It is great joy when a work of fiction teaches you something valuable about working with others. I want to share these four statements that lead you to wisdom in a popular fiction series I read.

This is from Louise Penny’s mystery series with Inspector Armand Gamache. He possesses many admirable qualities of a leader: dedication, patience, thoughtfulness. Kind but firm, honest, stalwart, and unwaveringly moral, he is a good man who brings empathy and wisdom to his job inspecting homicide.

As the series progresses he draws on these four statements that he teaches to those he mentors so they may draw wisdom from these statements.

4 statements lead to wisdom

Think of these four statements and the impact each statement has when you say it and when others hear it. These four statements lead to wisdom. But not every leader can bring themselves to say these things aloud and to their peers and subordinates. These questions bring wisdom but are borne from humility, a quality that might be more important than wisdom.

Being able and willing to state these truths brings not humility alone, but also humanity to the situation.

Leslie A.M. Smith founded McCormick L.A. in 1994 offering public relations and marketing consulting to nonprofits and small businesses. She recently published Laws of Promotion. The 50-page promotional guide for small businesses and local nonprofits is available now on Amazon.