The challenges of developing wisdom

• Wisdom is context-dependent
• Wisdom cannot be objectively measured
• We gain wisdom with experience

A wisdom-oriented mindset

• A critical insight the wise possess is an understanding of the importance of values.
• Those striving for wisdom recognize the power and limits of knowledge.
• Wisdom requires humbleness
• Wisdom requires a willingness to act in the face of uncertainty, which is enhanced through developing an ability to improvise and broaden your base of knowledge outside your specialty.
• Wisdom requires recognition that problems are dynamic, and thus our solutions must evolve in lock-step with our problems.

How to get the best out of your experience

• Experience improves your ability to draw meaning out of your environment and integrate it into your thinking.
• Not all experience is equal; some experiences are beneficial, but some may discourage personal growth.
• As a student, take advantage of opportunities to work with industry partners
  • Internships & co-op programs
  • Select classes where teachers have you work with industry partners.
  • Select classes where teachers rely on experiential learning methods
• As an employee, create opportunities to broaden your responsibilities, especially under your boss’s mentorship, if they are willing.

The importance of good mentors

• A good mentor will help you organize your experiences to pull out relevant learning.
• A good mentor will share their experience with you, helping you to avoid making the same mistakes they made
• What makes a mentor “good?”
  • You look up to them as a wise leader.
  • You feel comfortable talking to them.
  • They have experience in the situations you face
• When approaching a potential mentor
  • Ask permission to meet with them.
  • Be respectful of their time.
  • Come to the meeting prepared
  • Maintain your relationship with them
• Pay it forward; sharing your experiences by mentoring others helps them and gives you a deeper understanding of your own experience.

How to maintain an effective reflection journal

• We do not learn from experience but from reflecting on our experience.
• Reflection journals are a tool to facilitate the contemplation of our actions and their outcomes.
• Reflect regularly through the week on your actions and the values, assumptions, and rationale behind your decisions
• Periodically through the year, revisit your reflections to pull out recurring themes in your performance and decision-making.

Ways to develop social and emotional intelligence

• Organizational wisdom is a group activity, and working well with others requires social and emotional intelligence.
• You can develop your social and emotional intelligence through:
  • Cooperative learning: Working with groups. Combine this with reflection journaling for enhanced learning
  • Interdisciplinary courses: These are courses where teachers from multiple disciplines teach students from multiple disciplines
  • Indulging in your appreciation of the arts: All forms of artistic expression increase imagination, empathy, and a sense of connectedness