By Tony Frost, MD, Sirocco Strategy Management

July 2011

There is no business school or philosophy programme that offers a course in wisdom. In fact defining wisdom is something of a challenge.

Sometimes you will hear adults describing a child as having wisdom beyond his years without really being able to define what it is that makes them say that.

Wisdom is a little like riding a bicycle. You can spend days in lectures about the mechanics of the bicycle, its aerodynamics, the physiology of cycle exercise, the psychology of cycling, the biomechanics of the sport, handling a bicycle, and so on. The reality though is that none of this will actually give you the ability to ride the bicycle.

In order to be able to ride one has to hoist one’s bottom onto the saddle, put your feet on the pedals, hold the handle grips and launch forth, often to fall off almost immediately. This will continue until one has mastered the art and wisdom of balance. This is something that no-one can teach. It comes from studying at the University of Falling Off a Bicycle until you learn not to.

If you ask someone to describe balance they find it almost impossible to do so. They find it even more difficult to teach one how to balance.

Wisdom is the same. You cannot categorise, nor codify wisdom. It comes with experience, from exposing oneself to life’s trials, tribulations, challenges, joys, upsets, elations, sadnesses and successes.

What we can do though is to speed up the process of acquiring wisdom. The best way to do this is to provide the young with mentors. One of the biggest, most important, negative consequences of the dissolution of the extended family is the fact that the very young at best only have intermittent access to grandparents, aunts and uncles who, in the past would have given them the mentoring that is so valuable in the maturation process.

Today the young pretty much have to find their own way in life. A life that is hugely complex and one which abounds with many very visible poor role models.

This is where those who have lived life and are in the sunset period can play a massively important role in our society. They can take on the role of mentoring young people. They can provide a safe environment in which young people can explore their ideas and receive guidance on some of the most important and challenging issues they are confronted with every day.

We can bring the sunshine they so need in their lives. We can give them hope. We can build positive attitudes. We can help them acquire the most important skills they need to find their way on their journey through the valley of life. We can show them how the right values are much more important than great wealth, or fancy clothes and cars. We can show them how to really love life.

In short we have it in us to build a nation!

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