Knowledge is Power - Myth
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Knowledge is Power Myth
We often hear the expression “knowledge is power” as attributed to Sir Francis Bacon. Although, there is no known occurrence of this precise phrase in Bacon's English or Latin writings. However, the expression "ipsa scientia potestas est" ('knowledge itself is power') occurs in Bacon's Meditationes Sacrae (1597).
When people use this phrase they typically mean that knowledge provides a more powerful lever than physical strength and no great work can be done without knowledge. Knowledge represents a powerful factor that empowers people to achieve great results. This implies the more knowledge a person gains, the more powerful they become.
The reality is that knowledge is not power. Knowledge is potential, maybe. Power comes from the effective application of the right knowledge.
For conversations to turn potential into reality, the knowledge and thoughts need to transition from the potential rattling around in your head and to cross the threshold of your lips.
Some of the most important conversations we have require us to find the courage to get the tough stuff across the threshold of our lips and into the conversation. The higher the stakes of the conversation, the more important you muster the courage to have a powerful conversation. We are most vulnerable when the stakes are high and there is a fear of divulging more than we should or offending someone else. In these conditions, we struggle speaking the tough stuff into the conversation.
Most people dislike conflict and will do anything to avoid it. As a result, they may keep real opinions to themselves. We don’t want to get in trouble. We think that if we just comply and keep our mouth shut, we can avoid discomfort. This might work for a while, but it doesn’t work when people are counting on you as a leader or a key member of the team. Sometimes, we don’t speak up because we don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings. Most of the time, that would be a lie. The truth is that we get afraid. What gets in our way is all about ourselves.
- We don’t want to suffer embarrassment
- We don’t want to lose face
- We don’t want to be wrong
- We don’t want others to think less of us
- We don’t want it discovered that we don’t know
- We want to look good and avoid looking bad
To keep these fears from bringing our velocity to a screeching halt, we need to have the courage to come out from behind our self and tackle fear head-on. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the willingness to act despite your fear.
You can learn more on this topic in the new book, Conversations for Results: Accelerating Performance through Conversations, available on Amazon.com in paperback, Kindle and Audible formats.