The Fox And The Hedgehog

Here’s an interesting frame: When solving a problem, you might approach the situation as either a fox or a hedgehog.

“The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” – Archilochus

The hedgehog has depth. She can help you with the one big thing. She can answer questions about that one thing. She can help you with known unknowns, in other words.

The fox has breadth. She can look at your situation and cross-reference the details against her broad knowledge. She might just ask you some really good questions you wouldn’t even have considered. In other words, she can help you suss out unknown unknowns.

Everyone’s capable of acting like a fox or a hedgehog. You might have a strong inclination one way or the other. It might vary by situation, too. You can probably think of scenarios where you tend to act like one or the other.

Each approach can be a useful tool. Add both to your toolbox. Use them when they might help. (Like a fox.)