The Idiot in the Room

Recently I heard a quick clip from Simon Sinek about the value of being willing to be the idiot in the room and I found it fascinating. Also, he originally shared it on my birthday so there's that. But here's the point to this...

Time is the great revealer! How often have we been worse off just because we didn't dare seem uninformed? Sooner or later it's going to come out that we don't know, or we don't understand something. Simon Sinek focused on daring to be the one to say "I don't know" and "I don't get it". Words that so many of us fear as much as anything, especially when surrounded by peers. I have taught countless seminars, webinars, etc. and one thing I do know is that when I ask "questions anyone?", the room is silent and still. No one raises a hand but I also don't see total confidence on everyone. It's not until that one brave person says: "Ok, so this is what I didn't understand" that everyone else nods in agreement, implying the obvious. EVERYONE had that same question.

Because this person was willing to be the idiot of the room, it actually showed the idiot was the rest of the room because they were willing to walk away with the same doubts they came in. I find it most interesting. Human nature is soooo interesting, and I have always been fascinated by how it works. I should have been a psychologist... except that I don't have the patience to listen to everyone's problems when I have plenty of my own. So let's take this lesson for what it is: are you willing to be the idiot in the room?

Let's say a consultant comes in to talk to your team about a topic that's a bleeding issue with your team. This is something you need to get a handle on, be it sales slumps or reports on research you paid for, whatever you can think of, let's just say it's important to your organization. The presentation is going well, lots of numbers, lots of instruction and new concepts, and you get to the point where it feels everyone needs to run a lap and a 5 Hour Energy shot.

Some might say: dude, I don't need to be the idiot in the room because I truly do get it, I'm keeping up so why would I play dumb? Remember that in a team you are only as strong as your weakest link. If this is the case and you are so much smarter than everyone else, are you willing to bring yourself down to their level for the benefit of the team? To make sure that those who are less capable as you walk away with the same level of understanding you have?

In a team situation, perhaps, we should have a circulating assignment for "the idiot in the room". Someone who will ask the dumb, obvious questions, or at least open the door so that everyone feels comfortable asking their own. At the end of it all, if you have strengthened your weakest link, they entire organization is better off for it.