Episode 177: The Connection between Wisdom and Self-Differentiation
May 30, 2022
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This podcast explores the connection between wisdom and self-differentiation, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness and self-awareness. It discusses the role of accumulated knowledge and experiences in building wisdom and the controversy around including the gut as a component of wisdom. The podcast also explores how the vagus nerve impacts self-regulation and the importance of differentiating between brain and heart-aligned emotions. Lastly, it emphasizes integrating logic and emotion, trusting intuition, and how cultivating wisdom leads to effective teamwork.
Wisdom and self-differentiation are interconnected aspects of being a non-anxious leader.
Developing wisdom involves cultivating self-awareness, understanding goals and values, and taking responsibility for reactions.
Deep dives
Cultivating Wisdom through Self-Awareness and Intentionality
Wisdom, as defined by Barbara Waxman, is the soundness of an action or decision based on experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Cultivating wisdom requires self-awareness and intentionality. It involves understanding one's goals and values, accepting the present moment without judgment, and taking responsibility for one's reactions. This self-definition allows individuals to be more self-differentiated, which is crucial for leadership and being a non-anxious presence. Waxman emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and self-awareness in tuning into one's heart and developing purpose, direction, and meaning.
Combining Crystallized Intelligence, Gut Feelings, and Intuition for Wise Decision-Making
According to Waxman, wisdom can be developed through accumulating knowledge and experiences over time. While younger individuals may excel in fluid intelligence, older individuals possess crystallized intelligence, enabling them to identify which problems are worth solving. Waxman also highlights the significance of the gut, which is connected to the brain through the vagus nerve. However, she advises caution when relying solely on gut feelings, as these can often be rooted in past emotional reactions. Intuition, akin to gut feelings, should be trusted when the head and heart work together and reactions are self-regulated. By combining heart, head, and intuition, self-differentiated leaders can make effective and resilient decisions, fostering collaboration and growth within their teams.
The ability to be a non-anxious presence is an expression of both wisdom and self-differentiation. This episode explores the connection between the two.