It is harder than you think and you are probably the primary reason why

I have never quite got the problem with this one, on an intellectual level. By definition, there can only be one smartest person in the world, and when you consider that there are more than 7.5 billion people alive today, the odds are about 7.5 billion to one that your picture is not the one that pops up when someone searches for an image for world’s smartest person.  

So accepting that you are not the brightest, the most intellectually brilliant person on the planet—or in the room—has never seemed to me to be that big a deal, if you think about it rationally.

But I do understand the challenge of hiring people smarter than you on an emotional level, especially when we use the phrase “smarter than you” to include employees who are more talented than you are in areas that are not your strengths.

For one thing, if these people are smarter than you, you might feel threatened.  (You say to yourself, “if they are all that bright, maybe everyone else thinks they should have my job.”  Insecurity is an awful thing to deal with.)

For another, you may worry you are going to spend every day being shown up by people who report to you.  Who wants to propose an idea only to hear—directly, or otherwise—“That is the dumbest thing I ever heard.” From a subordinate. You have enough to be concerned about, without worrying about that.

Still, you have to surround yourself with the smartest, most talented people you can.

Let me give you three reasons why.

  1. The competition gives you no choice. They are stockpiling smart, talented people.  That believe, correctly, that there is a war for talent, and they are doing everything in their power to win it. Why would you want to put your organization at a disadvantage by not doing the same thing?
  2. The converse of the first point underscores just how important hiring the smartest people you can is. If A players hire B players who hirer C players who…pretty soon you have a failing organization almost totally comprised of “F” players. Do you know any organizations with truly terrible employees who are succeeding in the marketplace?
  3. You certainly don’t know everything about everything.  That’s another reason why you want to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.

You need talented colleagues.  Start by hiring smart people who can offset your weaknesses or blind spots.

From there, let them help you set stretch goals for the organization and themselves.

Then stand back and watch the creative solutions fly.

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