A young child rides a bike for the first time. No amount of data, graphs, or physics lectures got them there. It was something else.
Michael Polanyi, a philosopher, knew this. He taught us that not all knowledge can be neatly written down or graphed out.
Data is abundant, but understanding? That's another story.
In a world swamped with big data, analytics, and AI predictions, we've started to believe that we can quantify everything.
But can we really?
Consider this: You can read every book on swimming, understand the physics of buoyancy, but will you stay afloat without getting in the water?
This is where Polanyi comes in. He argued that much of what we know is intuitive, internalized. Like riding a bike.
True mastery? It requires personal, hands-on experience.
"We know more than we can tell," said Polanyi.
This presents a paradox: The more we learn, the more we realize what we can't explain.
Data gives us facts. But wisdom? That's another journey.
Think about the best leaders, artists, or entrepreneurs you know. Is their genius captured in numbers?
Steve Jobs. Sure, he knew data. But his real power was in reading things data couldn't show.
Your spreadsheets may tell you a lot. But do they show you everything?
This isn't a call to abandon data. No, it's more nuanced.
It's an invitation to respect the limits of explicit knowledge.
To appreciate the power of intuition, of feeling the market, understanding the unspoken needs of your customers.
Business, at its best, is both an art and a science.
Don't just collect data. Experience your market. Feel your product. Live your brand.
In our quest for knowledge, let's not forget: The map is not the territory.
Data tells a story. But understanding? That's the story behind the story.
So, the next time you face a business challenge, look beyond the numbers.
Seek the insights that no data set can provide.
Because, as Polanyi reminds us,
In the world of knowledge, the deepest truths are often the ones left unsaid.
