It is my contention that the essence of management is to deal with divergent problems. If a manager does not have sweaty hands from dealing with divergent problems, then he or she is not doing his the job. In this sense, management is not only an art (Schön, 1983), but also the wisdom to transcend apparently unsolvable conflicts.

V. The Future of Wisdom

By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius

As discussed above, divergent problems refer to the essence of life and consist of conflicts between two simultaneously necessary opposites. I have described the essence of Wisdom as making choices related to divergent problems for human sense-making. As society moves up the spiral of development, underlying values and wisdom will also evolve.

"Necessity is the mother of invention," states an old saying, underlining that competition and challenge seem to spark Knowledge. On the other hand, Wisdom seems to arise from meditation (reflection), from imitation, and mostly, from painful experiences. Humans seem to learn more from failure than from success (Bazerman and Malhotra, 2007).

The increasing use of electronic media does not seem to favor the development of Wisdom. On the contrary, it privileges the fast and the shallow over the slow and the deep at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. To develop Wisdom, then, we must deliberately practice it, reflect on it, and mentor others in it (Schön, 1983).

CONCLUSIONS

One cannot solve problems at the same level of consciousness that created them.  - Albert Einstein

From the above discussion, one can reach the following conclusions:

1.       The development of Knowledge, what to man was to be the panacea for all problems, pushed Wisdom aside. The consequences of our wisdom-less knowledge now threaten our happiness, welfare, and survival.

2.       "There is a need for a new consciousness of, not to adapt, but to pro-act and to coalesce the necessary forces for knowledge implementation" (Adizes, personal communication, 2009).

3.       The success of every social change depends on its philosophical foundation (Tsoukas, 2005). Therefore, philosophy is more important than technology (Nonaka, 2009). However, today's materialism, hubris, and selfishness rule the world.

4.       Humankind needs to assume a new philosophical position that sees the tangible and intangible parts of the universe, and that gives meaning to all knowledge through Wisdom.

5.       From an organizational point of view, we need to adopt the metaphor that organizations are living, learning, and ethical organisms, with bodies and souls, and treat them accordingly (Pepper, 1967).

6.       According to Tsoukas (2005), the two most important organizational    processes are strategy and structure.    Strategy must be enriched with a) a direct treatment of Vision and Values, and b) strategic targets for knowledge and Wisdom (Aubrey and Cohen, 1995). Structural forms and processes must reinforce Wisdom, Values, and intrinsic rewards, while avoiding predatory business and heartless bureaucracies.

7.       Human society seems on its way to a major catastrophe where we might find, by the bitterest way, the Wisdom we lost in Knowledge.

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Carlos Valdesuso is the Principal Associate at Adizes Brazil and Chairman of the Adizes Ethics Committee for the Adizes Institute worldwide. As a long-time Adizes practitioner, Carlos has been formally Certified in all Phases of the methodology.

Carlos earned his MBA from UCLA and is currently working on a clinical doctorate at Adizes Graduate School. He has completed three courses: Spiral Dynamics, taught by Dr. Don E. Beck and Darrell Gooden; Epistemology, taught by Dr. Bruce LauRue; and Professional Ethics, taught by Dan Axelrod, J.D.  Carlos has begun  working on a Case Study for his dissertation based on the implementation of several phases of the Adizes methodology at the Sao Paulo (Brazil) Chamber of Commerce. The work is tentatively subtitled How a 116 year-old not-for-profit organization remains young, competitive and faithful to its purpose.

Professionals interested in earning a Masters or Doctoral Degree in Organizational Transformation are encouraged to email Degree@Adizes.com for details about the Adizes Graduate School online programs.