Most people don’t know what you know.
If you are reading this I automatically assume you know the things I know. You see there is a certain sort of person who reads articles that help them grow, to improve and to evolve. The average everyday person is happy with the status quo. So I automatically think you come pre-loaded with all the knowledge that I have after all we are the same. But…
Just because you know something you should not assume that others will know it too.
Let me tell you what I mean… If you are a growth-minded self-improvement type, I assume you know what the following are.
- Smart Goals
- Kaizen
- Ikigai
- The Four Agreements
- The Seven Habits
If you are entrepreneurial I will presume you know
- The two USP’s
- The three ways to grow a business
- Lifetime Value
- Allowable cost for client acquisition
- The strategy of pre-eminence
The thing is we all have holes or gaps in our knowledge. Just because you know a thing, a thing that you think is ubiquitous, it doesn’t mean everyone else does.
Over the years I have learned that even what I consider the basics are sometimes unknown to the “experts”
sometimes things that are commonplace in one industry are completely unknown in another (and can work like gangbusters when applied). This is not the fault of the “experts” or of business, it is just how the world is. We all have gaps holes and blindspots.
The point which I am slowly getting to is that there is a danger in assuming what you think people automatically know. If you have never been exposed to “Smart Goals” it might have a revolutionary impact on you. But if you don’t teach someone about “Smart Goals” because you already assume they know what they are you have robbed them of that impact.
I assume everyone knows the expression “If you Assume you make an Ass out of U and ME”. The thing is, for some people this might be the first time they see that. Therein lies the point.
There is an idea about learning called “The beginner mind” the idea is that you learn with humility and childlike wonder.
When passing on information, knowledge and wisdom teach with the “Teacher’s mind” that is to say before you assume someone knows something ask them if they are familiar with that idea first. It will make you a better teacher and for that matter an infinitely better communicator.
We all have knowledge gaps, so before you pull that punch and not tell someone about something useful that you think they already know. Stop and check first or better yet tell them anyway. It is always useful to be reminded of what we think we already know.
Remember: Action on insights, is the Answer.
Thank you for reading.
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur or life hacker trying to fast-track your success drop me a follow @thesnowhow for more growth-related content. And if you enjoyed this, it would help massively if you shared or commented. Thanks again.
fnord
