7 Tests to Expose Wise Leaders
You don’t need to be smart to be wise.
Technical expertise isn’t wisdom.
Wise leaders follow seven patterns.
Teachable
#1. Test: Do they respond with curiosity to feedback?
Watch leaders when they’re challenged. Wise people lean into accountability. Fools resent it.
Defensiveness indicates a congealed life.
Skillful Speech
#2. Test: Do they listen to understand?
Wisdom is seen in what it doesn’t say. Skillful leaders aren’t defensive. They don’t need to win every conversation. They don’t rush to fill the silence.
Flexible Certainty
#3. Test: Do they seek input?
Wisdom examines beliefs. It doesn’t act like the smartest person in the room.
Consistent Conduct
#4. Test: Are they the same person wherever they show up?
Wisdom is predictable.
A sage is the same at the frontline as they are in the board room. There’s no double life. No situational ethics.
Wise Friends
#5. Test: Who influences them?
“Show me your friends, I’ll show you your future.” Unknown
Wise leaders move toward people who sharpen them.
Emotional Control
#6. Test: What happens when things go wrong?
A leader worth following feels deeply but doesn’t vent.
Build People
#7. Test: Do people grow because of conversations with them?
Wise leaders lift others. Their words energize. Their presence instructs.
Action Items
Wisdom reveals itself in response patterns.
- Ask “what” or “how” questions before making statements.
- Receive one piece of feedback without defending.
- Seek input before making decisions.
Skillful leaders practice behaviors worth repeating.
10 Wise Questions Even Fools Can Use
Read: The Daily Stoic
Okay, Dan — regarding your post, what is your question for the reader? I know you have wisdom!
Good morning Paul. The first question that popped into my head was, Which test feels most relevant to you?
They all speak to me. The one that seems most relevant is “Do they seek input?” How can I seek input today?
I agree “seeking input” is very valuable. We all have blind spots and filters that influence what we think. Being open and considering other ideas and points of view is very important. I also like test 1. Being curious is so important to understand the beliefs and assumptions behind what people think, say, and do.
Here’s a confession, Paul. The test question I choose stings because I prefer knowing to learning.
Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting tomatoes in your fruit salad.
How are you giving your folks the wisdom (experience) they need to properly apply their intelligence?
Hi Jennifer, Love the fruit salad illustration! I wonder if giving people our wisdom is about enticing them to want it.
Great post! Thank you.
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