Just seeing if you are awake!
Logically, part three should have been about Knowledge not part four. The planned structure was :
- part one – general outline
- part two Skills
- part three Knowledge
- part four Attitude
- part five ( yes, there will be a part five!) overview
However I couldn’t stop myself and went straight for Attitude. Sometimes attitude just has to override logic…..
So, Knowledge. As I’m writing this thousands are studying and revising for exams. Despite some attempts to widen horizons and “test” thinking our examination system is still focused on what you know and can regurgitate. Yes, you can learn to improve essay structure and how to handle multiple choice questions ( these are skills anyway) but if you don’t know the subject then …………
Knowledge is a wonderful thing! (The exception must be where it is used as power. I’m with Herb Kelleher on that one. The word power should only be used in conjunction with the words “tools” and “boats”!) Regrettably, there is still a feeling in organisations and some Leaders that knowledge is power.
In terms of my store of knowledge, I can still quote from Shakespeare’s Sonnets that I learned at school- and now I understand them and enjoy them! Not all knowledge is useful- but enough is essential!
If we are serious about people being enabled to perform better then they need sufficient knowledge to do so. “Sufficient” is the difficult bit! For some an overview is fine, others need detail. Isn’t it amazing how different our brains are?
Once you have knowledge – what will you do with it? Do you have the skills to apply it? What about the attitude? I’ve just been working with a group, one of whom was told at Primary School that they would never be any good at Maths. They struggled with maths throughout their education and have now reached a Senior post without any real understanding of Finance. ( in their brain Finance = Maths). By getting this person to challenge their own self limiting beliefs they have moved on and are now sitting A level maths.
If you really want to perform well at something then you need knowledge. Try and do it without Skills and Attitude and you are making life very difficult for yourself!
Philko
MAY
About the Author
Phil has over thirty years working in key management roles with particular expertise in Finance, Sales, Service, Teamworking, Culture Change and Performance Management. For more than twenty years he was involved in the very demanding Corporate Banking world. He has hosted and facilitated conferences for large organisations on a Europe wide basis. He is a qualified psychometric assessor for staff recruitment and MBTi qualified. He is an NLP Practitioner. In addition Phil is an accredited deliverer of “Celemi” Business Simulations. He has a real skill in taking complex concepts and models and bringing these to life. He has designed and implemented Learning and Development programmes into major organisations and now works in design and delivery of “Attitudinal Based Learning” and “Accelerated Learning”. Loves: Time with family and friends, Real Beer, Music, Walking - particularly along the coast.