The Power of Ordinary

I am a Layman although I have not always been comfortable admitting it. Lately however, I have made a discovery that makes me quite proud to be a self-confessed novice in just about everything. I have learnt that the most important decision makers in every field are almost always not the most knowledgeable in their respective areas. They are also not the most experienced in any particular skill.

Movers and Shakers

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and other such heavy dudes, both intellectually and financially, carry their ‘college drop-out’ tag with such pride that makes it look like an attractive achievement. Sir Richard Branson, he of the Virgin Atlantic fame, was dyslexic and dropped out of school at the age of 16. His subsequent success is proof that education might be an overrated accolade.

Wide Knowledge Better than In-depth Understanding

Perhaps a look at the lifestyles of the above mentioned top achievers reveals something that must be contributory to their unusual success. All of them confess to be avid readers. Sir Branson in particular has said that reading non-fiction work such as Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ has played a big role in making him to be what he is. One common aspect I have noted among most of the high achievers is their curiosity in a wide range of subjects. They are often widely read even though they rarely attained a high level of education in any particular field.

Business Men

The late Kenyan business mogul, Njenga Karume, is reputed to have built a multi-billion business empire with literally no education. He was extremely savvy in business. He was also known to be a good leader who let those in his employment utilise their diverse knowledge to run his businesses. Besides his remarkable resilience, Njenga Karume was not an expert in anything. Most of his initial businesses were quite basic such as selling charcoal. This however did not stop him from becoming one of the most influential people in post-independence Kenya.

Inventors

Albert Einstein, one of the most outstanding physicists of all time, was rather ordinary especially in his young age. He was below average and nobody thought much of his abilities when he started school. He later came to develop some of the most significant theories in science. He was also a philosopher whose everyday statements have become memorable quotes. The same ‘ordinariness’ can be observed in the lives of most innovators in various fields of science and the humanities.

Jury

Although we don’t have a jury justice system in Kenya, I have read a lot about it in books and seen it in movies particularly those set in the US. A jury is a collection of ordinary people who listen to the facts of a case in court and help the judge to arrive at a decision. None of them is an expert in law. Majority of them are just normal working class citizens without expertise in any field. Their ordinariness notwithstanding, they are the ones who have to make decisions on some of the most serious cases brought to court.

Tender Committees

Closer home, I am sure everyone who has worked in a reasonably sized organisation knows about tender committees. These comprise a cross section of ordinary employees within the organisation. These are the people who sit and open tenders submitted by vendors to supply goods or services to the organisation. Most tender committee members are not from the procurement depart. Neither are they knowledgeable in purchasing and supplies management. They however are the ones who make the final decision on which supplier will be awarded a particular tender.

Politicians

Apart from the handful of politicians who have undertaken a course in political science, the vast majority of our leaders do not possess any formal knowledge in politics. They are drawn from business, academia, science, law, but rarely politics. Interestingly, the most active and reasonable politicians, are those without a background in politics. These are the ones who sponsor the best bills in parliament and come up with the most useful projects in the areas they represent. Professional political scientists on the other hand, seem to do better as analysts and advisors than as politicians.

P.S. If you have been feeling undervalued as an ordinary person, don’t! In a world where the extra-ordinary is worshipped, the ordinary rule!