Knowers and Learners: Which Type Can Create a Healthy Future?
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Knowers and Learners: Which Type Can Create a Healthy Future?
by Peter O’Donnell, founder and president of the Healthy Futures Group
— (Guest Post Expertise)
We are living in unprecedented times. Nobody disputes that. As we grapple with multiple challenges, it is imperative that we have leaders who can help us learn our way into the future together. There is a big problem, though.
Many of today’s organizations, communities and nations are led by people who are ill-suited to the task.
The American philosopher, Eric Hoffer, captured this succinctly: “In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned (knowers) find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
Today’s world desperately needs learners in leadership, not “knowers.’” We have known this for decades and longer. Many of our iconic models of leadership, particularly in business and government, have reflected more of a “knower” mindset.
These models, largely men, have been hard-driving, action-oriented “doers,” and have been lauded for their ability to push people and organizations to achieve results. Since the turn of the millennium, however, more and more our research into leadership effectiveness has painted a very different picture.
Consider Jim Collins’ Level Five Leader, as described in Good to Great.These often shy, often unknown leaders display disciplined focus on results while acting with deep humility and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Patrick Lencioni, in his recent book Motive describes two reasons why someone aspires to leadership. They want it for themselves as reward or recognition or they want it for the cause because they want to serve a larger purpose.
If the former, what matters most is to keep the focus on themselves and their results. If the latter, the focus is on collective results. In times of turbulence, organizations need to find leaders who want to mobilize collective learning and action, with a clear focus on ‘we’ versus ‘me’ and a plan to engage as many others as possible in co-creating a sustainable, healthy future.
These past few months have made the choice both clear and critical; this is the time for ‘learner leaders.’ That brings us to the next question, ‘How can we identify these two different types of leaders?’
There are a lot of clues. We can observe differences in how learners and knowers approach their leadership roles.
Learners strive for continuous improvement in their organizational results; knowers defend their current results and blame others for failure. Related to this, learners look to develop better practices. Knowers double down on doing things the way they always have. Learners continue to explore their own strengths and weaknesses, find ways to maximize their unique contribution, while making room for others to shine. Knowers present themselves as the smartest people in the room, ignoring expert input and downplaying others’ contributions.
Where we really see the most important differences, though, is in areas where knowers are loathe to share insight into themselves. Where learners invite different point of view and test their own assumptions openly, knowers label those who hold different viewpoints as unworthy.
At the level of character, learners embrace the challenge of becoming better people, not just better leaders. Knowers make it clear that their inner life is none of our business. Learners align their efforts and their leadership of others to larger purposes; for knowers, what matters is only their own aggrandisement.
Beyond observing the behavior of these two types of leaders, we can also observe their impact on their organizations, especially their followers.
When knowers lead, you will typically discover these characteristics: silence, cover-ups and a lack of critical feedback; a culture of blaming and the erosion of trust; fear, apathy, or a loss of creativity and risk-taking; dependency and a lack of strong emerging leaders and eventually, the emergence of “rebel tribes.”
Perhaps most important, certainly in times of turbulence and uncertainty, learning is driven underground or out of the organization. Of course, to knower leaders, based on what we know about them, all these characteristics are simply evident that they must take charge; as always, everything depends on them.
That is why organizations and our world are desperate for learner leaders at this critical time. We need leaders who can create safe spaces where our focus is on drawing out the best of our collective wisdom, encouraging the next generation of learner leaders. Significant, sustainable change depends on finding, nurturing and empowering them to lead us into the future.
So, which type of leader will you be? Your answer matters, a lot.
This guest post written by Peter O’Donnell, founder and president of the Healthy Futures Group.
Michael Toebe authors and publishes the weekly Red Diamonds Newsletter, Red Diamonds Features and Red Diamonds Essays (all on Medium) and hosts the Red Diamonds Podcast. He is a specialist for reputation, professional relationships communication and wiser crisis management.
