Why Great Leaders Don’t Need to Be the Smartest Person in the Room

When you’re in a leadership role, it’s easy to feel the pressure to have all the answers. You want your team to look to you with confidence, trust your decisions, and feel secure following your lead. I’ve had so many moments where I worked overtime to make sure I was 100% prepared, always informed, always right.

But something my father told me early on shifted my perspective in a way I’ll never forget:

“You should want to be the dumbest person in the room.”

At first, that sounded absurd. Why would anyone want that?

It took time—and experience—to understand what he meant. As my dad explained it, success often breeds confidence, which can slowly create blind spots. You start trusting your own judgment more and more, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing—but it can lead you to stop seeking out other perspectives.

Over the years, he learned to resist that pull. He still prepared and made informed decisions, but he didn’t want a team that just followed orders. He wanted a team that shared the vision. And that kind of vision requires ownership, not obedience.

What Real Ownership Looks Like

Ownership doesn’t come from simply doing what you're told. It grows from being part of the problem-solving process—struggling through challenges, thinking critically, and feeling like your ideas matter. And when everyone, regardless of role or title, feels like they’re contributing to the direction of the team, amazing things start to happen.

When people pull in the same direction, obstacles that once seemed impossible become manageable. And solutions get stronger, because more perspectives are being considered.

Collaboration Leads to Better Decisions

My dad would often present a challenge to his team instead of dictating a solution. His only rule? The answer had to make the organization better as a whole, not just benefit one group.

This approach encouraged open dialogue. People felt heard. They didn’t just accept change—they helped shape it. And even when the chosen solution wasn’t perfect, there was buy-in, because the team had a hand in shaping it.

It also led to something else: better ideas. Often, the best solution came from someone unexpected—someone who saw the problem from a different angle.

That diverse perspective? It was invaluable.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect—Just Open-Minded

I remember asking my dad once how often his original idea was actually the one his team ended up going with. He smiled and said, “About 90% of the time.”

Naturally, I had to ask, “Then why go through the whole process if you already had the answer?”

His response stuck with me:
“Because the buy-in and the ownership are priceless.”

That mindset—staying open, even when you think you’re right—lifted the pressure to be perfect. It made the team stronger. And ultimately, it made the decisions better too.

Final Thoughts: Step Back and Listen

So the next time you’re facing a big decision and you’re sure you know what to do, try this:

Take a step back. Ask your team. Invite ideas. Talk through the options.

You’ll either reaffirm what you already knew… or you’ll uncover something better.

Either way, your leadership—and your team—will grow stronger.

And remember, you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to be a great leader.

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