Don’t be confused. Information is not wisdom.
I’ve heard a lot of people say things like “wisdom is everywhere” – thanks to the internet.
But wisdom is not information.
The dictionary definition of wisdom says you need three things for wisdom.
1) Information
2) Good judgement
3) Experience.
Having information without experience, or experience without good judgement doesn’t mean you have wisdom.
The same applies in business as in life. In organisations we seek information above all else, and we promote the people with good judgement.
But there’s a reason why the CEO isn’t the just the smartest, the most experienced, or the best decision maker.
Organisations need people with all-round wisdom. It’s not just the CEO’s who should be wise.
A worker on a production line can have a great deal of wisdom about the factory.
A salesperson could have a lot of wisdom about what sells to a particular customer who walks in.
A mechanic could have a lot of wisdom regarding workshop safety.
We all know it when we see it, but I hope this post helps define it.
The world sorely needs wisdom.
