlines your current strengths, desired capacities, and the methods you’ll use to grow. Use the Network Weaver Game - a playful skill-building tool - to reflect on your skills as a start.

2. Focus: Prioritize What Matters

We live in a world of information overload.

So, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the things you could learn.

Focus is about cutting through the noise and zeroing in on what matters most.

It’s about identifying the most relevant capacities for your weaving practice and prioritizing them over distractions.

In a tapestry, not every thread is equally important. Some threads form the core pattern, while others add decorative accents. Focus ensures that you’re weaving the essential threads first.

⛔ Common Trap:

Trying to learn everything at once. This leads to burnout and a shallow understanding of key capacities.

✅ Practice Tip:

Create a priority list of weaving capacities. Start with 1–2 core capacities that will have the biggest impact on your work. Give yourself permission to say no to learning distractions that don’t align with your goals.

3. Directness: Learn by Doing

Network weaving is a practice-based craft. 

You don’t learn to weave networks by reading about it.

You learn by showing up, holding space, and facilitating connections.

Directness is about learning in the context where you’ll apply your skills. So, instead of isolating learning from practice, directness encourages integration.

In a tapestry, you can’t fully understand how the threads will interact until you start weaving. Similarly, you can’t fully understand network weaving until you practice.

⛔ Common Trap:

Many weavers spend too much time preparing or theorizing without taking action. This leads to analysis paralysis and a lack of real-world experience.

✅ Practice Tip:

Design real-world experiments to apply what you’re learning.

For example:

• Learning about facilitation? → Co-host a small gathering with a peer.

• Exploring storytelling? → Share a story about your network in a workshop.

• Building mapping skills? → Use a mapping tool to visualize your network’s connections.

4. Drill: Strengthen Key Capacities

Some of weaving capacities may feel less natural to you.

Drilling involves focusing on specific areas and breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts to improve.

If one section of your tapestry is loose or uneven, you don’t throw away the whole tapestry. You focus on that area, strengthen the weave, and bring balance back to the pattern.

So, drilling means identifying specific skills and practicing them intentionally.

⛔ Common Trap:

Tending to focus on strengths and avoid areas where there is less confidence. This can create blind spots.

✅ Practice Tip:

Choose one specific skill to drill each month.

For example:

• Struggle with facilitating online meetings? Focus on digital facilitation techniques.

• Feel uncomfortable with conflict? Practice conflict resolution through role-playing.

• Unsure how to engage stakeholders? Drill storytelling techniques to connect.

5. Retrieval: Remember What You Learn

In a network, information flows continuously.

But how much do you actually retain?

Retrieval is the practice of actively recalling what you’ve learned rather than passively reviewing notes.

Imagine weaving a tapestry with different patterns you’ve learned over time. Retrieving those patterns from memory allows you to weave them into new contexts, creating richer, more dynamic designs.

Retrieval ensures that what you learn stays with you when you need it most.

⛔ Common Trap:

Relying on passive learning — reading, listening, or attending workshops — but not taking time to actively recall. This leads to forgetting key insights.

✅ Practice Tip:

Build retrieval practices into your learning process:

• Journal reflections: Always write down what stood out to you.

• Teach others: Share what you’ve learned with your network.

• Use checklists: Re-visit simple checklists for core weaving practices.

6. Feedback: Invite Real-Time Insights

Weaving doesn’t happen in isolation.

It’s a relational, co-creative process that benefits from ongoing feedback.

But not all feedback is equal.

The most valuable feedback is specific, real-time, and actionable.

Imagine weaving a tapestry with others. If someone notices a loose thread or an uneven section, you want to know right away, so you can adjust and improve. Waiting too long to get feedback can make small issues harder to fix.

In network weaving, feedback comes from peers, collaborators, and community members who experience your work directly.

⛔ Common Trap:

Avoiding feedback because it can feel uncomfortable. But without feedback, blind spots remain unaddressed, and opportunities for growth are missed.

