Can You Teach Common Sense?

One of the most common remarks I hear from those supervising the Millennial generation is "These kids have no common sense." I always respond by asking them to define the term. As one might imagine, the definitions are all over the map. So let’s set the record straight on several points. First, these "kids" are not kids. The oldest of them will turn 30 next year. Second, they, like any other generation, are products of those who came before. If previous cohorts had wanted them to possess a truly common sense, why didn’t they define it and teach it to this group? Thirdly, claiming that the youngest generation has no common sense is a dodge that goes back to the beginning of time. Socrates complained about it in 432 BC.

If I had to define common sense, I might say it is the accumulated wisdom of one’s experiences, the lessons one has learned from those experiences, and the confidence and creativity to take action without knowing the outcome.  So how can we foster the development of so-called common sense among those in emerging generations? Here are a few suggestions:

Make them think – Thinking can be hard work. This is not true all the time, of course. But those who succeed in their choice of endeavors work hard at coming up with solutions to the obstacles placed before them. In fact, those who succeed at the highest levels seek out problems to solve rather than waiting for an obstacle to arrive on their doorstep.

Help them to learn from failure rather than avoid it – Some division of Hewlett Packard (I forget which one) used to give out the "Golden Banana" award to the person or team with the biggest failure during the year. They’d celebrate the courage it took to risk money, time and reputation. They’d learn from the mistakes and then they’d move on. But everyone in the culture understood that avoiding risk is a recipe for failure.

Maintain the rigor – We have been tempted all too often to ease requirements and allow those performing in a substandard way to avoid the embarrassment of failure. In some cases, society has codified this practice, thereby allowing those charged with enforcement to avoid confronting those who choose to work the system. No Child Left Behind and related education legislation has been an example of this. However well intentioned, these laws and their attendant funding have been doomed to failure from the start because it’s impossible to maintain standards in so vast a system.  Whether in class or on the job, young people learn so much more when the individual teacher or supervisor maintains the expectations of performance established at the get-go. Can there be exceptions? Of course. But in too many cases the exceptions become the rule.

So ask yourself, "Am I a part of the problem or a part of the solution when it comes to teaching common sense?"