If you think that you are the smartest person in the room, then it is time to find yourself a bigger room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ran across a similar statement in an article by Solomon Timothy at Forbes on February 10, 2022 titled Why you never want to be the smartest person in the room. That sentiment was voiced repeatedly by James Watson, the molecular biologist who along with Francis Crick received the 1962 Nobel prize for proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule.

 

At Quote Investigator on February 21, 2019 Garson O’Toole has an article titled Never be the brightest person in the room: then you can’t learn anything. He mentions a version by Michael Dell in his Commencement Address at University of Texas, Austin 2003 which is:

 

“Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people … or find a different room. In professional circles it’s called networking. In organizations it’s called team building. And in life it’s called family, friends, and community. We are all gifts to each other, and my own growth as a leader has shown me again and again that the most rewarding experiences come from my relationships.”

 

Another variation can be found in an article by Niklas Goeke at Medium on June 30, 2020 titled Don’t be the smartest person in the room – stand next to them:

 

“The late Harold Ramis, known for playing Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters, once articulated it this way: ‘Find the most talented person in the room, and if it’s not you, go stand next to them. Hang out with them. Try to be helpful.’ ”

 

Similar sentiments were expressed by Dwight Eisenhower, who is quoted by Clifford Hudson on page 43 of the 2020 book Master of None as saying:

 

“Always try to associate yourself with, and learn as much as you can from, those who know more than you do, who do better than you, who see more clearly than you do.”

 

In the 2022 book Trust & Inspire by Stephen M. R. Covey et al, on page 250-1 they state at length these words of wisdom:

 

“Those who understand the need for speed and want to go fast often consider themselves the smartest in the room. They don’t have time for others, and they believe they have the skill set they need to accomplish the job by themselves. If they need other people, what they need is for those people to dependably do what they’re told. In a few cases, this might give them an edge, but there’s a price to it, and it’s not sustainable. And more often than not, it yields mediocre results.

 

Those who go far are those who go together. These people recognize that not one of us is smarter than all of us together. The collective ethos and knowledge of teams is what brings about true innovation and creativity. It’s what allows for better ideas, deeper understanding, and happier teams. Those who go far fast never think they are the smartest in the room, they depend on others being more capable than they are and bringing diverse thought and opinion to the team. They seek to work together to innovate – but they do it on the basis of trust, allowing them to go faster as they eliminate misunderstandings and hidden agendas while allowing people to focus on and contribute their greatest strengths. They produce better results in a faster and more effective way. They inspire each other to do their best work.”   

 

Conversely, an article by Dan Forbes at LinkedIn Pulse on March 5, 2015 is titled The Smartest Person in the Room Syndrome, which he acronyms as SPITR (pronounced spitter, and denoting negative behavior).  

 

Images of a sofa and chairs were adapted from Openclipart.