Deep Smarts

PREFACE

WHY DEEP SMARTS? We did not choose the title of this book lightly. The term describes a special form of experience-based expertise that we believe is critical for managers to understand and appreciate—for their own benefit as well as that of their organizations. Two influences drove us to that conclusion: our prior work on innovation and creativity, and three years researching and writing about coaches attempting to transfer their wisdom to less experienced managers. In our earlier research on knowledge assets (Wellsprings of Knowledge; When Sparks Fly), we encountered individuals with deep smarts, but we did not single them out for special attention. However, that earlier work sensitized us to the significance of experience, expertise, ...