If You’re the Smartest Person in the Room…
If you’re trying to be the smartest voice in the room…
You’re probably shrinking the room.
Whether you’re with your clients or with your team…
that striving snuffs out the genius of others.
I remember – with a shudder – how I used to conduct our Soul Millionaire workshops. Thankfully more than 10 years ago
I worked like crazy to fill each room with bright advisers and planners…
to prepare information-packed days…
to provide beautiful workbooks to take away.
Until…
I watched in horror as one Managing Director fell asleep…
before lunch.
A merciful colleague said afterwards:
“David… knowing all that stuff…
doesn’t mean unloading it in one day.
They have brains and mouths too!”
Gulp!
Since then, I’ve noticed the same pattern in team and client meetings.
The leader holds court; the room listens. Nothing transfers.
Leadership is not being the smartest voice in the room.
It’s creating the conditions for the room to think at its best.
Come and See… how other leaders do this.
Come as our Guest to our next, virtual, Tribe Meeting
(called ‘Tribe Breakouts’).
That’s 11th September, starting 3:30 pm.
We’ve just ONE Guest Seat left.
And you can easily apply for that… right here.
When others tell you you’re smart…
it’s tempting to fill the airwaves with your wonders.
Real leaders do something different.
Real leaders multiply other people’s genius.
They light up other people’s thinking!
They make the room smarter.
It’s not better answers others receive.
It’s better questions.
Such leaders create safety for others to share their embryonic ideas.
And – in doing so – they release hidden talent; brilliant insights.
“What about our Soul Millionaire workshops and masterclasses today?”
Ah! Glad you asked.
We design them so that delegates are speaking 80-90% of the time!
And it’s difficult for folk to fall asleep or get bored…
when they are doing the thinking and talking!
So, here’s a leadership question for you:
Are you hoarding the answers and the airspace –
or igniting and multiplying their genius?
