What is wisdom? (Hint: It’s not one thing but twelve.)
Knowledge and skill are necessary for problem-solving. But they fall short in decision-making unless they are used with wisdom. It is wisdom that helps people determine how to apply their expertise. Also called common sense or good judgment, wisdom is reflected in how individuals make choices, interact with each other, and respond to their environment. And it is wisdom that guides organizations to pursue goals in ways that are sustainable, ethical, and beneficial to the communities they serve.
Wisdom is often mentioned as if it is one thing, when, in fact, there are many types of wisdom. They can be exhibited by both individuals and organizations as unique wisdom profiles, a combination of distinct types of wisdom at different levels of maturity. So much of the work we do at Back Porch Consulting rests on the wisdom infused in an organization, especially its leadership team. Interestingly, it is not just the maturity that determines successful leadership, but the balance and interplay of different wisdom types within the group. For that reason, we invested in studying and developing a framework for understanding organizational wisdom. The resulting wisdom framework identifies twelve distinct types of wisdom and groups them according to four categories.
Body Wisdom seeks to balance moral and ethical implications of choices with practical needs. It leads people to separate everyday problems from long-term considerations and resolve them according to the stated objectives. This wisdom category is like a body with two feet firmly grounded, poised to act when the situation calls for it.
Community Wisdom draws upon collective insights from a group of people to make choices and navigate challenges. It relies on either open discussion or intrinsic understanding of the expectations and needs of the whole community. This wisdom category is similar to animals like bees or ants who thrive collectively by sharing, communicating, and cooperating to accomplish what is needed.
Mind Wisdom considers problems carefully to surmise what is appropriate. Mind Wisdom leads a person to absorb information, determine what it means, evaluate options, and determine appropriate actions. This wisdom category is characterized by the head, symbolic of logic, since decisions result from thought and reflection.
Soul Wisdom comes from an internal way of sensing, feeling, or discerning something. It is expressed with empathy. It recognizes that emotions and perceptions carry as much meaning as logic or facts for the people who experience them. This wisdom category is characterized by the heart, a symbol of life and a reminder of our connectedness with all living things.
You can take a five-minute quiz to find out your predominant wisdom category—Body, Community, Mind, or Soul.
Back Porch Consulting also offers a complete wisdom profile as a service. The results are meant to help leadership teams and organizations reflect on their natural tendencies to channel their wisdom more effectively in their work. For more information, go to the Wisdom Audit webpage or submit a request for a free consultation.