How to Acquire Wisdom in the Workplace

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WAYNE RIVERS: Hi everyone. This is Wayne Rivers at Performance Construction Advisors, where We Build Better Contractors.

This week I want to talk about a couple things. First, before we get into How to Acquire Wisdom in the Workplace, I want to talk about a note that I got from Mario Smith from Waters Construction about the vlog we did on the Seven Habits of Successful Contractors. He said, "I agree that joining a peer group has great benefits. Why not suggest that a contractor should have a functioning board of directors?" And I replied to him in so many words, "Great idea, Mario. Boy, I talked about having boards for 15 years, maybe more, and never got traction with most construction companies. So, what did we do knowing that boards of directors are great things and accountability in organizations is a great thing? What did we do? We built out our peer group program as the next best thing."

If I thought, Mario and others, that we could get on that horse and ride it, the board idea, I would do it because they do make a difference. We just never were able to get any traction in the construction industry. So let me know. Send me an email, let me know what you think. Am I just totally off base here and are peer group's a good substitute, or is Mario right and we should be getting back on that bus and talking about boards of directors?
Okay, this week, How to Acquire Wisdom in the Workplace. This comes from my friend Cam Marston from May of '25. You can check out his work at cammarston.com. Super talented guy. Met him in a presentation 20 years ago or more. Turns out that his in-laws, he lives in Mobile, Alabama, turns out his in-laws live down the street from me in Raleigh, so small world.

But he wrote a very thoughtful missive to his daughter upon her college graduation, and he wanted her to benefit from his experience. And I thought this was profound. So what about this is important to you? Well, irrespective of age, we all want to grow our wisdom. Marilyn Vos Savant said that "To acquire knowledge, one must study, but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." And we never want to stop being that person who observes and accumulates wisdom over time. So, Cam gave three specific recommendations to his daughter to begin to acquire her wisdom in the workplace.

Number one, focus on what you're hearing, what you're learning and learn things that may not be just to please your supervisor. That's important, but it's not the be-all, end-all. What do you observe about the best leaders in your organization? What can you copy? What can you embody? Who are the persuasive people who are not bosses in the organization? What can you learn from them? And who does everyone go to for help? Who are those go-to people and how can you emulate them? One other key observation is, who are the people that are dysfunctional? Who are the people that others in the workplace avoid and why? And learn from them as well, behaviors to avoid in the workplace.

Number two, make it clear to your managers that you aspire to do more. When someone says, "I need help." Or "I need a volunteer." In spite of what you may have learned in the military, raise your hand. Be that person that is always looking to do more and be more. Bring ideas to your supervisors. Don't wait for them to come to you. For example, in our shop, our coordinators found a meeting, a small meeting class, or actually it was a weekend, I think, and they didn't wait for me or John or somebody else to suggest that they go get additional training. They brought it to us and said, "Hey, we want to do this. We think it'll be a good thing." And we were like, "Do it. Absolutely." Don't wait for top-down direction, bring ideas up the chain.

And then finally, ask this question, "Are there any things I can do for you that will make your load lighter?" That is a great thing to do. And believe me, most people in the workplace will find a way to allow you to give an assist.

The third thing Cam recommended is meet people inside the organization, outside the organization. Observe what people say and also what they don't say. The people that are getting ahead, what are they saying and doing? And then also try to observe what they're not saying, what they're not doing. What are the behaviors that they avoid? Ask questions. Ask lots of questions. The old saying is, there's no such thing as a stupid question.
I kind of think that's true, especially as you're getting your feet underneath you in a new workplace. The question why is always important, who's the consultant, the author that's made a career basically of asking the question why? It's Simon Sinek, the one Dennis likes so much. And then finally, speak less and listen more. That's great advice for Cam's daughter, but that's great advice for all of us. Speak less and listen more. He says, in closing, "Wisdom lessons will come your way, but you have to pay attention." It kind of reminded me of Ferris Bueller, "Life comes at you pretty fast." Anyway, so what do you think? If you had a son or a daughter who was graduated from college and going to the workplace as a professional for the first time, what advice would you pass along to them? Send me an email at [email protected].

And this is Wayne Rivers at PCA, where We Build Better Contractors.

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