Experience and Wisdom
A Special Edition from Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
Understanding the difference between Experience and Wisdom
“Everyone has experience. Wisdom comes from reflection, admitting and owning mistakes, forgiving yourself, learning and stepping back up to the plate for another swing.”
What Does It Mean to be a Quiet Professional? by Rob Shaul.
Every fire, every shift, every season, we gain experience.
What can you do individually to turn your experience into wisdom?
What can your crew do to turn collective experience into group wisdom?
Consider these tools in your discussion:
- After Action Reviews
- Tactical Decision Games
- Incident Reviews (Facilitated Learning Analysis, Rapid Lesson Sharing, etc.)
Experience is good, but it is not wisdom. Experience must be converted into wisdom.
Reflect on a recent experience, a shift, an assignment, or a season. What actions will you take to transform that experience into wisdom?
ACTION:
Use these prompts for group discussion:
- How can experience end up being a bad thing?
- What is the difference between experience, wisdom, and luck?
- How does your crew pass on wisdom?
- What can you or your crew do to turn experience into wisdom?
- What can prevent you and your crew from turning experience into wisdom?
- 10 & 18 Poster, PMS 110-18
- 10 Standard Firefighting Orders, PMS 110
- 18 Watch Out Situations, PMS 118
- Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book)
- NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461
- NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations, PMS 510
- RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)
- Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
Have an idea or feedback?
Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee.