Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Meta understanding is understanding about understanding. This is rarely practiced. That lack of practice is perilous.

I once worked with a man who had a high school diploma and nothing else as far as formal education. Still, this person rose in the ranks of government service to the level of Senior Executive Service. He was competent, and…

He understood what needed to be understood.

Some things on the job are more important than others. Some folks call this, “majoring on the majors and minoring on the minors.” This concept applies to jobs, families, and all endeavors. We look for “the difference that makes a difference.”

Enough cliches’.

This is another example of thinking. Think about the here and know. Also, think at a level of abstraction above that and at a level of abstraction below that. I am not the universe. There are things happening outside my little world. I should try to understand those things.

This is a simple concept that is difficult to apply. We should, however, do better.