Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment”. I believe there is a lot of truth in Tzu’s statement, but what serves us better in the business world, wisdom or enlightenment? 

In the Game of Thrones series Tyron Lannister has a conversation with his grandson, Thomas about what it takes to be a good king. Thomas began by saying that a king must be just, righteous, and strong, to which Tyron said those qualities are admiral, but then gave contradictory reasons as to why they were flawed. Finally, Thomas said, “A king needs to be wise.” Tyron said, “Yes, that’s it!” He added that a king must be receptive to the experience and expertise of his advisors and that is what makes him wise. 
 
This is where enlightenment pairs nicely with wisdom because you must first know yourself if you are going to know others. You see, the world is nothing more than a reflection of our individualized belief system which is a compilation of our experiences from the time we are born to now. So, whenever you are attempting to understand or know another, it is primarily based on yourself, your own movie, the lens you peer through. Take that into consideration by taking a step back, knowing you take you to every encounter. When you master threading that needle, you will operate as an astute leader, an enlightened leader.