French Proverb of the Day: ‘We don’t teach the old monkey to make a face’
In modern workplaces and daily life, this idea still holds strong relevance. Senior professionals often rely on years of practical knowledge rather than textbook rules.
Old Hands Need No Lessons: What a French Proverb Teaches Us About Experience
The proverb and its meaning
“We don’t teach the old monkey to make a face” is a well-known French proverb that highlights a simple truth: people who have long experience in a field do not need basic instruction. In plain terms, it suggests that seasoned individuals already know the tricks of their trade. Trying to teach them something elementary can appear unnecessary, and at times, even disrespectful.
Experience over instruction
In modern workplaces and daily life, this idea still holds strong relevance. Senior professionals often rely on years of practical knowledge rather than textbook rules. For instance, a veteran mechanic may diagnose a problem by sound alone, while a newcomer may depend heavily on manuals. The proverb reminds us that lived experience can be just as valuable—if not more so—than formal training.
A lesson in respect
Beyond skill, the saying also carries a message about respect. It encourages younger or less experienced individuals to recognise the wisdom of elders. Offering advice is not wrong, but doing so without understanding someone’s background can come across as presumptuous. Respecting expertise helps maintain healthy relationships in workplaces, families, and communities.
When the proverb may not apply
However, the proverb is not without limits. In a fast-changing world, even the most experienced individuals must adapt. Technology, new systems, and evolving practices often require everyone to learn afresh. In such cases, being open to learning becomes more important than relying solely on past knowledge. The balance lies in combining experience with a willingness to grow.
Relevance in today’s world
Today, as industries shift rapidly and new skills emerge, this proverb serves as both a reminder and a caution. It reminds us to value experience while also encouraging continuous learning. Organisations that blend the wisdom of experienced professionals with the fresh ideas of newcomers tend to perform better.
Conclusion
The French proverb may be light-hearted in tone, but its message is enduring. Experience deserves recognition, yet learning should never stop. In striking this balance, individuals and organisations can make the most of both knowledge and innovation.
About the Author
For about a decade, Livemint—News Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups, mutual funds, Union ministries, geopolitics, and untapped human interest stories from around the world, helping our readers to stay informed on the latest developments around the globe. Our Coverage Areas 1. Companies: Comprehensive news and analysis on listed and unlisted companies, corporate announcements, corporate chatter, C-suite, business trends, hiring alerts, layoffs, work-life balance, world's top billionaires and richest and more. 2. Personal finance: Insights into mutual funds, small savings schemes like - PPF, SSY, post office savings scheme, stock to watch, personal loans, credit cards, top bank FDs, real estate, income tax and more. 3. Politics: Comprehensive coverage of general elections, state elections and bypolls, Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Parliament, PMO, PIB, finance ministry, home ministry, among other union ministries and government departments. 4. National News: From metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and e to untapped stories from rural India, we cover human interest, health, education, crime and courts, and law and order, among other areas of public interest. 5. Economy: In-depth analysis of India's macro and micro-economic indicators like- GDP, inflation, forex, fiscal deficit, current account deficit, interest rate cycle, economic recovery, RBI circulars, indirect taxes, GST, Insolvency and Bankruptcy imports, exports and everything that impacts Indian economy. 6. Geopolitics: Well-rounded and deeply researched coverage on US News, Oval Office European Union, Ukraine Russia War, middle-east crisis, royal families and global leaders like - Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping and premiers of other leading economies in the world. Meet the Team 1. Gulam Jeelani, Political Affairs Editor 2. Sugam Singhal, Senior Assistant Editor 3. Chanchal, Assistant Editor 4. Sanchari Ghosh, Chief Content Producer 5. Pratik Prashant Mukane, Chief Content Producer 6. Sayantani Biswas, Chief Content Producer 7. Ravi Hari, Deputy Chief Content Producer 8. Garvit Bhirani, Deputy Chief Content Producer 9. Akriti Anand, Senior Content Producer 10. Jocelyn Felix Fernandes, Senior Content Producer 11. Swastika Das Sharma, Content Producer 12. Mausam Jha, Content Producer 13. Riya R Alex, Trainee Content Producer
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.