Dwelling in Possibility
In 2002, then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, “There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know…it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult one.” At the time, the press made fun of Mr. Rumsfeld for the idea of “things we don’t know we don’t know.” We realize now, however, that it was a brilliant observation. Popular TED Speaker Simon Sinek wrote about Mr. Rumsfeld’s statement, “Never was there a truer sentence ever spoken.”
In fact, I showed students at Assembly a pie chart that has become widely used to show that what you don’t know that you don’t know actually is a huge factor in your life and in your learning. And also, as Tim Elmore pointed out in a recent Growing Leaders blog post, a major factor that limits leaders. I shared these fun examples of leaders highlighting that they didn’t know what they didn’t know, excerpted from Mr. Elmore's blog.
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In fact, I showed students at Assembly a pie chart that has become widely used to show that what you don’t know that you don’t know actually is a huge factor in your life and in your learning. And also, as Tim Elmore pointed out in a recent Growing Leaders blog post, a major factor that limits leaders. I shared these fun examples of leaders highlighting that they didn’t know what they didn’t know, excerpted from Mr. Elmore's blog.
- “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” Western Union internal memo, 1876
- “Everyone acquainted with it will recognize it as a conspicuous failure.” Henry Morton, Stevens Institute of Technology, on Edison’s lightbulb, 1880
- “Reagan doesn’t have that presidential look.” United Artists executive after rejecting Reagan for the film The Best Man
- “The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty—a fad.” The president of the Michigan Savings Bank, advising Henry Ford’s lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903
- “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean the atom would have to be shattered at will.” Albert Einstein, 1932
- “A rocket will never be able to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.” New York Times, 1936
- “It’ll be gone by June.” Variety magazine on rock 'n’ roll, 1955
I encouraged students to read and reflect this week on these failures of vision from surprising sources.
What limits our vision and creates the situation that we can’t admit that we don’t know what we don’t know? I suggested at Assembly that our Community Code points us toward the idea that it takes great courage to be open to possibilities, to risk failure, and to admit you don’t know everything. Yet, what we do know is that often history’s greatest accomplishments most often stem from doing all these things and doing them frequently. David Kelly, the chief executive officer of the innovation and design firm IDEO, is fond of saying, “We fail faster to succeed sooner,” and “We believe that enlightened trial and error beats the planning of flawless intellects.”
As we sat in silence together, I invited attendees to reflect on how these ideas impact their learning. I suggested that if you assume you already know most of what you need to know and you aren’t open to the possibility that there are things you don’t even know that you don’t know, then you are limiting yourself and your vision for what might be. More importantly, you aren’t living the courageous life that we ask of ourselves in our Community Code.
Our Assembly host Matthew and Mr. Bacon highlighted the importance of continual learning, trying new things, taking risks, and overcoming a fear of failure. Matthew shared all the ways he has seized opportunities to learn, often surprising himself with what he discovered through his nine years at SCDS. Mr. Bacon spoke about the personal learning he enjoyed—earning his sailing certification—as a recipient of the René and Scott Lummer Faculty and Staff Enrichment Award. Matthew and Mr. Bacon have “dwelled in possibility,” to borrow from one of my favorite poets and poems. I ended Assembly with an excerpt from Emily Dickinson’s #466, shared in full below::
I dwell in Possibility –
A fairer House than Prose –
More numerous of Windows –
Superior – for Doors –
Of Chambers as the Cedars –
Impregnable of eye –
And for an everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky –
Of Visitors – the fairest –
For Occupation – This –
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise –
May we all find ways to dwell in possibility this week.
Brad Weaver, Ed.D
Head of School
Sonoma Country Day School
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The premier, fully accredited, independent TK-8 college preparatory school in Sonoma County. Located in northern Santa Rosa and proud home of The Jackson Theater, SCDS offers a challenging academic program rich in fine and performing arts, music, world languages, and social and emotional learning. For more than thirty years SCDS has been the school that brings learning to life.
