In the various olive growing courses I have attended, I have learned a great many things.
Among them, I learned how to prune, that is, to carry out those cutting practices to control the canopy of fruit trees, and in particular olive trees, in order to improve the economic yield of the cultivation.

But pruning cannot be reduced to a simple act of cutting and removing part of a plant. You need to know how to do it.
You need to know the plant's defense and reproduction techniques in order to cause the least possible damage with the cut. Or at least less damage than we would have if we did not remove that portion.

To do this, it is necessary to have the courage to: inform yourself, study, verify our techniques, accept instruction, compare with colleagues, and be open.

Now it is quite simple to buy a book, watch a video on the internet, read a blog, enroll in a course, take an exam or participate in a competition.
It is more difficult to accept comparison with colleagues while maintaining honest openness.

If it is true that you must always be and remain certain of the technique studied and applied with strict discipline, such as the simplified polyconic vase pruning method, it is also true that you must never deny a colleague an open and cordial exchange; on the contrary, you should encourage participation in the discussion, because imposed teaching, even if scientifically sound, can hardly be truly understood by everyone.
Memorized, yes; understood, no!

It is not about accepting or compromising by diminishing technique and science.

In the various courses, you hear slogans that are hardly applicable in everyday olive groves, where they are replaced by a single slogan, often repeated: "better something than nothing," that is, apply the technique with serious dedication but also have the right awareness to observe the olive trees and listen to colleagues and, if and when necessary, have the courage to compromise for the company's production and for common professional, and therefore social, growth.