Don’t let people who are smarter than you intimidate you. They are not a threat. The problem arises when a louder opinion is accepted without scrutiny, while a better-reasoned proposal is rejected simply because it comes from someone else. If someone’s knowledge unsettles you, don’t immediately retreat into your ego. Pause. Listen. Learn. Ask questions.
Observe how they think.
There’s no shame in being in a room where you’re not the smartest person. The shame is in entering such a room and pretending you have nothing to learn.
Someone else’s greater knowledge can help your work, too.
Give them space and ask questions instead of seeing their presence as a threat to your status.
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