Wisdom in the Workplace
Posted March 24th, 2014
In the business world today, people value competence, efficiency, leadership, the ability to get things done. But there is something that these three qualities have in common that is not discussed very much. It is another character trait that we call wisdom.
Wisdom is not something that receives a lot of attention in our society. That could be because it is just assumed to be part of those other qualities we do talk a lot about. But among the great thinkers and writers throughout history, wisdom has been of supreme importance, a fundamental value, and for many, the most important value of all. After all, the word philosophy itself comes from the Greek words meaning “love of wisdom.”
But what are the characteristics of wisdom? How do we know that someone is wise? Recently, a group of psychologists attempted to find out by talking to people who are generally assumed to be wise – accomplished people who were civic leaders, scientists, theologians and other cultural leaders. And they found some common traits.
One thing they found is that wisdom does not correlate with age. Having more experiences by itself does not translate into wisdom. The key is to examine those experiences, to make sense of them, to learn from them.
Another quality that shows wisdom is being able to view life in all its complexity, that is, to see the varying shades of gray, rather than just the black and white. It is being able to see issues from different viewpoints, to see that there are always conflicting elements involved, that nothing is ever simple, although it may appear to be from a distance.
Another aspect of wisdom is being able to balance self-interest with the interest of others. Someone who is willing to simply use other people merely as means to an end would not be showing wisdom; nor would someone who puts everyone else above his or her own self-interest. A wise person knows that cooperation usually works better than competition.
A wise person also does not simply accept things on authority. He is willing to question why things are as they are, to go against the status quo.
A wise person tries to understand things rather than making a rush to judgment. He tries to understand why other people act they way they do, rather than merely praising or condemning them.
And people with wisdom seek to give their life’s purpose. Happiness is a by-product – it comes from pursuing that higher purpose, not as an end in itself. Wise people know that you cannot aim for “happiness,” but rather aim for meaning and fulfillment.
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