Doug Dennis
The Value of Not Knowing
By Steve Kane
Reprinted with permission – gembaacademy.com
I recently ran across this posting at Gemba Academy and it really resonated with me. Being one who ascribes to the "less is more" philosophy, I have always been at a loss to fully explain this notion to others. Especially, under the circumstance of coaching others or parenting and helping them through situations where it's too easy to simply offer up the answer, giving the answer has always been a challenge to me. Here's the post and great explanation to the "less is more" reasoning.
If I am wiser. . . it is because I know that I do not know.
– Socrates
Is it possible that expertise on a particular subject can become an obstacle to learning and growth?
There comes a point when a person is more apt to be asked for knowledge or advice on a particular subject than to ask for it. In the context of work, this person is the resident expert. This is the person others go to to find out how something is done. This person is certainly an asset in some respects. But, can this person be a liability in others?
Of course, we could go on about the importance of standard work. I’ll leave that for another article. Instead I’d like to discuss the risk of being an expert.
The process stagnates with the knowledge of the expert.
The expert has “been there and done that” more times than one can imagine. This person knows the job and knows that he knows the job. This is why others go to him for knowledge and advice. The learner might improve by going to the expert for coaching. The process, though, doesn’t. The process stagnates with the knowledge of the expert.
It seems that processes improve when we are humble and look with new eyes. Standing in the Ohno circle with the mind of the expert leads to aching feet. It is when we stand in the circle with the mind of a novice that we begin to open ourselves to learning.
Is expertise enough, or should more emphasis be placed on wisdom?
Simply giving information can hinder the learning process and weaken the skills of the learner. Learning how to learn is more important than the subject matter to be learned. We certainly want the learner to be able to do the job. We also want the learner to think of a way to improve the process.
Instilling the belief that the method taught is the best could impede improvement thinking. If the learner meets expectations by performing a skill as taught, improvement stops. The expectation must be to find a way to improve upon the way being taught.
Sometimes the best wisdom to share with the learner is “I don’t know.”
We want people thinking for themselves. In my role as a lean leader, I gave up trying to be the expert on everything. Instead I embraced my ignorance. People often came to me for direction or instruction. It was when I answered questions with “I don’t know. What do you think?” that things really started to improve.
The universe abhors a vacuum. Creating a void in expertise with “I don’t know” invites greater expertise. This is when ideas are shared and explored.
Is there a better way?
I don’t know. What do you think?
50 Things Every 50-Something Realizes In Their 50s
I recently posted “101 Things Every 20-Something Realizes In Their 20s” and wanted to follow that up with a corollary posting that resonates with me. You might ask, “Why did it take so long to have such simple revelations?” Well . . . while you’re in the throws of just living, it’s often difficult to step back and take a look a where we are and what we’ve learned or we just don’t take the time. And, so, here’s a snapshot of just that – 50 Things that resonated with me that I felt worth sharing.
From Mackay’s Morale
Harvey Mackay author of “Pushing the Envelope“
www.mackay.com
- Without the right sales skills, something terrible happens…nothing.
- They used to say what you see is what you get. In truth, what you think is what you get.
- If you reach for the stars, at least you’ll get off the ground.
- If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
- Often the smartest thing you can do in a negotiation is keep your mouth shut.
- Going the extra yard always leads to crossing the goal line.
- If you don’t look ahead, you’ll always be behind.
- The best job is on you’d do even if you didn’t need the money.
- The “Breakfast of Champions” is not cereal, it’s competition.
- Failure is not falling down, but staying down.
- A salesperson tells, a good salesperson explains, and a great salesperson demonstrates.
- There are really no mistakes in life — there are only lessons.
- They can’t hire you if they don’t know who you are.
- Dig your wells before you’re thirsty, and build your bridges before you’re left high and dry.
- Competition is a lot like cod liver oil. First it makes you sick. Then it makes you better.
- You won’t stumble if you put your best foot forward.
- Effort is what makes the impossible possible, the possible likely and the likely definite.
- There are two kinds of people in the world: those who come into a room and say, “Here I am!” And, those who come in and say, “Ah, there you are!”
- One thing you can give and still keep is your word.
- The bigger the wheel you are, the more traction you can get — and give.
- Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story.
- For those with vision, the high road affords more than just better views.
- You must have a sense of what you time is worth for others to value it.
- Even if you’re not interviewing for a sales job, your interview must be a great sales job.
- A student of life always does the homework.
- There’s no traffic jam on the extra mile.
- Information does not become power until it is used.
- The will to succeed is preceded by the will to prepare.
- Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.
- Great entrepreneurs know the score: Do-it yourself never means do-it alone.
- If you can’t win, make the person ahead of you break the record.
- What sets you apart is what sets you ahead.
- If you want your words to work for you, work for your words.
- There are lots of ways to be a failure, but never taking a chance is the most successful.
- It’s not about what you can do; it’s about what you will do
- Enforce the Golden Rule or you business will be tarnished.
- You’ll never make a killing at the table if you don’t even insist on a seat.
- When you volunteer, you always earn back more than you pay in
- Plenty of people are willing to beat you’ don’t beat yourself.
- Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try.
- If you can’t please everyone, please someone.
- A foot in the door is worth two on the desk.
- Cream doesn’t rise to the top — it works its way there.
- If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.
- Being successful at your career means surrounding yourself with supportive people — and often, those people aren’t your coworkers or employees, they’re your friends and family.
- So, the one thing successful people never do is: Give up!
- Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
- You aren’t finished when you are defeated; you are finished when you quit.
- No one reaches their deathbed and says, “Gosh, I wish I’d spent more time working.”
- Don’t leave happiness for a later date, but make the choices that lead to true success and happiness today.
