The O’Toole Chronicles: Street Smarts vs. Book Smarts

An age old question has been tumbling around the Statehouse—if you have to make a decision between street smarts vs book smarts, which do you select?

Let’s start the debate with the obvious, it is remarkably ideal if you can find an individual with both book smarts and street savvy, you hang on to that one for dear life. See Exhibit A – Tom Scrivo.

However, the question is if you have to make a choice between one or the other, which do you select?

I have taken an honest look back at my life and have concluded that my street IQ is demonstrably higher than my formalized test taking (so-called book smarts). My family bloodline doesn’t come from any particularly long or distinguished world in academia, so what was I to expect.

I have never regarded myself as an intellect, rather sheer hard work and gritty determination win the day for me. I did many cool and empowering manual labor jobs as I put myself through college and law school, and I have long clung to the notion that working hard, observing others, and taking note of what works and what doesn’t will provide me the necessary experience and range to be successful.

Putting my own analysis aside, when it came down to surviving on the road in politics, I always thought long and hard when it came to selecting a partner or hiring staff—do you go for street or book?

Again, I think it a false narrative to suggest that ALL individuals fall into one bucket or the other, but my four decades of experience in government has shown me most of us fall predominantly into one column or the other.

It probably sounds contrived, but I do marvel at those who have been fortunate enough to attend the top ranking schools and I have nothing but well wishes for them. I firmly believe that these Ivy League or higher caliber universities provide a serious and significant boost in one’s career. However, looking at the stringent acceptance rates, it is fair to suggest that many of us are not making the cut. So we move ahead with other factors.

I believe that those who survive relying heavily upon street instinct and skills tend to work harder, they tend to have a chip on their shoulder, and outwork the rest due to spite or resentment. I believe that these individuals throw caution to the wind and put their heads down working hard and focusing on overcoming the ever-present feelings of inferiority.

For what it is worth, personally, when faced with a choice of selecting street vs book, I choose the individual who has street smarts and who has the aptitude to absorb and learn quickly. And this isn’t even a close call.

Needless to say but here goes – most of what we do in this political world is not rocket science or brain surgery. If we have the right aptitude, learn by political osmosis and see it a few times, we usually learn the ropes. The character with street is usually a little humble and tends not to be the know-it- all who alienates the core. Street smarts invoke the power of humility and resiliency, knowing failure will be found before success. The road traveled by street allows you to recover quickly and move forward with lessons learned.

The book folks can sometimes be stubborn and inflexible as they audition to be the smartest person in the room. I often find that book folks have a low tolerance for not being the top dog and the crushing fall from grace is sometimes so irreversibly demoralizing and crippling. It is hard to teach or provide direction to those who lead with book, as they think they know it all. In politics one needs to be flexible and less rigid, as curves and surprises are regularly dealt with. Initiative and improvisation are employed routinely and street teaches you how to adapt and eventually master this invaluable skill set.

I hope that I put some finer point on this age old question –street vs book—if not, then my Seton Hall education is failing me.

For another day—stupidity and arrogance are a deadly combination and when mixed with hubris and expectation, only failure or disaster are seconds away.