Webster’s dictionary gives the following definition of knowledge, “Knowledge is the condition of perceiving directly; with familiarity being gained through association and experience”. I know the NRHA through association because as I become familiar with their website, articles, blogs and discussions. I also know the NRHA through experience as I attend their conventions and participate in their activities. With the convention coming up in a few weeks… what are your expectations? Why are you coming? What do you expect to receive? What are you taking home with you? Your present situation… what do you need?
One of the unique things about knowledge is that it is more than gathering facts, more than hearing the latest regulations and challenges coming out of Washington DC, even more than being inspired by great case studies and how-to seminars for practical applications that make the business flow better. There will be a lot of good stuff you will be glad ‘to know’ that you were not aware of. There will be moments when the lights get turned on, and you have heard something over and over for years… but now you see what they are talking about, now you know it down in your knower! And what about meeting people you don’t know and having conversations that strike deep down into the core of your convictions and challenges you face?
What do all of these have in common? Is it just the familiarity being gained through association or experience? Webster said, ‘Knowledge is… the condition… of perceiving…directly’. Where do you start? What do you mean by the condition…of perceiving…directly? Let me give an example.
People had walked all over this earth for centuries, but no one saw or perceived the phenomenon of gravity, even though it completely governed all of their actions. One day, so I am told, Isaac Newton saw an apple fall to the ground. He had seen lots of things fall to the ground. He knew if you stepped off the roof you would fall to the ground. Falling to the ground was common knowledge, everybody knew it.
Isaac Newton had a desire to understand how the universe worked. He utilized the findings of Galileo and other scientists of his time, he was doing research and experiments. But one day he came into the condition of perceiving something directly. He saw an apple fall to the ground. He readjusted his condition, his mental framework, his faculties, his senses: he grabbed hold of himself and focused on trying to perceive something that was happening in front of him. At first he could not see it, and he brought all of his resources and powers to perceive more directly what was happening, he readjusted his condition to penetrate more clearly into that which was invisible and see what was going on. He now knew something was there and he was now trying to lay hold of it, directly. At some point in time, he perceived this invisible force directly and he named it! He called it gravity!
Isaac Newton now had a real piece of ‘knowledge’, he had brought himself into the condition of perceiving it directly and now he could begin the process of gaining familiarity through research and experiments, association and experience. Isaac Newton had broken through a barrier of the mysteries of the universe, and brought forth the knowledge of gravity to mankind. He broke up the depths and the knowledge he received has been real and affected the course of human history and all the advancements of technology. He tried to explain this glorious discovery to his wife, but she already knew apples fall from trees…what a geek!
So now, back to the convention. Back to your world. Back to your struggles and challenges, and why you are coming to the convention. I am convinced you have been adjusting the condition of your condition, and are seeking to perceive and find the knowledge and answers you need to breakthrough for your hospital and community. Something in you has been awakened, and you know it is out there. You are searching for it, reaching for it, and it is closer than you think!
I believe knowledge is going to flow in this convention like a river, and I mean knowledge, not facts or just good seminar and convention topics. The challenge is your condition of perceiving directly what is happening, is it just an apple falling to the ground, or are you and Isaac getting into a deep discussion on gravity? It is not the message being shared, everybody will hear the sound of the words. I have said over and over that necessity is the mother of invention, and when you and your hospital and community need a breakthrough, that necessity forces your condition to focus more intently on penetrating deeper and pushing harder to lay hold of the knowledge you need.
The other aspect of knowledge I see for this convention is the condition of perceiving directly and meeting the people you do not know that you need to know. The ability to align resources, to align strengths is paramount in getting the breakthroughs you need. Connections must happen! Nothing happens by chance, things happen through people. And people connections are a chemistry experiment: when you meet someone, and you know that you know that you know this is right, that chemistry, that connection is a dynamic force that releases the flow of ideas and alignment of resources. I have seen so much good come out of the last convention, and a lot of the visible stuff has been in the legislative realms. There was fear and real concern last year and the NRHA has risen and brought forth good changes and stopped things from happening. But it all came through people aligning themselves together.
My expectation and hope is that there is a major breakthrough in the realm of real knowledge to everyone that comes to this convention, that the depths are broken up and that you can return home with the knowledge that you can begin to work with in research and experience and bring meaningful change to the nature of your organizations and communities.
I am truly looking forward to this convention in a most excellent way!
Steve Moore, AIA
Innovative Architectural Services
smooreconsult@kc.surewest.net
913-832-8748