Chip Conley Human wisdom is more valuable than ever. But true wisdom requires these six skills- When management theorist Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge workers in 1959, most people had no idea what he was talking about.
Inc.|September 2024
When management theorist Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge workers in 1959, most people had no idea what he was talking about. Since then, knowledge workers have come to rule the world. Today, seven of the world's 10 most valuable companies are tech companies, the ultimate workplace for knowledge workers.
By Jake Chessum
Chip Conley Human wisdom is more valuable than ever. But true wisdom requires these six skills- When management theorist Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge workers in 1959, most people had no idea what he was talking about.

When management theorist Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge workers in 1959, most people had no idea what he was talking about. Since then, knowledge workers have come to rule the world. Today, seven of the world's 10 most valuable companies are tech companies, the ultimate workplace for knowledge workers.

But now, 65 years after the knowledge economy was born, we're about to be ushered into the wisdom economy. In this landscape, artificial intelligence will be the commodity, and human wisdom will be a valued yet scarce resource.

All those folks who followed the trending advice to become software engineers? My gut tells me they're a dime a dozen now, and research shows 96 percent of those engineers' current skills could be augmented by AI in the next couple of years. But discerning leaders who dive deep into what makes us human will never be rendered obsolete. What is your unique way of communicating, collaborating, and showing compassion? How do you metabolize your experiences and share that wisdom for the common good? The answers to these questions will vary from person to person, but having started the world's first midlife wisdom school-the Modern Elder Academyand trained more than 5,000 students to become wisdom workers, I can tell you there are several distinct commonalities among the leaders who have effectively tapped into their wisdom.

1 | Pattern recognition. In middle age, the brain shrinks a little, so memory and speed can decline. But the ability to synthesize information grows into late adulthood, in part because an older mind can traverse from the left brain to the right brain more adeptly.

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