Read Anyone Like a Book, Chapter 2: Knowledge

The ability to “read people” will give you the upper hand in dealing with them and save you an inordinate amount of wasted time, money and effort. This ability is both a gift and a refined skill. People can be read on multiple dimensions, which are covered in this series of articles.

The Introduction covers how to approach the `Table of Contents’ of a person, to get a general picture of what he or she is all about. Chapter 1 covers how to read people’s Appearance, to get a sense of their self-image, likely profession, and how they represent the organizations they work for. In this chapter, we will explore how to read the level of Knowledge of those you are dealing with, to determine if they are truthful and trustworthy.

Most of the people you will deal with can be slotted into one of the four quadrants below. Naturally, your dealings with them are likely to be better if they fall within one of the quadrants on the right: they know what they know and don’t know and are truthful about it. To be clear, some people can be slotted into all four quadrants at one time or another during your dealings with them. What’s important is the issue or context of your dealings with them. Are they trustworthy regarding the stuff that really matters?

Knows the Facts; Lies or Misrepresents the Truth

These people know the facts but can't be trusted. They may or may not be malicious. Your boss, for example, may know the company intends to lay off 30% of the staff and you may be one of them. If he assures you everything is fine and your job is secure and to stop worrying about the rumors, it may be because he is bound by fiduciary duty and loyalty to the company above you. He is not intentionally trying to cause you harm. On the other hand, if a home seller doesn’t disclose the roof leaks and the inspection failed to find it, he is intentionally trying to do you harm by shifting the expense of repairs from himself to you. When reading these people, the goal is to determine if they are out-and-out liars, or being disingenuous for benign or nefarious reasons.

Knows the Facts; Tells the Truth

These are among the best people to deal with because they know what they are talking about and doing, and they give it to you straight, especially on the things that matter. So, the question is, how can you know that they know what they are talking about? I offer some tips below.  

Doesn’t Know the Facts or the Truth, but Pretends To

These people don't know much and can't be trusted. Many of the people you will deal with over your career will fall within this quadrant. Most of them don’t know what they don’t know. They get second-hand information, from which they form opinions based on their limited experience (or biases), and then pass it along as knowledge. These are the kind of people who only get their information from watching cable TV “news”. They don’t think or read or do any independent analysis or fact-checking.

Some of these people have convinced themselves they know the facts or the truth and must continually validate themselves by convincing you of it as well. Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” Some of these people suffer from what has been documented as the Dunning–Kruger Effect: a cognitive bias in which low-ability individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability as much higher than it really is. Very simply, inept people fail to evaluate their strengths and competencies accurately.

To avoid wasting an inordinate amount of time, money and effort, it’s very important for you to learn to read people who suffer from the Dunning-Kruger Effect. They are black holes. They are often dogmatic. See the tips below. 

Doesn’t Know the Facts or the Truth and Says So

These are generally people with high self-awareness and high integrity. They know what they don’t know and they don’t try to fake it. They are not embarrassed or insecure about not knowing something because they rightly believe what they don’t know will always eclipse what they know. They are eager to learn when presented with the opportunity. These are the people who don’t confuse data or information with knowledge. These are the people who eventually become wise. They are generally the most trustworthy. 

Source: Reprinted from A True Professional, with permission from Donald Clark, https://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/index.html

We live in an age where much of the world’s knowledge is now accessible via the internet, but a sad fact many people can’t distinguish between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Scholars have observed that our society is information rich and knowledge poor. When reading people, try to ascertain whether they are seekers of knowledge, not merely regurgitators of information. Combined with knowledge of their real-life experiences, it can inform you of how wise they are. 

So, how can you read people to ascertain how knowledgeable they are and how truthful and trustworthy they will likely be in your dealings with them?

Here are some tips and guidelines based on my experience. I hope you will add your own tips in the comments section below.

