The Expert, the Artisan and the Entrepreneur

There are areas where accreditation is much to be desired. If I'm hiring a builder, an accountant, a plumber or a brain surgeon I want to see accreditation. We're dealing with the known where rules apply. I want to know your capabilties have been tested by people who know more than you, who have track records and that you're part of a community to whom you're accountable. I'm paying you for testable skills.

On the other hand, there are areas where accreditation is a drawback. When we go from the known to the unknown, trying to make the problem fit what we know is dangerous. We enter the world of groupthink, of unconscious heuristics, ego and hubris where those who know a lot about a little enter an area where it's easy to assume knowledge trumps curiosity and humility.

When I'm playing with known unknowns, in the presence of unknown unknowns, I want an artisan. I want curiosity, purpose, passion and I want somebody who will travel with me, not advise from a distance. I want skin in the …