^_^ NaeZD! Do You See This Shi.. ? ^_^

You may not recognize it as such, but the title of this article is actually the definition of wisdom. Many confuse the accumulation of knowledge with wisdom, but as I will show – that is not the case.

Wisdom (the art of being successful) can be further defined as:

• “forming the most effective plan to gain the desired results”, or

• “knowledge of what is right or true coupled with just judgment as to a course of action”

Most of us make our plans and base our decisions on our own body of knowledge and intuitions. And the results achieved may reflect a certain level of success. But merely reaching a goal does not entirely define success. For example, let’s say that your goal was to achieve one million dollars in sales revenue. Would you agree with me that achieving that goal without making a profit would not define success? The “art” is in finding the “most effective plan”, and I suggest that we need more than our own body of knowledge and intuition – we need revelation.

Using the second definition listed above, let’s examine the core components of wisdom in more detail. The definition ascribes two basics requirements to wisdom: knowledge and judgment. But notice, it is not all knowledge (only that which is right and true) and it is not any judgment (only that which is just).

So first, let’s understand what knowledge is (or is not), so we can determine which knowledge is right and true. Knowledge can defined as the “contemplation of reality”. Knowledge includes:

• Observations (facts)

• Perceptions (experience)

• Understanding of concepts & principles (learning)

• Accepted beliefs & theories (faith)

• Intuition (perception independent of any reasoning process)

• Discernment (recognition by sight or other senses)

But not all knowledge it right and true. As an example, let’s say that you came upon a scene in which one man drew a gun on another man, pointed it at him and then fired. The other man then flew backwards (apparently from the impact of the bullet) and lay still. You would believe that you had just witnessed a shooting, and would likely store this information as a “fact”, based on your observations. However, without additional evidence, your observations may have been entirely false. Suppose the gun had fired blanks, and the man pretended to be shot. Your “knowledge” of the facts would be untrue. The man was not shot, and you were deceived (perhaps intentionally).

So what would happen if we were to take action based on this untrue knowledge? Our actions would be misguided. In order to provide a valuable input to wisdom, the knowledge we have must first be determined to be true. Truth is defined as a verified or indisputable fact, proposition or principle – or an ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.

So what we have learned from our understanding of knowledge and truth is that not all knowledge is true. Also, we can see that other truths exist outside our current body of knowledge (we have not learned or experienced all truths). We call those truths that exist outside our body of knowledge - revelation.

The second requirement of wisdom is “just judgment”. Judgment can be defined (mildly) as: “forming an opinion, making a decision, or coming to a conclusion”. But this thought process is only half of the definition of judgment. A better definition (which includes all aspects of judgment) is: “the thought of vigorous action against evil (wrong-doing)”. Whether in a court or in a person’s mind, judgment always carries a “sentence” – an action to be carried out based on the conclusion or decision rendered.

Further defining the second requirement of wisdom, we notice that not all judgments fulfill the requirements for wisdom, but only “just” judgments. As knowledge must be true in order to contribute to wisdom, so must our judgments be just. Judgments that are “just”, are those guided by truth, according to principles and standards that are righteous, proper and lawful. An example of an unjust judgment might be one that is imposed upon another out of spite or revenge. Our course of action must be guided by judgments that are just (based on true principles and standards).

If wisdom requires “knowledge of what is right or true coupled with just judgment”, then the question we should be asking is: “how do we obtain wisdom?” I think it is safe to say that we all possess knowledge and we all have the capacity to judge. But that which is necessary to convert knowledge and judgment into wisdom is as follows:

1. Examine your existing knowledge for what is right and true.

a. Start with a standard for truth and rightness (such as the Bible).

b. Compare your knowledge to that standard for determination of what knowledge is right or true.

2. Seek knowledge that is right and true that you do not presently possess. New knowledge that is revealed by another source is called “revelation”.

a. Books, courses, seminars, articles.

b. Mentoring or partnering with someone that has the knowledge you need for the project you are working on.

3. Examine your judgments (thought processes and actions) for those that are just.

a. Find a true standard or principle to compare your judgments to.

b. Compare your thought processes and actions to see if they are just (according to the principles and standards you have identified).

4. Learn new just judgments from those that possess them.

a. Books, courses, seminars, articles.

b. Mentoring or partnering with someone that has the thought processes you need to learn.

Once you have acquired the knowledge of what is right or true and just judgments (thought processes as to a course of action), you will be well equipped to: “form the most effective plan to gain the desired results”. In other words, you will have the tools to master “the art of being successful”.

Do you remember the joy of buying a new car or perhaps your first computer?  If you are like most people, you enjoy buying things.  And all the more if you feel like you got more than what you paid for.

While you were in the process of purchasing that new car or computer… were there any moments in which you were annoyed by a sales person?  For most, the answer is unfortunately “yes”.

So what was it that he did to annoy you?  The list is too long you say?  Then let’s focus on the most common cause of annoyance -  so when the shoe is on the other foot (and we are the sales person)… we do not annoy our customers.

There are three basic types of buyers:

• Technically savvy buyers that know as much (or more) as the sales person
• Moderately savvy buyers that need a few questions answered
• Neophyte buyers that may need some education

An effective sales presentation should be tailored to the type of buyer.

1. For the technically savvy buyer, a discussion of features is the most prudent approach.  Attempting to assess the benefits the buyer hopes to derive from the product will likely produce a curt reply or a buyer who turns and walks away.  The highly informed buyer is most likely to have determined precisely what features and functions he or she wants, and any attempt on the sales person’s part to ascertain how he or she arrived at those decisions will be viewed as an insult by the customer.
2. For the moderately savvy buyer, your best approach is to address both features and advantages.  This buyer will have in mind most of the features and functionality that they need to address their requirements, but will not have the technical knowledge to have completely decided on all specifications.  The best approach for this type of customer is to solicit their questions, and display a “we’re here to help” attitude.  Be careful how you speak to them when you find an area that they are not as informed about.  List options and features briefly and ask for questions.  If they don’t have any questions, you might offer to describe the advantages of one product or feature over another.
3. Generally the easiest customer to sell to is the neophyte.  They are most interested in what the product can do for them (benefits).  They are the least price conscious of the three, but will bolt if they sense that you are taking advantage of their lack of knowledge.  With this customer, you need to start with a discussion of what benefits they hope to derive from the product.

Regardless of which type of customer (or prospect) you are dealing with… you must remember that people buy benefits.

For the tech savvy buyer, if you cannot identify any benefits to buying a product or service from you, then you will be relegated to the “lowest priced bidder wins” condition.  For this buyer, what are the hidden costs of another vendors product or service?  Can they deliver on time every time?  Do they offer the same warranty?  Find the benefit that will be worth a little premium to this customer.

Similar to the tech savvy buyer, the moderate and neophyte buyers are also interested in the benefits they will derive from doing business with you. If you go to the trouble of educating them on the features and advantages of your products or services, what is to prevent them from taking your well documented specifications and submitting a request to some other supplier?

Only through a clear presentation of the benefits to this particular customer will you close the sale.  Be proficient with the facts (the features your products or services provide).  Be professional with the comparison to other products, manufacturers or competitors (highlighting your advantages).  And be exceptionally clear about the specific benefits that the customer will enjoy by doing business with you.