So the other day a project lead asked, “how does a new project team that has just been put together from different sources and backgrounds manage to get around their differences and work together to produce a functional solution quickly?” My response: “simple, they must all aspire to be the dumbest person in the room.” To do anything else leads to failure, whether its partial or complete, failure is the only possibility.

Why is this so? It’s simple human nature that we all think we’re the best at what we do. By thinking this way and not forcefully putting that thought pattern away when we’re working in a group we subconsciously attempt to impose that thought on others. The result is clashing opinions and thoughts hitting and tempers flaring. When we don’t suppress this part of our nature we end up attempting to be the “alpha” in the group. When someone is trying to prove they are the smartest in the group, they are dooming the group to failure in some way.

By suppressing this thought process and instead aspiring to be the dumbest one in the group, we avert the problems created by alpha’s competing amongst each other. The result is often far better than just simple cooperation. By aspiring to be the dumbest person we tend to show others more respect, ask more questions even when they are simple ones, and are usually more open to criticism and even enlightenment.

Great leaders become great leaders by aspiring to be the dumbest person in the room … they can’t all be wrong?

I decided to resurrect a few articles from the archives. Here’s the first, posted September 17th, 2006 @ 05:05 PM:

Many people have their own view of how to derive power within a group. Some think power comes only through rank provided by an outside force. Others see power as coming from ability and/or strength. Unfortunately it seems as though the vast majority view fear as the only way to evoke power.

The reality though, is that real power comes only from mutual respect. I can choose to ignore rank as there is always a higher power, I can overcome strength and circumvent ability, and I can ignore fear as nothing is really worth fearing—I cannot ignore respect.

If I show someone that I respect them and continue to do so, I will eventually earn their respect. Once we have mutual respect I don’t have to demand that someone do something, I can simply ask it of them and they will do it out of respect alone. Rank helps only when unknowns enter the group and have not built mutual respect with the others, when mis-used, rank only tends to drive disobedience as a test. Strength and ability help only when used to elevate the other members of the group, used un-wisely these things lead to power struggles within the group that eventually fragment the group. Fear never helps in the long run as although it may appear to have an immediate impact it drives members away from the group as soon as opportunity presents itself.

So why is it that so many view fear as a motivational tool and a means of evoking power? Simple, they themselves are motivated only out of fear. They fear loosing what they have worked so hard to gain. They fear the uncertainty that comes from having no-one truely respect them. They fear life itself because they cannot be certain that others will come when needed.

There are probably thousands of different views on how to derive power within a group … only respect brings true power.