⭕ In the industrial era, experience was king. A leader who had “seen it all” over decades could reuse mental models because the world changed slowly. Today, the ground under business is shifting so fast that yesterday’s experience often expires before the ink dries on the annual report. Knowledge has quietly become the real power.
⭕ Business knowledge now compounds more quickly than experience.
⭕ A 30 year veteran who has not actively updated knowledge on AI, sustainability, and digital platforms can be outperformed by a 15 year professional who reads deeply, experiments relentlessly, and connects dots across domains.
⭕ In other words, experience multiplied by poor knowledge amplifies mistakes. Experience multiplied by sharp knowledge produces wisdom.
⭕ The problem arises when experience is allowed to sit above knowledge rather than beneath it. Without strong, up to date knowledge, experience can harden into dogma.
⭕ The age of equating wisdom with years is over. Tenure still matters, but only when paired with tireless learning. That shift from nostalgia to knowledge is the true hallmark of stewardship in an age where the future is arriving faster than experience alone can keep up. Do read my article, which has appeared in the july edition of Board Stewardship magazine. Link provided
