“Experts often possess more data than judgment.”
– General Colin Powell
“Most rock journalism is by people who can’t write, interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.”
– Frank Zappa
Expert: according to Dictionary.com, an “expert” is one who “has a special skill or knowledge in some particular field; an authority.”
Dad once said that an expert was someone who “should have known better.” Notice that neither he, Zappa, nor Dictionary.com gave any credence to journalists as experts, yet our society seems addicted to their dopey-ness.
What are the “experts” saying about the current business and financial services market? Well, collectively, they go on CNBC and Bloomberg in their $3,000 suits and in their best Scooby-Doo voice, they muster a weak, “Ruh-Ro, Raggy!”
They don’t know. It’s either a recovery or false exuberance. It’s either the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning…or somewhere in between. They’re just pretty much clueless, but they’re loud and well-dressed.
Now, in case you’re expecting me to step up and say, “HERE’s what’s gonna happen,” don’t hold your breath. I dunno either.
So, whadda we do?
We plan.
We start with what we know, move to what we’re pretty sure of and then we factor in “what-if” scenarios. There are, at last count, eleventy-three-trillion of those, and that’s where Judgment comes in (thank you, General Powell!).
We plan. And we commit to the plan — with part of that commitment being the knowledge that the plan will change. Several times.
If our plans are solid and our ability to question them relentlessly, without watering down execution, we’ll move forward. Our judgment will guide us. Our data will marry with our information and we’ll combine them with our experiences to make a difference.
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