Since the rapid progress mankind has witnessed post industrial revolution, an undecided debate has been ensuing about what is critical for progress, knowledge or experience. I am referring to this dilemma as unsettled, because the inter-twining of the two is so strongly bonded together, that it is almost impossible to disentangle them as two different bases of development of management thought. The two, at least, conceptually, in my estimation are the Siamese twins, who must co-exist in any person or entity. The inclusion of one, to the exclusion of the other, is un-do-able. What therefore is knowledge? Is it found within the confines of books or is it located on the map of experience? Does knowledge precede experience or is it that experience comes first and knowledge follows. The experience of today, when recorded over a period of time, after having gone through the test of validity as an enduring principle, is mostly recognised as ‘knowledge’ to put it differently. It therefore follows that knowledge and experience are inseparable, there cannot be knowledge without experience or experience without knowledge.
Management
Since the rapid progress mankind has witnessed post industrial revolution, an undecided debate has been ensuing about what is critical for progress, knowledge or experience. I am referring to this dilemma as unsettled, because the inter-twining of the two is so strongly bonded together, that it is almost impossible to disentangle them as two different bases of development of management thought. The two, at least, conceptually, in my estimation are the Siamese twins, who must co-exist in any person or entity. The inclusion of one, to the exclusion of the other, is un-do-able. What therefore is knowledge? Is it found within the confines of books or is it located on the map of experience? Does knowledge precede experience or is it that experience comes first and knowledge follows. The experience of today, when recorded over a period of time, after having gone through the test of validity as an enduring principle, is mostly recognised as ‘knowledge’ to put it differently. It therefore follows that knowledge and experience are inseparable, there cannot be knowledge without experience or experience without knowledge.
“The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds,” is quoted often from a purported speech of John F Kennedy. Many men have a mine of information that is rarely brought to use for any practical purpose. Like loaded guns that are never fired or military magazines in times of peace, such men are stuffed up with useless ammunition: Knowledge seeks perfection through utility, otherwise it remains in the arena of untested knowledge, which essentially means, it is knowledge without adequate backing of experience.
What is experience therefore? A poor little hut constructed from the ruins of the palaces of gold and marble called as illusion (Meditation of a parish persist). Actually, experience can be another name for accepting faults. The supreme teacher is found to be doing only when called upon to bear the cross. It is only when you would have crossed the expanse of the river, can you with any amount of certainty say, the crocodile has a lump on his snout!
To know the road ahead, ask those coming back, is a Chinese saying, it implies, those coming back are an experienced lot. Experience is a grindstone and it is lucky for us if we got brightened by it – not grounded (John Billings). Lessons and sermons that haven’t been lived through are of no consequence. Experience is a hard teacher, because she gives the test first; the lesson afterwards (Venon Law’s – 1930). Experience can’t be taught; however, knowledge can be. Experience requires you to go through it. Experience shouldn’t be a comb in the hands of bald. Traverse the road before you point the pitfalls shapes, twists and turns.
Socrates, the Father of Philosophy went to no university. He was a pauper by profession. Socrates never wrote a book. All his teachings have been conveyed through in history, by his disciples like Aristotle and Plato.
Socrates’ analysis of political, social and moral issues is remarkable, based on experience and intuition. None of it was gathered from attending lectures but in fact was the consequence of his regular lectures to the Athenians.
For leadership, corporate or otherwise, what is important, possession of experience or mere knowledge? Many management philosophers, guru’s, management scientists subscribe to the view that some men possess an in-born spirit of superiority giving them a natural advantage over others not so blessed. The best example I can conjure to explain this paradox is, take a 6th standard class of a school, comprising says 30 students; each of this student is exposed to the same knowledge, culture, training, up-bringing at school; each is taught by the same teacher, the same, syllabus and yet only one amongst the thirty gets the ‘first position’. Why? Is this position holder different? Is it more hard-work and greater application? Could very well be; but beyond the apparent reason is that mother nature favours some with more talent than others.
Experience which was once claimed by the aged is now claimed exclusively by the young (GK Chesterfield in All is Grist – 1931). The full of zest, energy and enthusiasm ‘Young Turks’ who newly join any organisation armed with the best of degrees from the most prestigious and the not so well known, universities, believe they are ready to conquer all available or even non-available corporate space. They yearn to do with lightning speed, dislodge all the ‘old guards’, with their outdated machines of doing work. Not totally unduly, they believe in the adage, “knowledge is power”.
However, application of knowledge is power or more precisely post application of knowledge, acquires stardom success of being a power. Knowledge of nuclear science and its rapid advancements has an in–built potential of being used either for peaceful purpose and objectives or for using it is to cause destruction and annihilation, including self-destruction. Obviously the latter can happen if such powerful knowledge falls in the hands of the unwise and inexperienced leadership.
The long years of toil (experience and experiments) of Thomas Edison, Marie-Curie, Louis Pasteur, Sir Isaac Newton, gave us knowledge about light and phonogram, radium, Penicillin and laws of motion and gravity, respectively. So, it is experience that creates the basis of knowledge.
To hold an office of authority and responsibility, it is imperative to have basic technical proficiency, required for the job, this must be coupled with knowledge gathered through doing (experience!). A knowledgeable manager is always listened to and is obeyed with respect and distinction.
Possession of knowledge and experience will remain insufficient tools for exhibiting qualities of leadership. These need accompaniment of other factors like, using inspirational techniques to obtain best results from the team as against extracting commitment through the medium of managerial fear of reprisal.
I have seen people exercise unqualified authority by the dint of the sheer power of office held and some I have witnessed with great pleasure, that have put to best use the personal authority gained through numerous positive traits of character and personality. Add to these sources of authority, the one gained and acquired though knowledge. If these three are found in a single individual in the right quantum and dosage, such are to be classified as natural leaders. Helen Keller, “Many people know so little about what is their short range of experience. They work within themselves and find nothing worthy. Therefore, they conclude that there is nothing outside themselves.”
Knowledge and timber should not be much used till they are seasoned (Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr). Knowledge must be backed by requisite skill (experience) to be of value, and that it must remain proportionate to better skills in future, for the use of same knowledge.
Knowledge grows by its giving away, not by hoarding. We learn most by teaching. Mas Zedong wrote in 1961, “Our attitude towards ourselves should be” “to be insatiable in learning” and towards others, “to be tireless in teaching”. An experienced and knowledgeable leader/ manager would use tact, judicious reactions, humanness, controlled behaviour, sympathy, empathy and a host of traits of personality to make the team achieve daunting objectives of the entity.
The writer is a freelance columnist
