Volume XXII, Number 47 (Issue 1103) | November 18, 2024
Knowledge v. Wisdom
I am a fan of the game show Jeopardy. Given the opportunity to watch that show I try to play along. But I will confess rare is the half-hour where I am competent in one category, let alone sufficiently studied to be competitive with the players who are in the arena. Thus, I marvel at both their individual stores of knowledge and their ability to access that data so readily under all that pressure. Yet the question is are those contestants capable of applying that treasure trove of information?
As many will tell you, wisdom is knowledge applied. AI and machine learning are a bridge to being able to apply a vast store of knowledge. And based upon some of what I have read, AI is quickly reaching the point where it can apply all that data in ways that solve problems faster and more efficiently that either you or I can. Still, there is the issue of judgement that makes humans a key ingredient in lots of settings and situations.
So, it was interesting when a client said to me that he believes a leader’s value to their organization, their team, begins to decline after seven years or so – particularly if they are not committed to lifelong learning and constant innovation. Personally, I do not know if our “use before date” is seven years, something less, or something more. But a couple of things I am convinced of based upon our research is that two of the qualities that differentiate highly effective CEOs from the rest of the field is their willingness to listen to and learn from other’s points of view combined with their commitment to being innovative, flexible, and open to change.
Virtually every personality assessment I have taken indicates that I love to learn. That trait undoubtedly accounts for why I ask so many questions (asking questions accounts for most of my approach to executive coaching). It also helps explain my penchant for reading histories, biographies, and books in the self-help/psychology/human behavior lane. The question is, am I able to take the knowledge I do acquire and apply it in ways that make
things better? Or, as an acknowledged creature of habit, do I stick to my comfort zone, thereby avoiding the risk that comes with change?
Another conversation this past week with a different client raised the topic of risk and reward. Specifically, the discussion focused on his organization’s tendency to default to a single standard and rubric in the underwriting of loan transactions, regardless of the size and nature of the loan. Consistency like that has its place and its merits. Yet there is an equally valid argument that favors proportionality.
Thus, the questions I would challenge you to think about this week are:
- How effective are you at applying the knowledge you have gained?
- How open are you to new and different ideas and others’ points of view?
- What are you doing to add to your store of knowledge?
- Do you lean toward “one size fits all,” do you favor and practice what might be characterized as “proportional response,” or are you like the pressure cooker that allows tension to build until you vent in ways that are disproportionate to the actual event?
For the record, my answers are:
- Pretty good
- Very good
- I read, observe, listen, and ask questions.
- Try as I might, I am more like the pressure cooker than I desire or care to admit.
Soli Deo Gloria
“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” Daniel 2:21
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210)260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
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Copyright 2024 by J. Keith Hughey. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for reproduction and redistribution of this essay as provided under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Recent issues of Musings may be found at www.jkeithhughey.com. Your comments are always welcome.