What About Intellect Without Wisdom?

A good question from a reader who took time to email about her concern.

It seems that she's surrounded at work by many purported to be "the best and the brightest."

The observation: The brightest aren't necessarily the best.

Her conclusion and frustration come from daily experiences where "smart" people aren't making sound, thoughtful decisions. To her, this doesn't reflect what one would expect from high IQ's and advanced degrees. She's puzzled about a lack of consistent relationship between intelligence and wisdom.

You've seen the same thing, I'm sure. So what's really happening here?

There is a distinct difference between knowledge and knowing how to apply it properly in a given situation. My online colleague Jim Stroup often writes about the importance of situational assessment and adapting to changes at a given moment.

As I watch people succeed or struggle in businesses each day, a picture emerges.

When making decisions and judgments, wise managers have a keen sense of their own weaknesses before exercising their strengths. They value discernment, taking into consideration the situation and the people involved.This causes them to pause and reflect on the totality of things before acting.

My reader is seeing just the opposite: people whose actions are not governed by discernment but by a sense of "self" as the center of things. This often leads them to ignore the totality of people and information and rely only on what resides in their own minds. Whatever level of information that may be, it is one-dimensional and inconsistent with the totality of the situation.

Finally: wise people seem to consciously value wisdom over pure intellect. Instead of pursuit of knowledge as a commodity, they pursue wisdom as a lifestyle.

Watch what people pursue. It will tell you much about what to expect from them.

"Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad."