Barry Schwartz, an author and professor at Swarthmore College known for his work on practical wisdom, discusses the nuances of decision-making in leadership. He explores the contrast between theoretical and practical wisdom, emphasizing the importance of context. Schwartz also highlights the vital role of allowing children to learn from mistakes, fostering resilience. He critiques overprotective environments in education, advocating for leadership practices that encourage independence and critical thinking, with a jazz analogy to illustrate adaptability.
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insights INSIGHT
Templates and Trouble
Over-reliance on templates keeps leaders out of trouble.
Using judgment and deviating from templates can lead to blame if things go wrong.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Rules as a Starting Point
Creating more rules is not always the solution when things go wrong.
Rules should be seen as a starting point, not the end of decision-making.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Truth and Patient Care
Doctors should generally be honest with patients.
However, there are times when shading the truth is the right thing to do for a patient's well-being.
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Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children
Wendy Mogel
In this book, Wendy Mogel applies traditional Jewish teachings to modern parenting. She addresses the challenges faced by middle-class children in today's society and provides practical advice on how to raise children who are resilient and self-reliant. The book emphasizes the importance of balancing parental involvement with the need for children to develop independence and responsibility. Mogel draws from her experience as a clinical psychologist and her studies of the Torah and Talmud to offer a unique and effective approach to child-rearing.
Practical Wisdom
The Right Way to Do the Right Thing
Kenneth Sharpe
Barry Schwartz
In 'Practical Wisdom', Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe discuss the essential human quality of practical wisdom, a concept identified by Aristotle. This wisdom combines individual experiences, empathy, and intellect to help individuals understand 'the right way to do the right thing in a particular circumstance, with a particular person, at a particular time.' The authors argue that our reliance on rules and incentives has eroded this wisdom and propose ways to cultivate it, introducing concepts like 'canny outlaws' and 'System Changers' who work around conventional norms to achieve better outcomes. The book emphasizes the importance of practical wisdom in daily life and institutional settings to make us healthier, wealthier, and wiser.
Leadership is often most challenging when the path forward is not clear. In this week’s episode, I talk with Barry Schwartz, author of the book Practical Wisdom: The Right Way To Do the Right Thing to help us discover how we can make better decisions as leaders.
Guest: Barry Schwartz
Author with Kenneth Sharpe of Practial Wisdom: The Right Way To Do the Right Thing
Here are Barry’s TED Talks:
Our Loss Of Wisdom
Using Our Practical Wisdom
The Paradox Of Choice
Barry also mentioned the book The Blessing Of A Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel
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