Full of Information, Starving for Knowledge
One of life’s little tricks is to suck you in to the belief that what has been successful in the past will prove successful in the future. Yeah…. maybe. The irony, when it comes to leadership, is that as responsibility and authority increase, the skills that served you in the past will no longer be sufficient to handle the increased complexity and pressures that are demanded. In a series of frustrating events where old ways are found lacking, it can become increasingly apparent to the new leader that they need to learn new skills and applications. Essentially, life sits back and says, “what got you here, will not get you there.”
I remember many years ago, having gone through a particularly trying time, where I fell off my self-imposed pedestal of assuming I had it all figured out, I whined to a friend” When am I going to get it? When am I going to arrive?” - My friend, being so much wiser and more mature than me replied “Oh Dave, there is no arrival, there are merely stops along the way.”
The ability to gather and use knowledge is not a static state or destination, but a process of discovery, set on a constant repeat cycle. Understanding this can help emerging leaders embrace the realities of day-to-day operations and long-term career growth. Now more than ever, a leader is dealing with uncertainty, chaos, and complexity. In the face of this assault, leaders can engage in two broad (and overly simplified) choices.
They can shut down and protect. This is of course understandable. Many leaders are experiencing trauma, exhaustion, and fatigue as a product of leading in a time where the world of work is facing a revolution. Or,
They can engage in an ongoing process of discovery - where first of all they engage in relentless questioning of why they think they know what they know. This can be followed by adhering to the habit identified by Stephen R. Covey, of “seek first to understand and then to be understood” - a principle particularly relevant when dealing with interpersonal differences. Letting go of knowing and instead being curious enough to find out, reverses the process of stifling innovation and supporting the status quo I laid out in my previous blog, “How Biting Your Tongue Can Help You Think Outside The Box".
If the second option is available, then the cycle looks like this;
Mystique of knowing is replaced by one of courageous humility and curiosity;
Team members are more adept and adaptive at asking “what if” questions, leading to innovation;
All individuals are engaged in learning and growth;
A team or an organization can move forward and be competitive.
I recall an article in Fast Company from the late 90’s that still rings true today. “In today’s age, we are fed a steady diet of information, yet we are still starving for knowledge”.
What are you going to do to fill your hunger?
There are so many ways to be curious, you may want to try these approaches, from the sublime to the systemic!
1. Go on the Hunt - Engage in curiosity as a pleasurable task - approaching a situation, or learning opportunity, with a genuine hope of finding some hidden, as yet unseen meaning, will lead you to be on the lookout for crumbs of intel. Compare this with being cynical and stand-offish via a “show-me” approach.
2. Bite Your Tongue -If someone asks - “do you know about xxxx?” Even if you do, check yourself and ask what they know, or what aspect they would like to discuss. They may open up a different proposition or fact that propels new growth. Being curious models your competence not your ignorance.
3. Engage in a Retrospective Review -In the pace of “doing” any kind of analysis can be a distraction from the next task to be completed. By pausing and focusing on the learning from an event, whether it was viewed as a success or part of an experiment that failed, there are always take-aways that can increase the likelihood of repeated success or shortened workflows. It also highlights an opportunity to give credit to those who did well or failed through attempted innovation.
Curious to know more? Take a look at my calendar and book a complimentary call!
By Dave Harrhy CEC ACC IRG Associate Coach