Can you imagine what it would be like to be an ant specialist?

I mean, can you imagine making a career of studying ants - being a myrmecologist.

That's what E. O. Wilson did.

What started as a study of ants led E. O. Wilson to some very-interesting conclusions on a variety of topics. He wrote a number of books, including 'On Human Nature'. 

About human beings, E. O. Wilson said,

"We are drowning in information while starving for wisdom."

He went on to forecast,

"The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely."

This forecast makes sense.

The question is, how do we prepare ourselves to be the synthesizers E.O. Wilson describes?

One factor that cannot be ignored is SEEK SIMPLE: at least every once in a while, take the time to look for the simplest solutions.

And, as a piece of Seeking Simple, we must slow down enough to consider the obvious: as an example, we can learn from Obvious Adams. Obvious Adams is a book written by Robert. R. Updegraff almost 100 years ago. Updegraff wrote about common sense and he wrote about the fact simpler is almost always better.

Updegraff also wrote Five Tests of Obviousness. You can use that test when you analyse situations and problems. 

That is one step toward becoming a synthesizer.

To what extent are we blinded by our own brilliance?

[Of course, I mean our perception of our own brilliance...whether or not we are anywhere near as bright as we perceive.]

An old friend of mine, George, talked to me many times about his early career where he worked at a multinational energy company that continually found itself 'blinded by its own brilliance'. In fact, some senior folks at the company used that expression almost as often as they use the expression 'paralysis by analysis'. 

My memories of George's stories came back to me when I read the following last week¹:

"So, what can business managers do to become better estimators of their team members' skill and ability? Consulting with someone less experienced may do the trick." [Sian Beilock]

This reminded me not only of my friend George's 'big-company stories' but also the story of Obvious Adams². Obvious Adams was the unassuming fellow who saw obvious and simple solutions while all the people around him were confounded by visions of complexity and mired in unimportant details.

We will definitely take advantage of Sian Beilock's advice: it aligns with Spirited Leaders' philosophy 'Seek Simple'. 

It is easy to believe business is more challenging now than it ever was...and it is easy to forecast that trend will continue. I have heard many people say that. I have said it myself as recently as last week.

But now, after rethinking, I have decided to make a change.

I will never say things like 'business is tougher than it used to be" again. Instead, I will spend the time seeking out and getting advice from more Obvious Adamses.

Footnotes:

1. Sian Beilock, 'Choke', (2010)
2. Robert R. Updegraff, 'Obvious Adams', (1916)

"I wondered why the Frisbee was getting bigger, and then it hit me."

Steven Wright delivered that line in his somewhat-nasal, soft, and slow voice.

And, I laughed.

Whenever I think of that joke it reminds me of something I observe when I look at businesses and listen to business people.

I call it Frisbee Business.

Here are some Frisbee Business examples I have seen, over and over again:

• I wondered why our accounts receivable were getting bigger, and then it hit me.
• I wondered why our bank debt was getting bigger, and then it hit me.
• I wondered why our supplier demands were getting bigger, and then it hit me.
• I wondered why our partner problems were getting bigger, and then it hit me.