Smart person = good. Bug crusher = bad.
The Value and Peril of High Intelligence
You want smart people in your organization. When the smartest person in the room is speaking, listen. They probably have an above-average ability to sort good ideas from bad ideas, to introduce factors into the discussion others haven’t thought of, to make connections others might miss, to point out flaws in logic, or to offer knowledge that sheds light. All good.
The problem comes when the smartest person in the room becomes a “bug-crusher.” I first heard this term from Joan Garry, a prominent consultant to nonprofits. Someone else in the room says something not smart, and the smartest person in the room crushes them like a bug. It might be done in harsh way or it might be done in a mellow way, but either way – not good.
There are two things going on: one is the interaction of facts and ideas; the other is the interaction of people. You need to take care of the interaction of facts and ideas, so the right facts and the best ideas come out on top. But you also need to take care of the interaction of people, so everyone in the room continues to eagerly contribute from the unique knowledge, experience, and wisdom that only they have. Crush the bug and you might not hear from that person again for a while. Or ever.
What makes this worse is that too many times the bug that gets crushed is the Black person in the room, or the woman, or the immigrant, or the less-educated-working-class person – and, depending on the issue, they might just be the most important voice in the room to hear.
The moral of this story: Smart people – don’t crush bugs. Listen. Be open. Don’t attack, as a knee-jerk reaction. Leaders – find ways to prevent the smart people from crushing bugs.
love, joy, peace … Michael
www.michaeljaffarian.com. I’m a freelance consultant to nonprofits, with an emphasis on research. I’m keen to learn about your organization, and you might be interested in learning more about who I am and what I do. Let’s have a conversation. Write to me, people! emichaeljaffarian@gmail.com.
Vol. 1 No. 45