Wisdom and Intelligence

There is a difference between intelligence and wisdom. Intelligence is something you gain from a combination of DNA (if your parents are smart, there is a good chance you'll be smart) and your dedication to learning new things from books and people. Wisdom on the other hand is gained from life experiences.

I work with a number of intelligent people. They understand how to do their job well. But they're not all wise. Some intelligent people get bogged down in meaningless situations. And while they often have a point, the context is irrelevant to efficiency and economy.

There are others though that are both intelligent and wise. They only push their opinion on the things that are of significant consequence. And once their position is stated, most rational people understand where they are coming from and agree with the approach.

I bring this up because I'm a big believer in wisdom. I'd rather work with a wise person than an overly intelligent person. Wisdom is an under appreciated asset that when realized and exploited, can help you bury your competitors.