Wisdom is not an automatic consequence of time - sorry leaders!

Let’s talk about something that shows up often in leadership - sometimes subtly, sometimes not.

It’s the idea that the longer you’ve been doing something, the more right you are. That time served equals wisdom earned. That experience naturally gives you the edge, the final say, and the full picture.

But here’s the inconvenient truth: wisdom isn’t a guaranteed reward for longevity. 

It’s not something automatically granted with every extra year in a role or every grey hair earned in a boardroom. In fact, time and experience - when not paired with curiosity, openness, and self reflection - can actually narrow perspective rather than expand it.

Experience is valuable — but it’s not everything

Of course, experience matters. It brings insight, context, pattern recognition. But it can also create a blind spot. A sense that “I’ve seen this before” becomes shorthand for “I already know the answer.” And that’s where things get tricky.

Some leaders, often with the best intentions, lean so heavily on their own experience that they stop inviting others into the conversation. They keep information close. They make decisions in isolation. They take the lead not because it's best for the situation, but because it feels like the natural order of things.

They forget that having an answer isn’t the same as having the best answer.

And that the best answers often emerge when people who are newer, closer to the work, or less attached to “how things have always been” are part of the process early and openly.

Real wisdom is collective

True wisdom doesn’t come from holding onto one perspective tightly over time. It comes from exposing yourself to many, again and again. It comes from staying curious, asking questions, inviting dissent, and recognising that the further you get from the frontline, the more deliberate you need to be about staying connected to what’s really going on.

Some of the most powerful ideas come from people who haven’t yet been “trained” in what’s impossible. Who haven’t been around long enough to believe that nothing can change. Who still ask “why?” and mean it.

And yet, too often, they’re left out until it’s too late — asked to “feed in” once the direction is set, or to “sense check” ideas they weren’t part of shaping.

Involve people earlier. Invite people often.

If you want innovation, better decisions, real buy-in, don’t wait until after the plan is written to ask for input. Make collaboration part of the beginning, not a box to tick at the end.

It’s not a weakness to share the problem before you have a solution. It’s a strength.

It says: I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t need to pretend I do. Let’s figure this out together.

So no, wisdom is not an automatic consequence of time. It’s a consequence of perspectives - the number you’ve sought out, the ones you’ve welcomed in, and the ones you’ve let challenge you.

The best leaders don’t just lead with experience. They lead with humility, openness, and the belief that great ideas can come from anywhere - and anyone.