1. Knowledgeable people know a lot about something and a little about a lot.

When reading people, try to get a sense of both their breadth and depth of knowledge. Some people are a mile wide (full of trivia and mundane facts) and an inch deep (no real expertise in anything). Other people are super knowledgeable about a particular subject but have no clue what’s going on in the world or about other subjects. They are an inch wide and a mile deep. They lack perspective. Consider the chart below:

People who have little knowledge don’t know much about anything. They are usually the easiest to read after a few conversations with them. They can only converse on a very limited number of subjects and not very deep on any of them. Most of the people you are likely to deal with are probably reasonably knowledgeable, depending on their age, education, profession and experience. Just be cautious with those who are book smart but not street smart. The brightest people, in my humble experience, can converse intelligently on a wide variety of subjects, and they know a great deal about the matters you are entrusting them with. They have experience and stay current on best practices in their professions.

2. Knowledgeable people are curious and well-read.

One way to tell if someone is knowledgeable or a BS Artist is by observing how many questions they ask and the types of questions they ask. BS Artists (lower left-hand quadrant) don’t ask many questions. They do all the talking. Knowledgeable people are curious, they are always probing and always trying to learn something new.

Knowledgeable people read a lot. They typically read both fiction and non-fiction. To test this, ask them what they are currently reading. Ask them what their favorite books are. Ask them the best “takeaways” from their favorite books. Ask them, "If there is one book I should read (regarding our dealings together), which one would you recommend?" When you visit their home or office, take note of what books are on the bookshelf or on the coffee table. If the only thing they read is supermarket tabloid magazines…well, it’s your time and money.

3. Knowledgeable people have more than one idea and multiple solutions to every problem.

Aristotle said, "Nothing is more dangerous than a man with one idea." People with no breadth or depth of knowledge have a difficult time proposing more than one solution. They have a fixed mindset. They can’t assess a problem from multiple angles. They fixate on only one idea or approach.

You will never hear a knowledgeable person say, “This is the only way to do it.” They may say, “I think this is the best way to do it.” And they will likely have solid reasoning for their conclusion. They will usually assess the trade-offs of choosing one course of action over another. Be cautious when dealing with people who don’t know the trade-offs, don’t present options, or don’t have a factual or sound rationale for the action they are championing.

4. Knowledgeable people have fluid intelligence and are life-long learners.

The most dangerous people you may have to deal with are the ones who won’t accept new facts and can’t change direction if a better course becomes apparent. They are simply unable to process new information, especially if it contradicts their world view, or reveals they were wrong, to begin with. They would rather crash the plane than to admit the course they plotted could lead to disaster.

Knowledgeable people can adapt when new, factual information, comes to light. In fact, they are always measuring and testing the original assumptions to validate their decisions and navigate the best course. Knowledgeable people never stop learning and adjusting. They get smarter. Their world view is constantly evolving. They are usually the ones who rise to the top of their professions.

The best way to read this in people is to find out how they responded in the past when things did not go according to plan, and to play “what-if” scenarios with them for your anticipated dealings. Be cautious if they blame others for things that did not go according to plan. Be cautious if they insist there is no need for a Plan B in your dealings with them because they are so sure of their position. Be cautious if they are not measuring success like you measure success, and are not meeting deadlines and budgets. Be cautious if they have plateaued in their careers and have not progressed in rank or title.

In summary, there is a direct correlation between people’s knowledge and how truthful and trustworthy they are likely to be in your dealings with them. Start by trying to read their general breadth and depth of knowledge. Determine if they know what they say they know and are not afraid to admit what they don't know. Find out if they are curious and well-read. Read them to see if they have multiple ideas and solutions, and have enough fluid intelligence to adapt as your relationship with them unfolds.

Note: I cover strategies and tips for becoming a more Knowledgeable person – and for reading how knowledgeable others are -- in my new book, A True Professional.

Next up, Chapter 3: Associates and Associations. 

About the Author

Michael O’Donnell is a serial entrepreneur, author, instructor and M&A Professional. His latest book, A True Professional, details the qualities and behaviors necessary to rise to the top of any profession.