Do you ever stop thinking that you have all of the answers?

Post #47,415 by ben_tilly 7/29/02 9:37:48 PM 7/30/02 6:34:59 AM Reply	Do you ever stop thinking that you have all of the answers? Please take this as it is meant. The biggest barrier for anyone in learning anything new is unlearning what they think they know. Particularly when they do have a partial picture that is somewhat accurate in so far as it goes. That is a tendency that I have had to fight, and one that I strongly see you as having. Your comment about not being able to restructure on a dime is accurate. Your two CORRECTLYs are accurately judged nearly impossible, and attested to by a trail of corpses. (The one success he identified resulted in the burnout of the CEO who succeeded, and a large fraction of the company along with him. The company did, however, survive a transition that killecd.) Therefore it sucks to be the established company, no hope. Right? However despite the impossibility of getting your CORRECTLY right, there is a strategy which has worked for several companies and seems likely to be able to continue to work. And it isn't even hard advice to give. Proof: after analysis of what various CEOs have tried, what hasn't worked, and what has, he gives the necessary advice and spends a sample chapter on how automobile companies should address the challenge of electric cars. (At current rates of technological progress they will become an issue around 2030, give or take a decade.) Cheers, Ben "... I couldn't see how anyone could be educated by this self-propagating system in which people pass exams, teach others to pass exams, but nobody knows anything." --Richard Feynman Edited by ben_tilly July 30, 2002, 06:34:59 AM EDT Expand All History
Post #47,428 by CRConrad 7/29/02 11:46:48 PM Reply	Uh... Do you?!? 'Coz, really, Ben... If there's anyone[] here who can challenge Brandi in the "thinking you have all the answers" department, I'd have thought it was you. Allow me to quote you, "Please take this as it is meant"... Just drop the 'had' from your "tendancy[sic] that I have had to fight", and you'll be absolutely right, AFAICS[]. Christian R. Conrad* Microsoft is a true reflection of Bill Gates' personality - the sleaziest, most unethical, ugliest little rat's ass the world has seen unto this time. -- [link\|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=42971\|Andrew Grygus] []: Besides me, of course! :-) [*]: If you come up with any good methods to do that, mail 'em to me!
Post #47,444 by ben_tilly 7/30/02 7:25:53 AM Reply	Yes I may know a bit about a lot of things, but I have also learned to be very fast about saying up front when I don't know about something. Ironically people seem to forget when I say that. But they don't forget if they later see me mention something that I learned from the exchange. And they misinterpret the many times that I say that to myself, respond with a Google search, and then suggest a few relevant links that I found. So..even the technique that I have found best for handling a "know it all" tendancy (which, as I said to Brandi, is one that I have to fight) doesn't do very well at fighting the appearance of being a know-it-all! Cheers, Ben "... I couldn't see how anyone could be educated by this self-propagating system in which people pass exams, teach others to pass exams, but nobody knows anything." --Richard Feynman
Post #47,481 by CRConrad 7/30/02 1:35:19 PM Reply	Hmmyeah... Could be I forgot; sorry.
Post #47,495 by Ashton 7/30/02 2:23:56 PM Reply	There's a Somerset Maugham story.. First - yes I recall your prefacing certain comments as above; perhaps we each should boilerplate that before Any political, religious ... er Any? comment about other than ~ "F=MA is both accurate and adequate, sub-relativistic." Mr. Knowall, the story - was rendered also in a film ('40s? '50s) called Quartet IIRC. (There was a Trio too) Scenario: a luxury liner, usual assortment of toffs engaged at dinner in witty upperclass Brit-speak - amusing and one-upping each other (though hardly at an Oscar W level). Title character happens to be a ..not so much 'jeweler' as gem expert. A rather brash one. When his specialty is mentioned, he's asked some questions and then someone looks for examples - it's been questioned whether he's Really that good at ferreting out 'fakes'. Attention turns to a Lady at the table, wearing a necklace. Mr. K. turns his gaze to her. At a distance of a few people, he pronounces them 'genuine'.. but as he approaches she demurs about the inspection with some weak reason. Yet all & sundry press for the 'example'. As Mr. Knowall approaches ['we' see..] a flash of stark [horror?] cross her face. Mr. K examines carefully the necklace ... [We see both their faces but we can not be sure what each is seeing of the other.] Mr. Knowall then admits, "no I was mistaken - it's a very good imitation, indeed!" In fact.. it was a present from the Lady's lover; naturally she dare not reveal its considerable value - as a quite genuine set of diamonds - to her husband. (Unclear how 'previous' was this lover, in the story IIRC, nor does that matter) Ergo.. for all his vanity and brashness - Mr. K. proved both observant and kind. No one would have suspected this quality from his previous behaviour BTW. Maugham was a Genius about homo-saps IMhO. I've always remembered this story as a polished jewel about precisely when: one must 'lose' an argument or forget one's expertise - where humans are involved. (Not that I always remember to Remember it, of course; being at least partially homo-sap also ;) Ashton

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