Insight

What exactly is insight? Time to break out the dictionary – it tells me:

• the power of discerning and understanding
• imaginative penetration (yes, I know…)
• awareness
• the apprehension of the principle

It’s about seeing things differently – going beyond the obvious, digging deeper and looking to grasp something more fundamental. It’s fine to float around on the surface but it’s far more satisfying to dive down and see what lies beneath.

Insight manifests itself through wisdom applying knowledge to see beyond mere information. It is not simply making an observation. In the world of law and business, there are plenty of ‘thought pieces’ proclaiming to offer insight into an issue, when in reality they are giving you information and making observations – still valuable of course, but insight needs to go deeper and enlighten. Arguably, an insight is transformational – it opens up the possibility for change. In revealing a hidden truth or uncovering a new way to look at a problem, insight makes you realise why something is important. In a legal context, insight can help you develop existing law into new areas. Take for example:

• Information: Virgin Atlantic and Malaysia Airlines have each used UK statutory processes to help amend obligations owing to aircraft lessors.
• Observation: Aircraft lessors were validly grouped together and voted in a single “class” despite their claims arising under different agreements.
• Insight: That same principle can be applied to commercial property landlords and their claims for rent, enabling tenants to use a new statutory process able to bind a group of creditors – their landlords in this case – despite their dissent.

Now I’ve left out a lot of detail as this isn’t intended to be a legal update. But it illustrates, I hope, the point. You can relay the facts, make an observation and then go the extra step and offer some understanding as to why it matters and what could change.

How do you become more insightful? Well, I’m no expert and would be keen to learn more. But at a practical level, what I have found works is – just take a break. Look at something else. Finding a new perspective on an issue can be easier when you’re thinking differently. It allows you to approach things almost afresh. Go read a book on a topic you wouldn’t usually pick. Or on one you would, but that’s as far removed from the thing you’re trying to gain insight into. Move about. Speak to someone. Get their thoughts, especially if they are not in your field. Listen to music. Get lost on YouTube for a while (but try and come back). Trying to stimulate a breakthrough requires action and engagement. It’s not easy.

Where else can insight be applied? How about applying insight to yourself. Realise that the way you see things depends on your awareness of how you see things. Question yourself. As often as you can stand it. By question, I mean try and understand – what is triggering your thoughts about an issue? What are the factors that might cause you to construct your current perception of events? What if you changed those factors or considered others? This isn’t about judging yourself or anyone else. Far from it. It’s about developing self awareness. From that might come some insight into how you think. And once you understand how you think, you can start to think differently – or not.

Not always, but often you can tell when you’ve achieved an insight into something. It strikes you, suddenly revealing itself – an epiphany in its true sense. It’s like the sun’s rays bursting through the clouds radiating their light across what was dark.

Then what was once insightful becomes the everyday. And it’s time to start again.

So how do you develop this skill? How do you become more insightful?