The Missing Word

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Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1289 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 09:46 am:    120111 THE MISSING WORD by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Cincinnati, OH The aggregate membership of CSI—design professionals, specifiers/consultants and product representatives, all-- engage in some form of education, to enhance skills, to communicate and to contribute to varying degrees in project construction. In the various educational forums, the emphasis is on “information”, and “knowledge”. More and more we are realizing that the professional schools are not fully educating the students, and they are coming to the work place unprepared and virtually at a loss as to their role in the process, what they are to produce and how, Some have bit of knowledge, but not to the point where they are capable of applying it to specific situations. Ah, ha, the lack of “wisdom”, as in how do you produce this feature of the project from prudent application of one or more of these materials [etc.]? And coupled with wisdom is the attribute of professionalism [the manner in which you satisfy your professional responsibilities and carry your overall demeanor]. Below are two very telling definitions that capsulize the situation. “Knowledge can be communicated, but Wisdom cannot. A person can find it, can live it, can be filled and sustained by it, but cannot utter or teach it." -- Hermann Hesse, German-Swiss writer and poet “Professionalism is a personal attribute that one acquires; It cannot be inherited. Only they, having made the acquisition, who put to use that knowledge; that skill; and with all of their ability, and complete dedication of purpose Can truly be called a Professional.” -R.E. Onstad The word that is generally missing is, of course “wisdom”. We usually don’t include this word in any discussion of education in construction documentation and work. But it is the key to success, and the measure of competence required. Simply, we MUST provide students, graduates and interns with knowledge [simply knowing what materials, methods, systems etc.] are available for their use. But then “wisdom” is required to provide reasonable, prudent, flexible application, fabrication and manipulation of the materials, etc. selected for the project. One simply cannot use the vast majority of the materials, etc., in their manufactured state, but need the insight [read “wisdom”] to understand what can be done with them to achieve a suitable solution without compromising the attributes of the items. Here, in part, is where the representatives become involved. Their “take” about the basic information provided to them [by their manufacturers] must be wide-ranging, in-depth, functional, fluent and flexible, so they can advise[!], support, suggest and analyze the solution or use being proposed. With this far deeper and wider array of information, the reps become most important and valuable if properly used by the design professionals. All is not about selling in the first, place, but is about flexible prudent application-- i.e., wisdom from all! Obviously, the level of product information carried by product reps far outstrips the level and extent sequestered in the minds of the design and documentation professionals. So, in the end, successful projects are produced by properly EDUCATED people, with appropriate breadth and depth of KNOWLEDGE, augmented by INSIGHT from manufacturers [and reps], selected, fashioned, utilized and processed with WISDOM, gained through pertinent MENTORING and EXPERIENCE, performed and executed in a fully PROFESSIONAL manner!