When you think you are the smartest person in the room...

Have you ever found yourself believing you are the smartest person in the room?

Sadly, it's not uncommon to encounter individuals who believe they have superior intelligence and capabilities, like my own father, who asserts his intellect to justify why no one should question his decision making. Similarly, my step father-in-law acknowledged in writing when asked to reflect on aspects contributing to the breakdown of his relationship, he stated that “As an example patience is an issue, I see solutions to things quickly and I get very frustrated when people can’t see what’s obvious to me.”

The fundamental issue with this mindset is twofold: either you are in the wrong frame of mind or simply in the wrong room.

In the context of relationships, one would ideally expect you to believe you were in the right room, metaphorically speaking and therefore it would be your frame of mind. Interestingly, both my father and step father in law are no longer in the room, albeit not by choice.

In the realm of business, as Steve Jobs famously stated, "It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do." Effective leaders recognise that while they may be intelligent, they cannot excel in every facet of a business. Believing you can outperform everyone on your team suggests either a misguided self-assessment or a team misalignment.

To understand this for yourself ask when was the last time you were wrong, changed your mind, or apologised? If so, when, why and what was it for? Regular introspection is key to avoiding the pitfalls of closed-mindedness and superiority.

It's important to note that admitting fault or changing your perspective on trivial matters, those you don't hold strong opinions about, is not a demonstration of this. To truly gauge it, it has to be topics you feel strongly about and are open to your viewpoint shifting. Strong opinions held lightly. 

If it has been more than two weeks since you last admitted fault, apologised or ‘180’ on a subject, it's worth asking yourself why. Why do you find it challenging to acknowledge being wrong? Why are you resistant to having your perspective changed on a subject? And why do you seldom offer apologies?

Failure to admit fault, offer apologies, or rarely move your position on a subject may suggest a belief or behaviour of considering yourself the smartest person in the room. Being this way can have negative personal consequences: strained relationships, ineffective communication, conflict, and a failure to appreciate diverse perspectives.  In business overestimating your intellect often stifles collaboration and missed opportunities for innovation

In truth, it's nearly impossible to be the smartest person across all domains. Even if you excel in one area, others in the room likely possess expertise or perspective you lack. And if, by chance, you are indeed the smartest person present, then perhaps you are simply in the wrong room—an oversight that, ironically, isn't very smart!