NAH, NAH, NA, NAH, NAH; I CAN'T HEAR YOU

"There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge."

Bertrand Russell

19th/20th century British logician and philosopher

Much of my career involved selling data to companies, including some whose management declined to even learn what that data was about.

I recall one in particular who said, " I don't need to know; we know all we need to know." 

To which I replied, "Yes I know."

FEARING . . . ?

"Fear always springs from ignorance."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

19th century U.S. poet, essayist, lecturer

Ignorance about things that often never happen.

The next time you are afraid, take time to learn all you can about what you fear.

In many cases you will find it doesn't exist.

Only knowing how to get to places you never go to gets you nowhere.

"Today the tyrant rules not by club or fist, but, disguised as a market researcher, he shepherds his flocks in the ways of utility and comfort."

Marshall McLuhan

20th century Canadian communications theorist and educator

Not by a long shot.

I founded, grew, and sold what was at the time the consumer electronic industry's largest independent market research and database marketing company in the world.

No one did more research than we did and while much of it was acted upon, much of it was not.

Memo to managers: Don't buy research you don't use.

You Wanna Know Something?

"He who knows little, quickly tells it."

Italian proverb

Having knowledge you don't use is of no value.

And only telling others what you know is not, by itself, action that will lead to positive results.

I Know That!

"No man knows less than the man who knows it all."

Unknown

Knowing just this makes one smarter than most.

And by the way, isn't it appropriate that the source of this quote is (wait for it), unknown?

I Know What You Know, Show Me What You've Done

"Knowledge is only potential power."

Napoleon Hill

20th century American speaker/writer

As one whose company sold millions of dollars worth of market research, I can say without hesitation this is absolutely correct.

So little of business knowledge ever gets acted upon and that which doesn't has zero value to anyone.

Is Too Much Ever Too Much?

"I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then."

Bob Seger
American Rock and Roll Singer

When, if ever, is too much information a liability in business?

What Do You (Think) You Know?

"Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well-informed just to be undecided about them."

Dr. Laurence J. Peter
Professor of Management/Author

Funny but true.

Sometimes the decision must come after first recognizing that you don't know enough to decide, which is very different than making decisions telling yourself you do know enough.

If you're rolling the dice, at least know that you are.

Data: The Foundation for Decision Making

"You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon."

Adlin Sinclair
Author

(You are what you eat.)

Your business will ultimately be based on the sources of information and data you access and of greater importance, actually use, including little or none.

How does input and data other than what you already know or believe, influence your business decisions?

Decision Making: How Do You Know You Know Enough?

"It is impossible for anyone to begin to learn what he thinks he already knows."

Epictetus
1st Century Greek Philosopher

Critical data is central to effective decision making; without it what you decide may well be wrong. Of course the first decision you must make is concluding you have enough data to make good decisions.

How do you know when you know enough to act wisely?