Are You a Knower or a Learner? (4.3)

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"If we are wise enough to base our self-esteem not on being "right" but on being rational--on being conscious--and on having integrity, then we recognize that acknowledgment and correction of an error is not an abyss into which we have fallen but a height we can take pride in having climbed."
-- Nathaniel Branden.

You and I see the world differently. The way in which you deal with such differences defines you as a "knower" or a "learner."

Knowers claim to know how things are, how they ought to be, and what needs to be done. They give a lot of orders and ask very few questions.

Learners are curious and humble, less certain about how to interpret what is going on and what to do about it. They are more inquisitive than directive. They tend to consider others' perspectives instead of imposing their own.

Knowers stake their self-esteem on being right--or at least convincing everybody that they are. They impose their opinions on others and claim that these opinions are "the truth." They try to eliminate all opposing views until everybody agrees with them. They believe that they see things as they are, and that whoever does not see things in the same way is wrong.

Learners stake their self-esteem on staying open--and inviting everybody to share their views. They seek to understand and be understood. They feel at ease presenting their opinions to others as reasonable assessments and inviting others to present their different opinions in a spirit of mutual learning. They believe that they see things as they appear to them, and that their view is only part of a larger picture.

In this video you will learn how to curb your knower impulse and become more of a learner.

Humility from Fred Kofman


Further Reading: Are You A Unilateral Control Freak?

Readers: Who's the biggest knower that you know? No names, please, just identifying behaviors :-)



Fred Kofman, Ph.D. in Economics, is Vice President at Linkedin. This post is part 2.1. of Linkedin's Conscious Business Program. You can find the introduction and structure of this program here. To stay connected and get updates join our LinkedIn Group: Conscious Business Friends

You can Follow Fred Kofman on LinkedIn here -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.












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