✅ Practice Tip:

Create regular feedback loops in your weaving practice:

• Ask for feedback after meetings

• Invite peers to observe your work and offer insights.

• After projects, reflect on what you noticed and what feedback you received.

7. Retention: Build Long-Term Memory

Weaving a network is a long-term practice.

But in the fast-paced world of social change, it’s easy to forget past learnings as new challenges arise.

Retention is the practice of intentionally reinforcing what you’ve learned.

Imagine the tapestry that has been left untouched for years. Over time, the threads may loosen, colors may fade, and patterns may blur. Retention is about keeping the weave strong and vibrant.

⛔ Common Trap:

Focusing on learning new things without revisiting past knowledge. This leads to gaps in understanding and missed opportunities to apply past insights.

✅ Practice Tip:

Develop retention rituals to revisit your learnings regularly.

For example:

• Monthly reflections: Schedule time each month to review key takeaways.

• Learning journal: Keep a journal of insights and revisit it regularly.

• Storytelling sessions: Share stories of past weaving lessons with others.

8. Experimentation: Embrace Creative Risks

Weaving is a creative process.

It involves improvisation, adaptation, and courage.

Experimentation invites weavers to step outside their comfort zones and take creative risks.

Imagine a tapestry that follows a predictable, repetitive pattern. Over time, it might feel uninspired or stagnant. Experimentation adds new colors, textures, and patterns.

For network weavers, this means testing new ideas, approaches, and practices to see what works — and being willing to learn from failure.

⛔ Common Trap:

Sticking to tried-and-true methods out of fear of failure. This can lead to stagnation and missed opportunities for innovation.

✅Practice Tip:

Create a culture of experimentation and learning in your network:

• Pilot new initiatives: Test new ideas small scale before scaling up.

• Create safe-to-fail spaces: Encourage your network to take risks.

• Reflect on experiments: After each experiment, ask: What worked? What didn’t? What can we learn?

9. Intuition: Trust Your Inner Compass

At its core, weaving is an intuitive practice.

It involves feeling into relationships and trusting your instincts.

Intuition invites weavers to honor their inner compass and bring their whole selves into their practice.

Think of a tapestry that tells a story. Each thread represents a choice—a decision guided by both logic and intuition. Weaving is as much about feeling as it is about thinking.

This means learning to trust your instincts, balance logic with emotion, and honor your unique style of weaving.

⛔ Common Trap:

Relying too much on predefined frameworks, and ignoring instincts. This can lead to a disconnection from one’s authentic practice.

✅ Practice Tip:

Develop practices to strengthen your intuition and bring more of yourself into your weaving work:

• Mindful reflection: Take time to check in with yourself before and after weaving activities.

• Embodied practices: Incorporate movement, meditation, or visualization to connect with your body’s wisdom.

• Dialogue with peers: Share your intuitive insights with trusted peers to refine and validate your instincts.

Visual Summary:

Weaving a Learning Journey That’s Your Own

Learning to weave networks is a journey.

It’s not about reaching a final destination or mastering a set of rigid steps.

It’s about weaving your unique learning tapestry.

One thread

One reflection

One experiment

…at a time.

Remember:

Weaving is an evolving craft.

Each of the 9 ultra-learning principle is a thread, and how you weave them together is up to you.

Let’s return to the metaphor of the tapestry.

In weaving, you make countless choices. Which threads do you bring in? How tightly do you weave? What patterns emerge? The same is true for your learning process. Your weaving journey will be as unique as the networks you nurture.

That’s it!

Let’s keep weaving together.

In solidarity,

Adrian

If you liked this, you might also enjoy:

About the Systemic Shift Newsletter

This weekly newsletter is dedicated to exploring practices, mindsets, and strategies that make networks effective in driving systemic change. Each issue offers practical tools, real-world lessons, and curated opportunities to help you build impactful, collaborative networks & communities.

Stay tuned next Tuesday for more!