A Return to Reason
Reason Dictates Life
As the business world shifts from profit-driven to purpose-driven, we’re asked to dust off our reasoning jackets and return to a different age; an age where reason dictated purpose, and thus, life. Particularly, the digital age created a reality where access to information is instant and almost limitless. Imagine the works of Plato, Socrates or Kant bolstered by such resources!
Definition of Reason
The abstract process of reasoning through rational thought, to reach a conclusion, result, goal, decision, judgment, assessment, understanding, or other outcome that is thoroughly and convincingly justified by the reasoning process.
Reason and Knowledge Define Great Leaders
Important to realize, the best leaders are decisive, well-informed, and rational. They employ various techniques to understand the world around them and then they act. Consequently, through a continuous assessment of the world around them, they gather data. Then, using pertinent metrics (i.e. the scientific method), they evaluate the validity and usefulness of that data. This process of reasoning leads to valuable conclusions, often called knowledge.
Forbes highlights the importance of decision-making and of HOW we go about making those decisions. Notably, the author highlights the value of clarity of purpose and shared-process clarity for any decision-making system to be effective. Thus, the ability to understand a process is fundamentally rooted in Reasoning.
Strength in Numbers
Through reason, when we clearly see the benefit of something from start to finish, we feel that we understand a piece of our reality better and become more likely to adopt the idea.
Moreover, when a group of people understands a process in the same way and shares an understanding of its purpose, the system is strengthened. Hence, the development of religion is a perfect example of this tendency in the human brain. In a similar way, a clear decision-making process will save your organization valuable time and resources through finding unity in reason.