YVONNE'S TAKE: Stay hungry, stay foolish

Stay hungry, stay foolish! Those are the famous words from the late, great Steve Jobs while speaking to graduands from Stanford University in 2005.

Four words, heavy implications. But worth great reflection. So, let me preface my take tonight with this, I don’t know it all, I am in fact foolish, ignorant on quite a few issues and have never held a position in public office, particularly at the higher levels.

Staying hungry and foolish are rather interesting words coming from someone who was innovative and quite literally changed the world through technology. A man who would rise with the making of a 2-billion-dollar company, and fall, after being kicked out of the very same company he made. He then returned to the company he founded and built it into an even greater success.

At the time of giving this speech, he had also just nearly faced death after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that he was told was incurable. He beat it. At least at that time. It would however later get the best of him. That’s a story for another day. But imagine a man, who has built a billion-dollar company, lost it, built another. Making a triumphant return to his business, beating cancer, still saying he has much more to learn.

He said this, because it is the unending quest of life. To continue to learn, unlearn, re-learn and re-invent oneself and one’s approach to everything in life. That goes for everyone, no matter the career they are in. Be it public or private service. Steve Jobs knew a lot about computers and technology, but even he admitted that he didn’t know what a pancreas was, until his cancer diagnosis. And he didn’t have a PhD!

One can only lead, when they continuously seek new knowledge, are open to counter opinions. Remember the saying that, “if you are the smartest one in the room, then you are in the wrong room”; this may not have been his original thought, but it is largely associated with Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric. Notice how all of these sayings come from rather successful people. Perhaps they know a thing or two, not everything, about life and leadership. Such as, it is important to surround oneself with people who are smarter than you. And being smarter may not mean that they are more educated than you are, could also mean that they know things in areas that you don’t.

Surely, one cannot understand Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Health, Aeronautics. Some of the greatest leaders, are the ones who sit quietly in the room, listen to everyone speak, even the meek. Those who offer different perspectives to areas one may have blindspots, and we all have them regardless of our level of education. In fact, some have upgraded that saying to, “you may be the smartest one in the room, but not the most experienced.”

Let me use a medical scenario as an analogy because this has been my latest experience. Imagine if a doctor were to say he has reached the epitome of his studies and does not need to learn anymore, what with all the new discoveries of methods, techniques and treatment approaches that are coming out every day. Would you trust them to give you the best care, just because they continuously tout that prefix at the start of their name? Aren’t we the ones who challenge doctors when we see them, saying I read this on Google or some other site? I would be scared if my doctor dismissed my queries and insisted on their years of study in school over what I may have read in a recent research paper or even over how my body actually feels. If doctors can accept to be challenged in this way, so should every other professional. Particularly those in leadership. One cannot continue to dwell in past knowledge!

Let me finish with one last quote from Albert Einstein, “Death begins the day you stop seeking knowledge.” OK, hold up before you bring a Subaru after me, because we don’t like to speak of death in this country, that quote does not refer to physical death, but rather death of the mind.

That’s my Take tonight!