Savoir Faire

​In English this French expression generally refers to an individual who knows her or mainly his way around town, that is, someone who is a suave or debonaire type (three other French terms). The literal meaning of the phrase is simply “to know [what] to do.” A related English saying is “Knowledge is power.” Let’s consider a few examples that illustrate both these expressions...

As someone who lived in Hawai`i for 17 years, I learned early about the power of its surf. Although I was in my late 20s and a good swimmer, I remember being knocked on my head by a particularly strong wave at an O`ahu beach known for its dangerous surf and strong undertow. I was bodysurfing at the time, and my first few attempts, fast trips up onto the sand, were fairly routine. Then bam! I was slammed into the sandy bottom by a rogue wave from which I struggled to come up. When I did, I seemed okay, with nothing broken. But I was sufficiently shaken up to end that day of fun-in-the-surf. This particular beach was also known for the occasional riptide, a tide that draws even the best swimmers out to sea. One is reminded of what the Borg on Star Trek would tell their victims whom they intended to “assimilate”: “Resistance is futile!” Unfortunately, uninformed riptide victims tend to panic, wear themselves out trying to swim to shore, and often drown before help can reach them. But here too, knowledge is power. Hawai`i’s lifeguards advise swimmers that riptides are generally no wider than 100 feet across. So, if caught in one, individuals should stay calm, swim across the tide—i.e., parallel to the beach—until they feel the pull on them abating. Then and only then should they attempt to swim to shore. This is an obvious case where knowledge is a potential lifesaver.

Another example in this regard concerns knowing how to take school or college tests. As a university English professor, I always coached my students to start with a few deep breaths. This of course was to help them relax. Next, I suggested that they spend a minute analyzing the question and re-writing it in their own words. Next, I recommended that they brainstorm possible responses, note them down, and pick out the best three to include in their essay, with the strongest response coming last—the place where the grader would be most likely to remember it. Only then should they, the students, begin writing. To be sure, if a given student hadn’t done the necessary prep work, even this method wouldn’t be of much help. Most students reported however that this pre-writing approach worked for them and that they were applying it with success in their other classes that used essay exams. A few even thanked me for giving them an approach they felt would help them later on when confronted by a problem at work or in life.

To be sure, there are all kinds of power, beginning but not limited to physical. But much success in life comes from knowing in various situations just what to do. Knowledge here is truly power.

Here's a case in point.