Wisdom apprentices: April 12, 1999 issue of New Thinking

April 12, 1999 New Thinking:
Wisdom apprentices

Website content management

Home I About I Services I Clients I Contact

New Thinking Home

Subject Classification
Reader Feedback
Subscribing
Unsubscribing
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996

Books by
Gerry McGovern

Content Critical

Gaining competitive advantage through high-quality web content

The Web Content
Style Guide

The essential guide
for online writers, editors and managers

April 12, 1999

Wisdom apprentices

By Gerry McGovern

Since the invention of writing, there has been a process which has involved the transfer of knowledge from the oral and practical to the written form. The Internet has contributed to a significant speeding up of this process.

While this process has undoubted benefits, it must be recognized that there are limitations – that there is a certain type of knowledge that is still more effectively transferred by oral and practical means.

Historically, knowledge and skills were learned in the seeing, listening and doing. The world was full of apprentices. Babies were – and still are – the greatest apprentices. A baby doesn’t learn to walk by reading a manual. A baby doesn’t learn to talk by cramming in a language course.

A baby doesn’t go to the Internet to hone their social skills. No, the baby takes a long apprenticeship from their parents and those around them. They learn by living, by playing, by imitating, by doing, by trial and error.

Today we are busy inventing impressive sounding terms for the things we always took for granted. We have ‘Relationship Marketing and ‘Knowledge Management’. With the way some of these models are being presented, you would swear that they were some new invention. Rather, they are an attempt to fill a hole with technology and techniques that the modern world has dug.

In the past, all good companies practiced relationship marketing, in that they looked after their customers. The sales representatives called, the managing director rang, valued customers were brought out to dinner, Christmas gifts were delivered. Relationship marketing was very much part of business.

In the last twenty years, we all fell in love with the promise of the computer, the automation of things, the saving of costs and the making of greater profits. This has worked well up to a point. Except that we now find that there is a widening distance between the customer and the company, that customer loyalty is weakening.

Thus we invent relationship marketing and Customer Relationship Management. But these approaches have very little to do with relationships. Rather, they are about using technology to feign relationships.

Historically, companies renewed and passed on their essential knowledge base through a system of apprenticeships. Young people came into companies and learned trades and skills through working with those who had experience. Yes, they read books and manuals, but where they truly gathered knowledge was by doing the thing along with an expert.

From what I can observe, this whole apprenticeship system is breaking down. In fact, within the technology industry, it seems to have never have taken much root. The interesting problem there is that young people often have greater technical knowledge than older people, because so many computer languages and tools are themselves new.

We have a problem. Knowledge is more than knowing something technical. Knowledge needs wisdom, and wisdom comes with age and experience. Wisdom is about knowing how something technical can be best used to meet the needs of people.

Wisdom comes from living. Wisdom creates software that is useful, rather than technically brilliant. Wisdom creates a website that understands the needs of the person that uses the website, rather than a website that is an ego-boost for its creator.

We need more wisdom apprentices in the world. We need to re-focus on people as fonts of wisdom and knowledge, and not fall prey to the latest illusory school of ‘Wisdom Management.’

Gerry McGovern

Next issue: Melissa and monoculture
Previous issue: Fall and rise of online shopping malls
New Thinking homepage

New Thinking Newsletter
Subscribe to this free weekly newsletter covering the role and function of content on the Web.
More info | Privacy policy
Read the current issue

Content management seminar feedback
"Gerry's presentation was very well received by the more than 400 higher education delegates. I've chaired this meeting since 1994 and very few speakers have generated the same level of enthusiasm. Wit and wisdom is always an unbeatable combination."
Bob Johnson, American Marketing Association

“Excellent presenter ... thought-provoking and relevant. I hope we can persuade him to visit us again one day.”
Malcolm Davison
The British Association of Communicators in Business

"Hearing Gerry McGovern speaking, one can feel that he truly masters the subject of content management. He was voted ‘best speaker of the conference’ by delegates."
Toon Lowette
European Association of Directory Publishers

Find out more about Gerry McGovern's seminars

The apprenticeship system is breaking down. In fact, within the technology industry, it seems to have never have taken much root.