My mom was the inspiration for today’s column as there are few I know who are better than she. (Coincidentally, we’ve spent time the past few weeks discussing this very topic.)
I have spent time this summer speaking with graduating seniors, high school and middle school students. All I will say, (and will leave it at that) is I hope many of them are as street smart as they are book smart. I hope their common sense “scores” are as high as weighted GPA’s and with the ability to navigate through life.
Some observations of street-smart students:
● Know what’s going on in the world around them – they detect BS very quickly.
● Know the various types of people that exist and how to deal with each one and know how to act around them.
● Know how to get out of sticky situations.
● Know how to make sound decisions that will benefit him/her.
● Has common sense at level 9000. (There are actually no levels.)
● Know how not to be taken advantage of.
● Be open minded, listen and understand the order of everyday things.
● Being able to observe somebody’s character by the handshake or looking in their eyes.
● Understanding social dynamics in a team without it being told.
● Most importantly they know how to read between the lines and see things for exactly what they are.
First off, let’s debunk a theory. Being street smart does not mean you are ‘uneducated’ or ‘unintelligent.’ That is a completely false assertion.
I did relatively well at school with honors and awards and have a BS in Communications and Marketing from UM (Miami) and been an entrepreneur since 26. However, I would definitely brand myself as street-wise as opposed to book smart. (Trust me, that’s a whole other story.)
So what is it to be street smart?
● Being street-smart means you have a good environmental, or situational understanding. You know what is going on around you. More importantly you can see what is happening around you.
● You are able to make judgements on the scenario, the place and people around you, and you are able to trust these personal judgements. Lets call it gut instinct, and yours is on point.
● It is, stripped back, having a basic understanding of the street ‘level.’ Being on the ground. Being in the battle, rather than looking down atop of it.
● Further, your solutions to problems and tasks will more likely be practical, and pragmatic. It is developed purely from experience and ‘real life.’
● It comes from actually doing the task, or the work, that others read about. From getting your hands dirty. From getting ‘stuck in.’
● Whether it is through successes or failures, these first hand experiences develop your knowledge and understanding of the world and your work.
● You know the in’s and out’s that can only be gained by doing.
● Whereas book smarts knowledge is gained second hand from their readings and learning.
I thought it was a great thing to be book smart?
● For many, it is. It cannot be denied that the book smarts are indeed smart. They are some are some of the brainiest and most knowledgable around.
● Book smart can be described as ‘exam smart,’ or ‘academically smart.’ Book smarts enjoy the structure of the learning environment. Study this, take this test, get this right answer, and move onto the next exam.
● They believe value lies in knowing things and reading things.
● This is based off the notion that they have all the tools, i.e. the knowledge, but lack the practicality to put the learning into practice and execute. They have the learnings and understanding of what to do, yet somehow common sense and practicality seems to be missing.
● They have the ‘know what’ and the ‘know why’ but the actual ‘know how’ is non-existent.
So, when you read any book on “how to succeed,” make sure you highlight and make notations in the chapter on street smarts. You will be glad you did.
This column is by Ritchie Lucas, Founder of The Student Success Project and Think Factory Marketing. He can be reached at 305-788-4105 or via email at ritchie@thinkfactory.com and on Facebook and You Tube as The Student Success Project.
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