A Simple Trick to Identify the Smart Ones in a Group of People

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Discovering the sharpest minds in your team doesn't have to be a lengthy process. With a strategic two-question approach, you can quickly discern the true thinkers from the eager-to-please.

Picture this: you’re on a Zoom call with your marketing team, tasked with deciding how to spend an unallocated $5,000 from your campaign budget. The options are endless, but whose input should you trust?

According to Dr. Shailesh Panthee from Nepal, beginning with a straightforward question can help sift through the team and reveal who is genuinely insightful.

Start with an easy question like, "Can someone remind me what CTR stands for?" (CTR means click-through rate, a common term in marketing referring to the percentage of people who click on a link after seeing it.) Then, observe who rushes to answer. Overeager participants might be so keen on gaining approval that they skip essential steps like analysis and validation.

Smart individuals often hesitate with obvious questions. They might suspect a trap or anticipate a more challenging follow-up. Reflecting on his school days in Munich, a student frequently questioned why his teacher would ask for basic vocabulary translations, sensing there was more behind the simplicity.

After the easy question, move to a more complex one: "How should we allocate our remaining marketing budget?" Those who hurriedly answered the first question may now hesitate. They might feel content with their previous response or simply be at a loss.

Identifying the genuinely intelligent individuals requires more than just these questions. You might need to prompt them by name. Their responses could involve more questions, like, "What’s our primary goal for this expenditure?"

They might check their notes, having pondered the issue quietly. Smart individuals understand that there isn’t a single definitive answer and aren’t afraid to ask for input from others to refine their ideas. Eventually, they will propose thoughtful suggestions.

For leaders wanting to identify innovative problem-solvers who understand not just what to think but how to think, this approach is key. Intelligent people recognize the value of listening and independent thinking over merely speaking. They avoid stating the obvious, instead focusing on tasks that require creativity and thorough analysis.

Overeagerness can lead to errors and hasty mistakes. While reserved and methodical thinking may not always stand out, it’s invaluable and deserving of recognition.