PKF Texas – Entrepreneur’s Playbook®:Knower vs. Learner Leadership

by | Oct 30, 2009 | PKF Texas - The Entrepreneur's Playbook®

Note: Running Fridays in FromGregsHead.comis a continuing series of tips brought to you by Greg Price. These run Saturday mornings during the BusinessMaker’s Radio Show on KPRC 950AM. Audio files can be found on the PKF Texas – Entrepreneur’s Playbook® page of the PKF Texas website.

As we navigate through this current recession, watching our politicians talk about change,  I recently recalled this quote from Eric Hoffer I learned at a leadership class I once attended, “In times of change, the learners will inherit the Earth, while the knower’s will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”

So as a leader would you be classified as a “knower”, or a “learner”?  Or more importantly do you know the difference?  In Jim Collins book Good to Great he talks about Level 5 Leadership.  Level 5 leaders build enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.  Level 5 leaders channel their ego ambition away from themselves into the larger goal of building a great organization or company.

Knower’s have very limited ability to stretch themselves and get to panic mode very quickly.  On the other hand learners, have the ability to stretch themselves for a while before they reach panic mode.

What would your employees say about you…As a leader, are you a knower? Or a learner?  As you meet people each day, employees, prospective customer, vendors, advisors, etc. Ask yourself are they knower’s, or learners?  Knowing the difference could make a huge impact on your satisfaction.

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