From knowledge to wisdom - an executive’s guide
As an executive, are you inundated with an unprecedented deluge of information? Whether on your smartphone or a few clicks on your keyboard, you have access to mountains of data, market insights, and (so called) expert opinions. Yet, amidst this information abundance, a critical challenge is how do you as an executive move beyond data to cultivate wisdom?
To help cultivate your wisdom, requires you to create the space to reflect and observe what may arise for you.
Here are 3 questions to help you cultivate your wisdom:
How could I be wrong? Rather than commit to being right, commit to learn. Rather than believe what you know to be the truth, ask yourself, ‘how could I be wrong?’ Then let the unknown cultivate your wisdom.
What’s being said, I’m not hearing? We hear what we want to -‘others can say whatever they like, as long as I agree.’ Be open to hearing how the opposite of what you believe, can be as true as what you believe. Then let the unheard cultivate your wisdom.
What must I unlearn to learn? To learn you first must unlearn. Hold your beliefs, opinions, and perspectives ‘tightly with an open hand’. When you let go, you open yourself to see things differently.Then let go to cultivate your wisdom.
A COMMITMENT
At your next leadership team meeting, present these questions to your team:
How could we be wrong in our current thinking and approach?
What perspectives and opinions are we overlooking?
What must we unlearn to move forward?
Then, listen. Create a space where ideas can flourish, where ‘constructive discontent’ is invited, and where collective wisdom can emerge. As you open yourself to new insights, you'll find that wisdom isn't just accessed—it's cultivated, nurtured, and shared.
Remember, true leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about asking powerful questions and fostering an environment where wisdom can flourish. By embracing this approach, you're not just becoming a wiser executive — you're building a wiser, more resilient organisation.