Across 40+ years of purposeful pivots – from launching one of the first large-church computer networks and producing daily children’s television shows in 1983, to developing Auxano’s VisionRoom digital‑clarity platform three decades later – every transition has forged raw experience into what I call Wisdom  Intelligence. 

Pattern‑spotting across industries, translating complexity into clarity, and turning challenges into strategic advantage became less a talent than a tempered competency, honed each time I stepped out of a familiar role and into the learning zone. 

This opening essay launches a 12‑part exploration of the Modern Elder’s core capacities distilled from that journey. We begin with Wisdom Intelligence because it is the catalytic skill – the cognitive “Rosetta Stone” that lets seasoned leaders synthesize decades of wins, failures, and sideways moves into the foresight that teams  of all ages across all organizations need right now. Master it, and the remaining competencies – intergenerational collaboration, digital fluency, legacy thinking, and more – unfold with surprising ease.

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What Is Wisdom Intelligence?

Wisdom intelligence differs fundamentally from other forms of intelligence. While IQ measures raw cognitive processing and emotional intelligence addresses understanding of emotions, wisdom intelligence represents the ability to synthesize decades of experience into meaningful, contextualized insights that guide decisions and actions.

Dr. Chip Conley, who pioneered the modern elder concept, describes wisdom intelligence as “the ability to not just possess knowledge but to apply it judiciously in complex situations.” This form of intelligence combines pattern recognition from past experiences with discernment about which patterns remain relevant in changing circumstances.

Wisdom intelligence manifests in several key ways:

• Recognizing underlying principles amid complexity
• Balancing short-term needs with long-term consequences
• Distinguishing between information and genuine knowledge
• Sensing when to apply proven solutions versus exploring new approaches
• Understanding human nature and organizational dynamics at a systemic level

The Alchemy of Experience

What makes wisdom intelligence powerful is how it transforms raw experience into actionable insight. This process involves several cognitive steps that develop over time:

First, the modern elder engages in reflective practice – not just accumulating experiences but analyzing them critically. This reflection often reveals broader patterns and universal truths that transcend specific situations. Next comes integration, where these observations connect with other knowledge domains, creating a rich contextual framework for understanding.

The final stage – perhaps the most crucial – is discernment. Here, the modern elder develops the judgment to determine which lessons from the past apply to current circumstances and which do not. This prevents one of the greatest pitfalls of experience: applying outdated solutions to new problems.

Cultivating Wisdom Intelligence

While wisdom intelligence typically develops through years of experience, it can be actively cultivated through intentional practices:

• Reflective Journaling: Regular documentation of professional experiences, decisions, and outcomes creates a personal knowledge base that reveals patterns over time. The most effective approach involves not just recording events but analyzing why certain approaches succeeded or failed.
• Decision Review Process: Systematically examining past decisions – both successful and unsuccessful – helps identify recurring decision-making pitfalls and successful strategies. Modern elders often establish personal “review boards” where they candidly assess their judgments with trusted peers.
• Cross-Domain Learning: Seeking knowledge from fields outside one’s primary expertise creates cognitive connections that generate fresh insights. This interdisciplinary thinking helps modern elders recognize patterns that specialists might miss.
• Scenario Planning: Mentally rehearsing various outcomes for important decisions strengthens predictive capabilities and reveals potential blind spots in thinking.

Wisdom Intelligence in Action

Reflecting on my 40+ years in multiple positions with the common thread of serving the church (internally as a staff member or externally as a consultant), I have seen how wisdom intelligence transforms experience into insight, allowing the modern elder to contribute unique value through pattern recognition, contextual understanding, and nuanced judgment.

Here are a few examples:

• Pattern Recognition Across Different Organizations: My career progression across multiple organizations (Highview Baptist, Prays Mill Baptist, First Baptist Huntersville, J.H. Batten, and Auxano/Lifeway) demonstrated my ability to recognize underlying patterns in organizational development. In each position, I identified opportunities to expand my role beyond initial responsibilities, showing wisdom intelligence in spotting systemic needs before they were formally recognized. 

• Transformational Knowledge Transfer: Creating and delivering the Guest Experience Boot Camp (2017-2021) that trained over 100 church teams and 525 participants shows how I transformed decades of experiential knowledge into a structured learning environment. This exemplified wisdom intelligence by distilling complex patterns observed across many organizations into teachable principles.

• Cross-Domain Synthesis: My transition from pastoral staff roles to a development role in church design/build and then consulting demonstrates the ability to apply principles from one domain to another. For example, the development of a “consultant sales model” at J.H. Batten drew on relationship skills from pastoral work combined with business acumen. This cross-pollination of insights across fields is a hallmark of wisdom intelligence.

Teaching Wisdom Intelligence

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of wisdom intelligence is that it can be shared. Modern elders effectively transfer their wisdom intelligence through:

• Asking powerful questions that prompt others to discover insights themselves
• Sharing relevant stories that illustrate principles rather than just solutions
• Creating decision frameworks rather than prescribing specific answers
• Providing context for current challenges by connecting them to historical patterns

The Organizational Value

Organizations that recognize and leverage wisdom intelligence gain significant advantages. Modern elders provide stabilizing perspectives during crises, help avoid repeating organizational mistakes, and build decision-making frameworks that outlast their tenure.

In an era of abundant information but scarce wisdom, the modern elder’s ability to transform experience into applicable insight represents an increasingly valuable organizational asset. As workplaces continue to navigate unprecedented change, wisdom intelligence may be the difference between organizations that merely survive and those that genuinely thrive.

The journey to developing wisdom intelligence is lifelong – it’s not simply the automatic result of aging but the intentional cultivation of reflection, integration, and discernment. For those aspiring to become modern elders, it’s the cornerstone competency upon which all others build.

Next week: Intergenerational Collaboration

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