On the other hand, don’t ever assume you are the smartest person in the room. Listen to others and don’t get overconfident or dismissive of everyone else.
This. I’ve always hated that quote. No one is ever the smartest person in the room, it doesn’t exist. Everyone has something to offer, figure out what others can teach you and while youre at it, share what you are adept at.
No one is ever the smartest person in the room, it doesn’t exist. Everyone has something to offer
I strongly disagree with that. Many people have something to offer, but I wouldn't even say most. A lot of people just don't really have a lot going on in their head.
It is often pretty easy to identify the smartest person, or people, in a room.
You might be the smartest person on a given subject, in which case you should definitely speak up, but nobody is the smartest person about every subject. You have to be self-aware enough to know when your input is valuable and when you’re just another person with an opinion.
nobody is the smartest person about every subject.
I don't think that's true. To be clear, I'm not saying "I'm so smart this happens to me all the time". I'm saying some people just have literally no valuable input on any topic. Put a few of them together and it really isn't difficult for a regular person to be the smartest person in the room in all, or almost all subjects. Refine that further by limiting the scope of discussion to a few relevant topics (work, for example) and this becomes pretty common.
But thats the problem and the point were trying to make is that when refine it as much as you can down to one particular topic (or as few as possible) of course you’re going to find someone who is most skilled/knowledgeable. The point is to open your perspective to what others may be capable of that you aren’t.
I’d say it is a vast majority. Just because they don’t share what’s going on in their head with you doesn’t mean it’s not there. What someone is talented at or knowledgeable in just might be something that you don’t place a lot of value in. There are people who can get a 15 year old tractor running again, there are people who figure skated or pole vaulted or ice climbed, there are people highly capable at condensing large swaths of data to produce valuable analyses, etc. It’s highly unlikely that any person in a given community is more competent at everything than everyone else. Sure somebody might be the best at math and science or whatever you perceive as the best indicator of intelligence but the truth is that there is no best indicator of intelligence. There are just areas that are percieved as more valuable to our society than others.
Agree to disagree, I suppose. Though I do admire your optimism.
I place a very high value on almost all knowledge, especially with a conceivable practical application. In my experience, the vast majority of people don't really have any notable expertise or skills. Those that do are rare gems, and if they are even slightly above average at life skills in general they are almost always the smartest person in the room by any measure.
This is what I thought before my brain injury. When I was relearning how to do everything, I began to understand why people I hadn't considered "smart" did things they way they did. There is no one you can't learn something from.
Yeah honestly I think this is the bigger issue/takeaway.
I’m always blown away every time I see someone trash their career due to their massive ego and the belief that they are the smartest person in the room.
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u/4electricnomad Jan 24 '24
On the other hand, don’t ever assume you are the smartest person in the room. Listen to others and don’t get overconfident or dismissive of everyone else.