There is a circulating theme this month that may have stemmed from Google no longer hiring based on GPA (which I fully support) and one of my favorite blog posts about how being stupid is a good thing. There are many opportunities that we give and receive information: school, news, parenting, on-the-job, conferences,  etc. Which would you rather be, the smartest one or the dumbest one? Here are three arguments as to why it might be better to be the latter.

1. They Ask First
• If you don't think you are smart enough to answer something on your own, you usually ask a lot of questions. Whether for understanding, clarification, or just to know what your boss really wants, asking is the fastest way to the answer. Smart people usually figure it out on their own and that means you might get a different conclusion, it might take longer, or you have to redo work!
2. They Offer to Help
• One of the best ways to become smarter is to learn is from someone else. Watching someone that is an expert and being a copycat is a fast way to get better at a new task. Even if you aren't very smart, you still seek recognition and therefore offering to help work on projects that the experts are running gets your name out there. These people become friendly and reliable colleagues rather than introverts working solo.
3. They Are Kind
• I find that those that aren't proving to the world that they are super smart are happier and supportive people. They give words of encouragement, congratulations, and praise. For example, "Wow, that's a great idea!" because they genuinely wouldn't have thought of it themselves. Instead of trying to share your knowledge with the world and argue with those that disagree, having less smarts means you receive advice all the time, listen to it, and appreciate it.