The Magnetism of Stupidity

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness - Chinese proverb.

Most executives rarely think that organizational inefficiencies start with their own management team’s stupidity.

The combination of intelligence in different people is more difficult than the combination of stupidity. This isn’t only because the power of stupidity is generally underestimated and its consequences often unpredictable. But,

“Stupidity is brainless; it doesn’t need to think, get organized, or plan ahead to generate a combined effect.......Giancarlo Livraghi.

When elements of the management team are dysfunctional, they soon start recruiting people with similar traits, the organization becomes polarized with massive pool of super stupid.

Teamwork is also stifled when management has not clearly communicated their vision and strategic plan to the organization as a whole.

This management inefficiencies soon runs the entire organization into extinction.

Look out for the following dysfunctional trait:

•         Super-human that does not need the help of anyone

•         He does his own thing without asking the advice or input of anyone

•         So smart that simple communication with anyone on the team is an absolute waste of their time and energy

•         You just don’t know what their temperament will be.

•         Everything has got to go their way and cannot see beyond themselves

Coincidence can put wise words in anyone's mouth.........But the transfer of intelligence is a much more complex process.

What Is Intelligence? 

Intelligence, in the realm of psychology, encompasses various mental capacities:

Learning from experiences- The ability to acquire knowledge through exposure to different situations.

Adaptation- Adjusting to new environments and challenges.

Abstract thinking- Grasping complex ideas.

Problem-solving and critical thinking.

• Positive transfer, when learning in one situation facilitates learning in another (e.g., violin skills aiding piano learning).
• Negative transfer, learning one task makes another task harder (e.g., speaking Telugu hindering Malayalam learning).
• Zero transfer, learning one activity neither helps nor hinders another task (e.g., history knowledge and driving a car)

Psychologist Robert Sternberg aptly defined intelligence as “the mental abilities necessary for adaptation to, as well as shaping and selection of, any environmental context” 

See You at The Top