Knowledge appears to be somewhat magical. The more we know, the more secure we feel?
Most people feel uncertain if they lack technical knowledge about the system or product they support. More technical training seems to be the first action management reaches for. Unfortunately, technical training is only valid within a certain domain and for a short period of time. Is it possible, any longer, to keep up with the speed of technology? Is knowledge the only driver that gives us the power and certainty we crave? No – not at all. But more is needed to become more effective. Studies executed by Kepner and Tregoe showed us that good decisive actions are always preceded by clear thinking. But precisely that clear thinking is letting us down when we need it most!
That “illusive” knowledge
“Knowledge” appears to be somewhat magical. Normally it has been said: “the more we know, the more secure we feel”. Nothing gives us more satisfaction than having knowledge of the world around us. We are able to assess the situation better, we know how to respond, we know the solution to a problem. That has its advantages. But the danger exists of running away with the knowledge; you get carried away, you think you know the answer and in the end you completely miss the point. Strangely enough, it is still enriching your life, as you learn from the mistakes you have made.
…Knowledge on its own is not the key to all your problems
Does knowledge really give you all that power? Or is it possible that knowledge is actually hindering your work?
I discovered, during my activities as a trainer, coach and facilitator in Analytic Troubleshooting (ATS) and Problem Solving and Decision Making (PSDM) programs, that knowledge could work against you if you want to approach problems (and situations in general) in a clear and consistent manner. Apparently knowledge on its own is not the key to all your problems.
With most participants attending my workshops, mostly experts with a long service in their company, the extensive knowledge they gained is blocking their way to solve the problem. They jump too quickly to conclusions and they think they know the answer already.
They only ask those questions that fit their current thinking pattern and, maybe even worse, they listen selectively as well! Only those things that fit in their map of the world will be recorded and registered. Of course, you have a backpack full of knowledge and experience gained over the years, which makes it difficult to look at new situations in a totally objective manner, free from assumptions and preconceptions.
Campbell and Whitehead in Why Good Leaders Make Bad Decisions, described this behavior as pattern recognition and emotional tagging. Pattern recognition means that when faced with a new situation we make assumptions based on prior experiences and judgement – in short, jumping to conclusions. Emotional tagging is the process by which emotional information attaches itself to the thoughts and experiences stored in our memories. We are therefore likely to be influenced by previous experiences when deciding what to do next, rather than analyzing the facts.
But still… there is so much emphasis and pressure on gaining knowledge – after all there is an entire “knowledge economy” devoted to it! So what happens if you don’t have any knowledge at all? Would you be able to provide a better (customer) service? Would you be more open to listen to the customer voice? If you lack the knowledge of a particular technology, the best way forward would be to ask a lot of questions to get a clear understanding of the situation.
Asking questions is like painting a picture: you become more sensitive to the environment, more receptive to seeing new things
Sometimes it is good to stand back and ask yourself the question, “does knowing all these things, those bits and pieces, make me really happy”?
Most things that we know have a rather negative connotation. Recently I watched an interesting video clip about “the value of not knowing”, where the presenter quite strongly took a stand for “not knowing”, making life more valuable. Not knowing when you do know is virtually impossible. It is, of course, impossible to just “switch off” your brain. At least I haven’t found the switch yet!
Clear Thinking for a Complex World
The lesson learned from this “not knowing” is the following: whenever you deal with a new situation, take a moment of reflection and ask yourself, again and again: Which assumptions have I made? Were these conclusions right? From which perspective or angle did I review the situation? What other perspectives might there be? Which presuppositions were leading my behavior? Which interpretation or meaning did I already give to the presented data? To what extent is the presented information and data a conclusion from someone else? It is something I would call: “switch on the clear thinking mode of your brain”.
I believe that even without profound technical knowledge, situations can be assessed and reviewed and problems can be solved. It is a question of the right communication and making your thinking visible by documenting it. Ask open questions in a structured way and document those answers in a standardized manner. By doing this, a clear picture arises of the situation at hand, nonsense information will be discarded and the important information will have been filtered and documented.
This way of working enables the solving of problems far better than numerous trial-and-error attempts. Cooperation between individuals and teams will benefit from a systematic and structured approach as well. Existing knowledge in our heads should not stand in the way of gathering new knowledge. Open up, think out of the box! Complexity will become something you should not be afraid of. It will become even more interesting and challenging!