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The last two paragraphs here nailed the importance of this distinction home quite well!

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What a fantastic breakdown of an important distinction. I used to work in higher ed, and I would often see job ads for top administrative roles (president or VPs) that would call for “data-driven decision making.” This was supposed to weed out the ones who just winged it from the ones who were steely-eyed realists, but actually it privileges smarts over wisdom.

There is nothing wrong with data-driven decision making so long as data is just one tool among many.

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Good post. Ego plays a part too, right? I often see two types of smart people - The smartest person in the room and they have to prove it, and then there is the smartest person in the room, but they sit back and allow others to engage. Another way I've found to increase wisdom is by reading books and learning from those who have 'been there, done that' before me. Mentors should play a part too, but I've never had much luck in that department.

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