“If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”

As you grow as a leader, a great way to grow is to learn from others. Spending time at events and networking meetings allows you to connect with other leaders, learning from their knowledge and experience.

How do you make the most of these situations?

Are You Looking to Learn?

There are always the few who use social events to boast about their knowledge or achievements. Those people miss out on the world of opportunity that surrounds them.

You should always be seeking to learn in every interaction you have, no matter if it is a leadership event or if you meet someone on the plane on a trip somewhere. Everyone has more knowledge in a particular subject than you may have, leaving room for you to learn from each person you meet.

Ask and listen to understand, rather than to fulfil your own agenda.

A great way to do this is to go into every interaction with a Shoshin or beginners’ mindset. This mindset allows you to always be seeking more, asking questions, and listening to understand. Having a Shoshin mindset is what has allowed many leaders to grow at an exponential level.

Look For Topics You Know a Little About

Asking an expert about a topic you know nothing about can often lead to an interview type situation. Rather than exploring a topic and asking a lot of quick answer questions, look for an overlapping topic that you have some knowledge about. As this will allow you to ask more meaningful questions, spurring a discussion rather than a Q&A session.

A great way to do this is to prepare beforehand. If you are going to an event, read up about the speakers, their topics, and the people attending. This should help you to gain an overview on the different topics that may be discussed, allowing you to be better prepared.

Don’t Be in the Wrong Room?

While it is a good idea to not be the smartest person in the room, there is such a thing as being in the wrong room. Being in a room with people who are a few steps ahead of you is great. You can gain knowledge and insight from them and likely share knowledge in return.

However, being in a room with people who are ten or more steps ahead can be daunting and uncomfortable. You simply do not have the knowledge to keep up or converse and this can often lead to an uncomfortable situation.

It’s important to do research before and ensure you are in the right room. But if you do find yourself in the wrong room, simply listen to understand.